In 2000, Williams founded the ReelWorld Film Festival which recognizes the excellence and achievement of emerging diversity in Canadian film, video and new media. A few years later, she produced and hosted the Tonya Lee Williams Gospel Jubilee which explored and celebrated the gospel genre along with its African-Canadian history. Williams also directed the first television adaption of Da Kink in My Hair in 2004 and recently launched ReelYouth under the ReelWorld banner where special screenings and workshops take place in local theatres, schools and community centers across Toronto to create a discourse among school children in relation to topics such as diversity and gang violence.
This fall, Williams will the join the cast of the CBC’s The Border for its third season where she’ll play an agent working for the US Department of Homeland Security. The actress took some time to discuss her upcoming role on The Border and the progress that she sees in the Canadian television industry. The soap star also gave us some insight on the reason behind certain stunt storylines on The Young and the Restless as well as what it would take to launch a successful daytime soap in Canada.
Congratulations on joining The Border. Can you tell us a little bit about the role and when you start filming?
I’m so excited…it’ll be recurring. [I play] Constance Meade. I just started shooting last week actually. I had just left Toronto a few weeks and went to New Mexico because I keep a place there to just chill and I had gotten there two of three days and my agent called saying “oh you booked this part, you need to be in Washington in two days!” I hadn’t even unpacked my suitcase yet and just got in the car and went back to the airport.
The show also films in Washington?
That’s the cool news! My character is based in Washington and for authenticity, that’s where the show really shot. We were physically in Washington. I’m standing in front of these amazing monuments!
That must have been quite different.
It’s incredible because I had never actually had been to Washington before.
So your fans would like to know if you’ll still be on Y&R?
Yes, I’m recurring on Y&R. I love that [arrangement] and they seem to love that. I just wanted more freedom in my life. The first fifteen years on Y&R was completely committed to the show and I loved that but I took those three years off because I need space and time…and rest! And now coming back and being able to do that with the understanding from Y&R that I can do other things has made it so much more enjoyable for me. The two jobs are not going to be overwhelming. In fact, I’m still auditioning for other things and I’m on hold for something else
You mentioned your place in New Mexico, I assume you’ve got one in Toronto as well…and L.A. Where would you consider your home base?
I would say my base is much more L.A. The others are important for me too. I also have a place in Paris. I love going there as well. I love the freedom. I remember the day I told my mom that I had booked Y&R, this was way back in 1990, her one piece of advice for me was “now, try and stay with this show!” And I did! I need the freedom to know that I can go to different places and do different things. Even where I live. I don’t like staying in the same place for too long.
You were in town recently for the launch of ReelNetworking, which will be a monthly gathering geared towards Toronto’s diverse film and television industry professionals. The first meeting featured music video director, RT! (who has done some amazing videos for the Neverending White Lights and Kardinal Offishall). Can you tell us more about this project? Will you be attending every event?
I wanted to be there for the first one to kick it off. When I’m in town, I’ll go to it but no, I won’t be flying [everyone month]. I really want some of the initiatives that I think about and create to live and breathe without me. That’s my dream now.
You grew up in Oshawa and were inducted into the Oshawa Walk of Fame back in 2007. The city has announced your plaque (along with other past inductees) will be finally added to the walk after experiencing some delays. No doubt you’ll be looking forward to seeing your name on King Street, but how does it differ than winning other awards (like an Image Award). Do you find the hometown recognition more rewarding?
Maybe I’ll be in town! When you work in television, you don’t have the audience there [with you] so you have your nose to the grindstone and you’re just tunneling along and when anyone recognizes you in any way…[it’s rewarding]. For me, it’s really a surprise that anyone’s noticing what I’m doing and I don’t think it’s that I’m not confident in it…it’s just that there’s so much content and so many people out there [in this industry] that if you’re on anyone’s radar at all is always, to me, so stunning and amazing. So honestly, any award is just a great honor. Even if I’m nominated, I’m so honored and thrilled.
Other Canadian celebrities seem to only mention their Canadian roots when it serves them, whereas you’ve not only been proud about your roots but you actually have projects to show from it like the film festival and the Gospel Jubilee. Did this factor into your decision when you chose your new project (The Border)?
