A true trailblazer in Canadian media, Tonya Williams was honoured with an induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame this past weekend. As her organization Reelworld marks a quarter-century of pivotal work, I sat down with Tonya to discuss the journey of Reelworld, the pride of seeing her former colleague K.C. Collins present her award, and the profound changes she’s witnessed in the industry. We also explored why her Young and the Restless character remains so beloved and her current binge-watching recommendations. Don’t miss her special moment when the 2025 Canada’s Walk of Fame Induction Gala airs on CBC this July 1st.
Congratulations on your induction this evening!
Thank you!
Reelworld’s initiatives have had a significant impact over the past two decades. As you celebrate your 25th anniversary, are there any key success stories that stand out to you?
Surviving the first year because I didn’t know what I was doing! It was so much work. Just making it to the end [of that year] made me know that I could do anything after that!
You’re being inducted by K.C. Collins (Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent), who you starred alongside in 2007’s Poor Boy’s Game, can you speak to your working relationship with him and watching his journey over these past two decades?
I love it! I knew K.C. before Poor Boy’s Game, so I’d seen him on things, and he’d always be around. He’s an actor that works constantly, so, I was always seeing him, but yeah, it really makes me proud to see how much work he’s done!
I just love seeing young people doing well. He’s one of those guys who takes the industry so seriously. I knew he was going to be a big star, which he is. I mean, his work ethic is really great.
How will this year’s 25th anniversary be commemorated?
Yeah, we’re surviving! But you know what’s really great? It’s the 25th anniversary of Reelworld, but the 50th anniversary of my own personal career. I believe in the longevity of survival – and that’s how you have to actually plot that out. It doesn’t just happen on its own. You have to work towards those things happening.
But we have been celebrating. We kicked off at Prime Time by doing a big discussion there and we’re doing little things in different markets, all across Canada. And then we’ll have our own Reelworld Summit October 14-15, and then October 16th through the 19th is our festival. So, we’re excited!
Why do you think your Y&R character Dr. Olivia Barber still resonates with so many viewers? Even after you haven’t appeared in over 13 years.
I don’t know! Maybe not going back? Maybe it’s the mystery of not going back? Maybe going back would dilute that? It keeps the mystery of that.
Fans were incredibly disappointed when you revealed that you’d never return last year.
Well, I figured after ten years of me not going, that it wasn’t going to be a too hard of a blow, but it was! I love the show, but I don’t even know how to get into the headspace of that character that I’ve not played in so long.
It’s just the way I work. It’s not like I would start saying lines and turn up.
Would you give the show your blessing to recast?
I think they should recast!
Who would you choose?
Oh, no – I have no idea! Zero idea but the character was really wonderful, and I think it would be great.
It’s hard to say [that I’d go back] when people [usually] ask me when I’m in the middle of the Reelworld festival, and there’s just no other thing that I can do [at the same time] when I say “no.”
But who knows? Maybe in the years to come, I’ll go back and have time in my life that I could, you know, retrieve that character in some way.
What I do is a full time job. That would kind of be like asking Bill and Lee Bell in the middle of their show, “Oh, are you going to go back and do this other show over there?” And they’d be like “We work 24/7 as it is! When would we do that?”
What is the last show that you binge-watched?
Well, I’m in the middle of watching two shows right now – both on BritBox. There’s Mr Loverman, which is very good and Death Valley.
I watch a lot! I liked Wild Cards [on CBC Gem]. I love to watch a lot of Canadian shows. There’s so much out there!
I watch a lot of content. I think the people who watch very little content have it easiest to say, “Oh, I saw this or this!” I’m [usually] like, “Oh my God, I probably watched 30 movies in the last three weeks, and I don’t remember a single title!”
Canada’s Walk of Fame 2025 will air Tuesday, July 1 at 7 p.m. (7:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.
