Billy Dee Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billy Dee Williams
Williams at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2023
Born	William December Williams Jr. (1937-04-06) April 6, 1937 (age 88) New York City, U.S.
Education	High School of Music & Art National Academy of Fine Arts and Design Harlem Actors Workshop
Occupation	Actor novelist painter
Years active	1959–present
Known for	Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise Gale Sayers in Brian's Song
Spouse(s)	Audrey Sellers ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1963)​ Marlene Clark ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1971)​ Teruko Nakagami ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	3

William December Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor, painter, and novelist. He is famous for playing Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars movies. He was the first Black actor to have a major role in the series.

Over his long career, Williams has appeared in many popular movies. These include Lady Sings the Blues (1972) and Mahogany (1975). He also played the role of Harvey Dent in the 1989 movie Batman. He later voiced the character in The Lego Batman Movie (2017).

Besides acting, Williams is a talented painter. His artwork has been shown in galleries all over the world. He has won many awards for his work in movies and television. In 1985, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A Young Artist in New York

William December Williams Jr. was born in New York City. He and his twin sister, Loretta, grew up in the neighborhood of Harlem. Their parents worked many jobs, so their grandmother often cared for them. The family loved art, music, and theater, and they encouraged the children to be creative.

His mother, who was an opera singer, helped him get his first role on Broadway at age seven. He appeared in a show called The Firebrand of Florence. As a teenager, Williams went to a special high school for music and art. He dreamed of becoming a painter.

After high school, he won a scholarship to study painting at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design. He even won an award for his art. To pay for his art supplies, he started acting again. He studied acting at the Harlem Actors Workshop and soon began to focus all his energy on performing.

Journey to Stardom

Early Roles

Billy Dee Williams with Joan Plowright in A Taste of Honey on Broadway in 1960

Williams made his first movie appearance in 1959 in The Last Angry Man. He also acted in several plays on Broadway, including A Taste of Honey. In the 1960s, it was hard for Black actors to find leading roles in movies, which was frustrating for him.

Becoming a Movie Star

Williams became a major star in 1971. He acted in the TV movie Brian's Song. He played Gale Sayers, a real-life football player for the Chicago Bears. The movie tells the story of Sayers's friendship with his teammate, Brian Piccolo, who was battling cancer. Williams was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance.

This success led to a seven-year contract with Motown's movie studio. In 1972, he starred with singer Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues. The movie was a huge hit, and Williams became a famous movie star. He and Ross worked together again in the 1975 movie Mahogany.

In 1980, Williams was cast as the cool and charming Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back. This made him the first Black actor to have a major role in the Star Wars series. He played Lando again in Return of the Jedi (1983).

Between the Star Wars films, he starred with Sylvester Stallone in the action movie Nighthawks (1981). In 1989, he played District Attorney Harvey Dent in Batman. The plan was for him to become the villain Two-Face in a future movie, but the role was later given to another actor. Williams finally got to voice Two-Face in the animated film The Lego Batman Movie in 2017.

Roles on TV and Beyond

Williams in 1997

Williams has also appeared in many TV shows. He had a recurring role on the popular 1980s show Dynasty. He also made guest appearances on comedies like The Jeffersons and Martin. In an episode of That '70s Show, he played a pastor who loved Star Wars.

He has also done voice acting for animated shows like Titan Maximum and The Boondocks. He even appeared in the video game Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars.

In 2014, Williams competed on the reality show Dancing with the Stars. He had to leave the show early because of a back injury.

Williams returned to his famous role of Lando Calrissian in the 2019 movie Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. This was one of the longest times between an actor playing the same character in movie history. Fans were thrilled to see him back on screen as the beloved character.

More Than an Actor

A Passion for Painting

In the late 1980s, Williams returned to his first love: painting. He has created hundreds of paintings over the years. His style is a mix of realistic and abstract art. He calls it "abstract reality."

His paintings have been shown in galleries all over the world. Some of his art is in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. He has also been hired to create special paintings for events like the 1996 Summer Olympics and for companies like The Walt Disney Company. Williams sees his painting as his most important legacy.

A Talented Singer

In 1961, Williams recorded a jazz album called Let's Misbehave. On the album, he sang several classic songs. It even included the first vocal recording of the song "A Taste of Honey", which The Beatles later made famous.

Years later, in the 1990s, he was part of a group of celebrities who recorded a charity song called "Voices That Care". The song was made to support U.S. troops during the Gulf War. It became a hit song, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Personal Life

Williams has been married three times and has three children. His son, Corey Dee, was born in 1960. He also has two daughters, Miyako and Hanako. He lives in California and continues to act and paint.

Acting Credits and Awards

Special recognition

• 1984: Inducted into the Black Filmmaker's Hall of Fame.
• 1985: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1521 Vine Street.
• 2000: Multicultural Motion Picture Association (Diversity Awards): Lifetime Achievement Honor
• 2012: African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)'s Special Achievement Award
• 2018: American Black Film Festival's Hollywood Legacy Award

Books

• PSI/Net (1999), ISBN: 978-0-312-86766-9, a novel he co-wrote with Rob MacGregor.
• JUST/In Time (2001), ISBN: 978-0-8125-7240-7
• Batman '89 (2021–22), a comic book that shows his character Harvey Dent turning into Two-Face.

See also

In Spanish: Billy Dee Williams para niños