It did…a little bit. I’m an actor and I love working. The kind of actors that inspire me are the people like Michael Caine and if you ever listen to him talk, he thinks of himself as an actor for hire. He goes “if someone gives me a gig, I take it!” I really always wanted to move ego out of the way when I work. I’m like a trade’s person. Unless it’s a role that’s horrific…does no justice for women or for black people anywhere.
I like the variety of doing different things. I think that’s why we get into this business as actors. I’ve been so blessed to play a character like Olivia Winters. I mean as a black actress, it’s not often you get roles where they’re professionals and are eloquent and upstanding citizens within the community. And then to play this [character on The Border], which is a senior U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent…I mean, over the last couple of years we have had the most amount of attention to black people being in the political arena and the fact that Obama won is really making shows look at black actors in these [senior political] roles completely believable. I’m thrilled to be a representative in something like that. It’s a great role and I really enjoy the show. I had been watching it before. In fact, I’m really digging a bunch of Canadian shows right now.
Which ones?
Being Erica! I think it’s really great. When I’m in Toronto, I’ll watch as many Canadian shows as I can such as Wild Horses and Heartland. Remember two or three years ago, we were all bellyaching that there were no dramas and now I’ve gotta say, I applaud all the networks. I think CBC is doing a great job – CTV as well, with Flashpoint.
Yes, but CBS just announced that Flashpoint isn’t on their fall schedule.
Aww…but the fact that it even got on at all! You know how hard it is, even for an American show to make it on network, for even six episodes and the fact that Flashpoint was on for what? A season and a half? I don’t know if Canadians know how huge that is. Some American shows have a hard time even going 6 episodes and they’re gone, so that’s a huge accomplishment for any show and the fact that it was a Canadian show makes me proud. I’m very proud of being Canadian and the work that we do in Canada and I just want to be a part of it as much as
possible.
I came to the U.S. because there was so little opportunity for me in Canada but what I try to preach with my festival, ReelWorld, is that I hope Canadians stay in Canada as much as they can and really build the business from there. That has always been my passion and dream. But you never really want to end any opportunities anywhere, so I think that Canadians should [still] work in the United States and the UK and wherever else they can work but always remember that doing work at home is just that much sweeter and richer for not just us but for our own community.
You’ll actually be playing an American on The Border.
How funny is that though? I love that! Grace [Park] who is also on the show now is from Vancouver and is playing an American. Isn’t that a turn? We used to have all these Americans playing Canadians, now we have Canadians playing Americans.
Sofia Milos’ character on The Border, Bianca LaGarda, character is known for loud and proud American stereotype. How will your character differ? Will there be any similarities?
I have a feeling mine is a little softer. I’m Homeland Security, but in the age of Obama. If you think of the Bush administration to the Obama administration, the Bus administration was very much about “we’re Americans and we do it better than anyone else” and the Obama administration is much more about “let’s be a collective – our voice is important but the other voice is [also] important”. And that’s what I want to bring to the character.
I’m proud of what’s been happening since the Obama administration…where he’s not swing his bat around like America is the end-all to everything, he’s really setting a new tone for America internationally which is “we want to be a team player and were’ not about bossing everybody around.” My character will be embodying a lot of that administration’s view.
Do you find any similarities or differences between Constance and Olivia?
I think I want to be able to play this character with a touch of more humor.
I was going to mention that! You’ve played Olivia for almost 20 years and she’s such a serious character. Having met you, I think that you would be great at comedy. Would you consider doing comedy after this?
I would actually love to do a comedy. The project that I said is in development is actually a comedy, so we’re hoping it gets picked up because I was saying to the creator that from the age of 15 to my late 20s, I only had ever done comedies. Then when I got on Y&R, it was my first dramatic series. Now, it always seems to be dramatic stuff. Whenever I’m hanging with people, they’re always surprised that I’m not doing more comedy. It is my comfort zone [doing comedy]. I find that I’m actually really nervous doing drama because it’s not my personality and I always feel like I want to do it justice and I want to deliver it really believable.
In the first episode that you’ll see me in on The Border, you won’t see much comedy because it’s serious stuff! I’m hoping that in time, I can find those moments. I hope that she’ll [Constance] will have a lighter tone.
