Jesse Williams
Actor
Birth Name: Jesse Wesley Williams
Birth Date: August 5, 1981
Age: 43 years old
Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois
Best known for portraying Dr. Jackson Avery on the award-winning, hospital-set primetime soap opera "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC 2005- ), Jesse Williams first pursued acting after a brief stint as a high school teacher in Philadelphia, where he had attended Temple University and dabbled in professional modeling. Williams landed his first television role in 2006, with a one-off appearance in the long-running, New York City-set crime drama "Law & Order" (NBC 1990-2010).
While in New York, Williams won Off-Broadway roles, appearing in "The American Dream" and "The Sandbox," two one-acts written and directed by heralded playwright Edward Albee. Then in 2008, Williams made his film debut with a supporting part in the friendship-centered teen film "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" (2008) The film proved to be a breakthrough for Williams, and he followed it with a supporting role in the gritty cop drama "Brooklyn's Finest" (2009).
He also scored recurring roles on television in the beach-set drama series "Beyond the Break" (The N, 2006-09) and on "Grey's Anatomy." After a fiery season finale, Dr. Avery was upgraded from a recurring character to a series regular, and Williams became a vibrant part of the cast.
When not shooting "Grey's Anatomy," Williams continued to pursue film work. In 2012, Williams tackled a new genre, co-starring opposite Chris Hemsworth in the horror-thriller "The Cabin in the Woods," penned by Joss Whedon. This was followed by a supporting role in "The Butler" (2013) and a starring role in drag racing drama "Snake and Mongoose" (2013).
Williams became increasingly known for his political outspokenness as police killings of young black males became an increasingly dramatic national problem. His passionate acceptance speech of a humanitarian award at the 2016 BET Awards was both praised and vilified across the political spectrum.
Williams next co-starred in the thriller "Money" (2016) and appeared in a supporting role in Zoe Lister Jones' indie comedy "Band Aid" (2017).
Credits
Hotel Costiera
Distilled
The Great Lillian HallStream
Your Place or MineStream
Secret HeadquartersStream
CBS Mornings
Only Murders in the BuildingStream
Only Murders in the BuildingStream
The Drew Barrymore ShowStream
TWDU Extra
GMA3: What You Need to Know
Bottomless Brunch at Colman's
With Drawn Arms
With Drawn Arms
Two Distant Strangers
Today With Hoda & Jenna
Desus & Mero
Jacob's LadderStream
Selah and the Spades
Random Acts of Violence
Random Acts of Violence
Today 3rd Hour
Station 19Stream
The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHaleStream
Survivors Guide to Prison
Live with Kelly and Ryan
The Obama Years: The Power of Words
Rebel Hearts: Harry Belanfonte and Friends
Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America
Band Aid
Desus & MeroStream
America Divided
To Tell the TruthStream
Money
The Daily Show with Trevor NoahStream
The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream
The Late Late Show With James Corden
Celebrity Name Game
Late Night With Seth MeyersStream
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream
The Queen Latifah Show
The Arsenio Hall Show
The Real
Snake and Mongoose
Snake and Mongoose
Lee Daniels' The ButlerStream
The Eric Andre ShowStream
Finding Your RootsStream
CBS This Morning
LIVE with Kelly
The Chew
Dish NationStream
The Cabin In The WoodsStream
The Mo'Nique Show
Brooklyn's FinestStream
The Bonnie Hunt Show
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2Stream
Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda
GreekStream
Grey's AnatomyStream
Grey's AnatomyStream
Grey's AnatomyStream
The Insider
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream
The View
Good Morning America
Photos
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Finale
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