Nafessa Williams | |
|---|---|
 Williams in 2018 | |
| Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Alma mater | West Chester University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Known for | Black Lightning |
Nafessa Williams is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Anissa Pierce in The CW's Black Lightning and Robyn Crawford in the 2022 Whitney Houston biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody . [1]
Williams was born and raised in West Philadelphia. [2] She attended Robert E. Lamberton High School. [3] Growing up in inner city Philadelphia, Williams was exposed to violence, drugs, and police brutality. After seeing Phylicia Rashad' s lawyer character Clair Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show, Williams was inspired to attend law school to counter the violence she saw growing up. [4]
Williams studied criminal justice at West Chester University and interned in the homicide unit of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. [5]
Early into her law career, Williams debated changing career paths, after being unhappy in her work, and began taking acting classes. [6] [7] She took on modeling and small television jobs while still working at the Martin Banks law firm. In 2008, she was fired for calling out to attend an audition. Williams credits this as the moment she fully decided to turn to acting full time, calling it "best thing that happened to [her]." [8] [9]
She began her acting career with local work in Philadelphia, with her first break being a Foreman Mills commercial. She moved to New York, following being fired from the firm. [9] While living there she studied at the Susan Batson studios and trained with Tasha Smith. [10]
In 2010, Williams gained her first film role, being cast opposite Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill in Streets. She credits native Philadelphia music industry insider Charlie Mack for his help getting the role and mentoring her. [9] The film was released in 2011. [11]
In March 2011, it was announced that Williams would join the cast of ABC's One Life to Live in the contract role of Deanna. [12] When Williams auditioned, the character was only supposed to appear in three episodes, however by the time of her debut, she had signed a four-year contract. [5] Only a month into her stint, it was announced that ABC had decided to cancel the series. [13] Williams was released from her contract early and last appeared in July 2011. [14] Following the show's cancellation, she moved to Los Angeles for more opportunities. [9]
In March 2012, Williams announced that she would be guest starring on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful . [15] Williams made her debut on May 8, 2012, appearing in two episodes. [16]
In 2015, Williams appeared in the Queen Latifah executive produced feature film, Brotherly Love , opposite Keke Palmer. [17] The same year, she had a supporting role in Angela Basset's Whitney Houston biopic Lifetime film, Whitney . [18]
In April 2016, Williams was cast as Jade in the Showtime continuation of the 1990s ABC drama Twin Peaks . [19] Later that year, she was cast in the recurring role of Charlotte on the CBS prime time drama, Code Black . [20]
In 2017, Williams was cast as Anissa Pierce in the 2018 Mara Brock Akil/Greg Berlanti series Black Lightning . [21] The character became the first black lesbian superhero to be portrayed to be on network television, while also being a part of the first black superhero family to lead a major television show. [22] [23] Williams told Nylon magazine, "I knew [Anissa] would be an inspiration. To not just young black girls, but young black girls who are lesbians and all the lesbians who just want to feel represented in Marvel films... The experiences and some of the circumstances and situations you see within the show, they happen in any inner city—the shooting, the violence, the brutality, the drugs, the police brutality. Social injustice." [24] She continued in the role until the series finale in 2021. [25]
In May and June 2019, Williams, DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee, writer Tom King, and fellow CW series actresses Candice Patton and Danielle Panabaker toured five U.S. military bases in Kuwait with the United Service Organizations(USO), where they visited the approximately 12,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in that country as part of DC's 80th anniversary of Batman celebration. [26]
In February 2021, Williams launched her own unisex apperal brand Y-FEAR ('Your Fear and Egos Aren't Real!'). The brand was inspired by her love for fashion and personal wellness growth, wanting to bridge the two together Collections from the brand focus on trendy loungeware and athleisure. [27] [28]
In 2022, she starred in Sony's Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody . Williams portrayed American author and producer Robyn Crawford, whom was also an assistant, creative director, and former romance of Houston. [29] [30] To prepare for the role, Williams used Crawford's 2019 memoir A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston. [31] The same year, 26 Magazine named Williams their Woman of the Year. [32]
