He was able to work with two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster. Williams played the role of a father on the subway where he spent two weeks on the set in a subway station of New York City. He explained that actors shouldn't speak to the stars, but that Foster's personality allowed him some interaction.
"She is so very down to earth and so very unimpressed with herself," Williams said.
Williams said that while he finds some big-time actors to be more arrogant, Foster did not live up to that persona at all. Williams' previous experiences with television and film have landed him a spot in the cast of some well-known films. "The Brave One" is his thirteenth feature film, as he has appeared in other movies including Losing Isiah, The Replacements, Contact (another Jodie Foster film), and Unbreakable. Williams thoroughly enjoys film and television, but he said that his passion lies on the stage. He's performed in a number of plays including "Of Mice and Men at Ford's Theater" and "To Kill a Mockingbird in St. Louis."
Although the stage is where he'd like to be, he also must be a father to his two-year-old daughter. "Feature films and television seems the prudent thing to do," said Williams. He was in the cast of HBO series "The Wire" where he played a deputy states attorney during the first season. "During the one season on "The Wire," I made more money than I ever had in two years," said Williams. He finds that being on the television or movie screen is the best way to support his family.
Williams also enjoys writing scripts. His motivation to do this derived from his earlier career when he spent much time auditioning for the roles like criminals and gang-members. "My favorite character is one that is non-traditional for an African-American like a doctor or lawyer," said Williams.
At Virginia Tech, he teaches classes about auditioning and improvisational theater. He was one of the first African-Americans to join The Second City improv troupe in Chicago where he worked with comedians who now perform on Saturday Night Live. "That was a brilliant experience," Williams said. "If I had to do it all over again I would because it taught me a lot about being in Hollywood." It was there that he also met the man most influential to his career, Del Close. "He taught me improvisation and a lot about art and business," said Williams. He has realized with experience that moving up in the world of acting often means approaching a job with a more observant demeanor than an aggressive one.
"Ninety-percent of the game is your etiquette when you're on the set," said Williams. "It's easy to lose a job if an actor behaves unprofessionally by acting surprised or noticeably new to the business while on a set." Williams is now able to impress upon theater arts majors at Virginia Tech the lessons he has gained throughout his career. He first came to Tech in February when he played the lead in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and made the decision to teach shortly thereafter. "I was very impressed with the reception," said Williams. "Not just from faculty and staff, but from the students as well." Theater arts major freshman Chloe West looks forward to class with Williams next semester. "I really look forward to learning from his experiences because that's such a big deal in theater," West said, who plans on making a career of acting in the professional theater when she's finished her studies.
Williams, along with his manager in New York, will continue to seek out movie and television roles he'll be able to play in the coming years. He also plans on staying at Virginia Tech for a while. "I love it here because of the smart students, the great teaching opportunities, and the Blue Ridge Mountains," said Williams.
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