What will be your first episode on The Border? Will you be featured in the season three premiere?
Either the second or third episode.
A lot of people credit Y&R as your first soap role, but you were on Generations before that, can you tell us a bit more about that project?
Generations was great but it was only on for about 3 or 4 episodes. It was a very small role to play…with Kristoff [St. John, who plays Neil Winters on Y&R]…I think nothing happens by accident and two years later, Kristoff and I end up on aother show where we’re on for years! It reminds us that there’s a plan out there even if we’re not aware of it. There’s a greater plan out there. I love doing daytime and have always really enjoyed doing it. I love working in television. It suits my personality and I’m just an actor who likes to work, period!
We were talking earlier about different shows filming in Canada that American networks are picking up. Ion airs The Border in the States along with Durham County. Do you think this model could be applied to daytime? Guiding Light is ending next month and ABC just announced that All My Children is moving to Los Angeles.
My god! I know, there’s so much going on! I spoke to CBC about five years ago that I would love to be a part of them trying to put a daytime soap together. The hard thing about daytime and especially soap operas is that you really need a lot of money up front. And that’s the difficult thing because you’re talking about doing a daily show. It’s so expensive doing a weekly show. You need to know you’ll have the investment of at least three years to get it going. I remember when Aaron Spelling did Sunset Beach, he swung it for three years and then that show ended. And he said it was the hardest thing he ever did…and we’re talking about Aaron Spelling saying that!
So it’s not an easy thing to do, but I just think Canada is so right to do a soap that has the mixture of a British soap and an American soap that we could find our own voice as an “in-between”. A show like Coronation Street but with a Hollywood/American feel.
I would love to see the CBC or whoever wants to do it, grab a hold of all those [Canadian soap] actors…like when you think of the last 20 years of soap operas, there’s got to e at least 20 Canadians that have starred. Wouldn’t it be great to bring back all those Canadian daytime soap stars? Like Gordon Thomson who did Dynasty and then did daytime for awhile. There’s so many of them. It would be great to seek them out and find out what they are doing and lure them back to do a show. People would watch it because lots of Canadians have been on many different soaps and to have them all under one roof as Canadians would be wonderful.
I really hope CBC comes back to you with that idea!
That would be phenomenal!
Things on Y&R are going from one extreme to the next…what has surprised you as of late?
I haven’t had a chance to watch it lately. My life has been Toronto, Jamaica, Barbados, New Mexico, Washington and back! My head is just reeling so I’ve been out of the loop. I’m gonna catch up!
But I’m sure you’ve heard of the stuff going on with Adam and Ashley? He caused her to lose her baby and then cleaned up the “evidence”.
Yeah you know what…it’s drama at its fittest. Sometimes we have to do extreme things. I’m sure the show is trying to figure out ways to not only keep the fans it has but develop new fans. There’s a lot of competition out there. Not just with other soaps, but there is so much on during the day.
I do like the way Maria Bell thinks though. I like the way she develops story. She has a very similar energy to [the late] Bill Bell senior [her father-in-law]…how he thought about story. You know what was great about soap operas in the old days? Then they could really take their time, almost in real time, and develop a story. But the audience is way too impatient now. They don’t want real time. I think that things are bouncing around because the audience is getting more demanding. They don’t event want to wait three weeks for something to unfold. They want it now – they want it immediate.
Like within a week, Lily found out her husband was a fraud and that she had cancer.
Exactly! But what better way to bring people back together?
Looks like it’s working for them!
The man could have gotten on a boat and gone back to Australia. We had to move quickly!
We’d like to see more of Olivia. Can you tell us what’s coming up with her?
I’ve been away for 8 weeks because of other projects. I did a movie in San Francisco [as well]. I’m hoping
that in September they’ll start using me again. The summer tends to be the younger peoples’ storyline so that’s why I tend to book myself a lot of stuff during the summer because I just assume that I’m not a part of the younger peoples’ storyline.
Well we look forward to your debut on The Border and your return to the Y&R.
Thanks!
The third season of The Border will premiere this September on CBC. The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on Global and CBS. The 10th Annual ReelWorld Film Festival takes place in Toronto in April 2010, for more information visit www.reelworld.ca.
