Jesse Williams (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jesse Williams
Williams in 2008
Born	(1981-08-05) August 5, 1981 (age 43) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	Temple University
Occupation	Actor director producer activist
Years active	2006–present
Spouse(s)	Aryn Drake-Lee ​ ​ (m. 2012; div. 2020)​
Children	2

Jesse Wesley Williams (born August 5, 1981) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is famous for playing Dr. Jackson Avery on the TV show Grey's Anatomy from 2009 to 2022, and again in 2024. He has also acted in movies like The Cabin in the Woods (2012) and The Butler (2013). You might also know his voice and movements from the video game Detroit: Become Human (2018), where he played Markus.

Jesse Williams also helped produce the short film Two Distant Strangers (2020), which won an Academy Award. He also produced and acted in the play Take Me Out (2022), which won a Tony Award. He was even nominated for a Tony Award himself for his role in the play!

Jesse Williams' Early Life

Jesse Williams was born in Chicago. His mother, Johanna Chase, is a professional potter. His father, Reginald Williams, is African American from Georgia. Jesse has said his mother is Swedish American.

He has two younger brothers who are artists. Jesse went to Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island, and finished in 1998. After high school, his father taught history in Maine, and his mother continued her pottery work.

Jesse studied at Temple University. He got two main degrees: one in African American Studies and another in Film and Media Arts. Like his parents, he taught high school for six years in Philadelphia. He taught subjects like American Studies, African Studies, and English.

Jesse Williams' Acting Career

In 2005, Jesse Williams started learning about acting. He was one of only 14 actors chosen from over 800 people to join a special acting program by ABC Television. Since 2006, he has been in many TV shows, movies, and plays. In 2012, he started his own production company called farWord Inc.

In May 2012, fans tried to get him cast as Finnick Odair in the movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. This caused some debate among fans.

In 2013, Jesse wrote an article for CNN about the movie Django Unchained. He also read the audiobook version of The Bane Chronicles: What Really Happened In Peru.

Jesse appeared in an episode of Law & Order in 2006. He also played Drew Collins in two episodes of the TV show Greek.

On October 15, 2009, Jesse Williams joined the TV show Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Jackson Avery. By June 2010, he became a main character. He worked on the show for 12 seasons. He left the show in May 2021, saying it was a shared decision with the show's creator. He returned for guest appearances in 2022 and 2024.

In 2011, Jesse Williams was named TV Actor of the Year at the Young Hollywood Awards.

Jesse's first movie role was in 2008 in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. He also appeared in Brooklyn's Finest (2009). He played the main role, Holden McCrea, in the horror film The Cabin in the Woods, which came out in 2012.

In 2015, Jesse joined the cast of the thriller movie Money. The film was directed by Martin Rosete.

In May 2016, Jesse Williams was an executive producer for the documentary film Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement. In 2021, he produced the short film Two Distant Strangers. This film won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

Jesse has also directed student plays Off-Broadway.

In March 2022, Jesse Williams made his first appearance on Broadway in the play Take Me Out. He played the main character, Darren Lemming. He was nominated for a Tony Award for this role.

In 2023, Jesse had a recurring role on the Hulu show Only Murders in the Building, playing Tobert. He and the cast were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2024.

Jesse Williams' Activism

Jesse Williams is the youngest person on the board of directors for The Advancement Project. This group works to protect civil rights. He is also a producer for "Question Bridge: Black Males." This project uses media, art, and lessons to explore what it means to be a Black male.

He has written articles for CNN and The Huffington Post. He has also been a guest on the TV show The Situation Room.

In June 2016, Jesse Williams received the humanitarian award at the 2016 BET Awards. In his speech, he talked about problems like racial injustice and police brutality. His speech led to many discussions and petitions.

Other Work by Jesse Williams

While in college, Jesse sometimes worked as a model. He modeled for brands like Kenneth Cole Productions, Levi's, and Tommy Hilfiger Corporation. He also modeled for Lane Bryant in 2012.

He appeared in music videos for famous singers. He was the love interest in Rihanna's song "Russian Roulette" (2009). He also appeared in Estelle's song "Fall In Love" and Demi Lovato's "Tell Me You Love Me" in 2018.

Jesse Williams did the voice acting and motion capture for Markus in the video game Detroit: Become Human (2018). He also voiced Duke in the video game NBA 2K21 (2020).

Jesse Williams' Personal Life

Jesse Williams dated Aryn Drake-Lee for five years before they got married on September 1, 2012. They have two children together: a daughter named Sadie (born 2013) and a son named Maceo (born 2015). They filed for divorce in April 2017, and it was finalized in October 2020.

Jesse Williams' Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Videos

Video Games

Stage Plays

See Also

In Spanish: Jesse Williams para niños