Jesse Williams
Jesse Williams
Jesse Wesley Williams is an American actor, model, and activist, best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on the ABC Television series Grey's Anatomy. He also appears in the 2013 film Lee Daniels' The Butler as real life civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson. Previous roles include Holden in The Cabin in the Woods, Officer Eddie Quinlan in Brooklyn's Finestand as Leo, Lena's boyfriend, in the film sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTV Actor
Date of Birth5 August 1981
CityChicago, IL
CountryUnited States of America
I'm very grateful and fully aware that 90 percent of actors are not working. Going from public school teacher to a show like 'Grey's Anatomy', I love what I do.
We often grow up being told that we can do this or that, but if you don't see anybody that looks like you doing it, you don't believe you can do it. But I had great teachers, and I wanted to be a great teacher.
I'm kind of in a middle space, being marketed as a biracial actor. Roles are written either stereotypically black, or they're written 'normal,' which is just code for white.
I've got to take it easy. Maybe win the meet and then stop possibly and focus on the long jump and try to score in that.
It was just a start to a great season. Everyone is welcome to come out and watch all of these future stars. And, I just want to say that the Port St. John Little League wouldn't be as great as it is without the help of all of our volunteers.
Coming from New York, you're kind of indoctrinated with anti-L.A. sentiment, but California is just a really dope state.
We should all have the opportunity to at least get a basic education and feel that you are worthy of something in life.
There's so much material out there that's unnecessarily racist. It takes a shot at what is 'urban' or demonstrates blackness with some sassy, neck-jiving character that's not even relevant to the plot. I see it time and time again, and it doesn't move the story forward. It just kind of cryogenically freezes us in this old racial paradigm.
It was very important to me to be with a woman who is better than me at some things. You want someone who brings new, interesting things into your life.
Storytelling is based on the word, being an honorable person of integrity is based on your word.
Storybooks were always a big part of my imagination, and my childhood and adolescence.
As an actor, you want to be able to move your character forward into new ground, but also it's really interesting to go backwards and unpeel those layers and the interesting elements of what your character is and what informs the decisions that you make so that you can have as much meat to work with.
That's why the role that I have on 'Grey's Anatomy' is important to me, because it's a human being. He doesn't have to wear race on his sleeve; he doesn't even have to talk about it. We just lead by our actions.
I am glad I get to do it again.