In 2024, Williams had a lead role in the Disney+ Hulu television adaption of Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles. She portrayed Cameron Cook, an American television producer in 1980s upper class England. [33] She starred alongside David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson, and Danny Dyer. The show was renewed for a second season in December, with Williams set to return. [34] [35]
Williams' inspirations include Phylicia Rashad, Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell. [32]
She has been outspoken on issues of racism and police bruality. In July 2020, Williams penned an open letter to Hollywood, asking for them to "confront the issues of inequality head on." [36]
"We need more Black writers to tell Black stories. We need Black hairstylists who know how to do Black hair properly. And award shows can only be fairly judged if done by a diverse group. We as a people and as a culture are beyond tired of asking to be seen, heard and treated equally. Not just in the entertainment industry, but in all industries. I believe we must continue to have these important conversations and create the necessary changes." [37]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Streets | Nicole Gordon | |
| 2013 | Dumb Girls | Female Co-Ed #1 | TV movie |
| 2014 | The Dirty 30 | Samantha Kimm | |
| 2015 | Whitney | Kim | TV movie |
| Brotherly Love | Simone | ||
| The Man in 3B | Krystal | ||
| 2016 | Restored Me | Monica Berry | |
| Asterisk | Angela | Short | |
| 2017 | Burning Sands | Toya | |
| True to the Game | Sahirah | ||
| 2019 | Black and Blue | Missy | |
| 2021 | A Holiday Chance | Noel Chance | |
| 2022 | Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody | Robyn Crawford |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | One Life to Live | Deanna Forbes | Regular Cast |
| 2012 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Margo Ivey | Episode: "Episode #1.6316" & "#1.6323" |
| 2014 | Survivor's Remorse | Adina Parker | Episode: "Six" |
| 2015 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Eboni | Episode: "Hart Medication" |
| 2016 | Code Black | Dr. Charlotte Piel | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2017 | Twin Peaks | Jade | Recurring cast: season 3 |
| Tales | Jenny | Episode: "F*ck the Police" | |
| 2018–21 | Black Lightning | Anissa Pierce/Thunder | Main cast |
| 2024 | Rivals | Cameron Cook | Main cast |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | NBA 2K17 | Tiffany Raspberry (voice) |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV: Breakout Star | Black Lightning | Nominated | [38] |
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, and film producer. Known as "the Voice", she is one of the most awarded performers and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of more than 220 million records worldwide. Her crossover appeal on the popular music charts influenced the breaking down of gender and racial barriers in popular culture. Known for her vocal delivery and live performances, Houston was ranked second by Rolling Stone on their 2023 list of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Her life and career have been the subject of multiple documentaries and television specials.
Thunder is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Judd Winick and artist Tom Raney in the Modern Age of Comic Books. She is first mentioned in Green Arrow #26 and first appears a month later in Outsiders #1. Born Anissa Pierce, she is a metahuman and daughter of superhero Black Lightning, able to increase her physical density and durability and create massive shockwaves.
Whitney is the second studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released on June 1, 1987, by Arista Records as the follow-up to her debut album. Whitney is one of the best-selling albums of all time, with sales of over 20 million copies worldwide. The album features five top-10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100, which also became international hits. The album's first four singles—"I Wanna Dance with Somebody ", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"—all peaked at number one on the US Hot 100, making her the first female act to achieve four number-one hits from one album.
Tamara Tunie is an American film, stage, and television actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles as attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns and as medical examiner Melinda Warner in the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000–2021). Tunie also appeared in films such as Rising Sun (1993), The Devil's Advocate (1997), The Caveman's Valentine (2001) receiving Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female nomination, Flight (2012), and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022).
Kasi Lemmons[a] is an American film director, screenwriter, and actress. She made her directorial debut with Eve's Bayou (1997), followed by Talk to Me (2007), Black Nativity (2013), Harriet (2019), and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022). She also directed the Netflix limited series Self Made (2020), and an episode of ABC's Women of the Movement (2022).
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, Whitney (1987). It was released as the lead single from the album on April 28, 1987, by Arista Records. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, of the band Boy Meets Girl, who had previously collaborated with Houston on "How Will I Know". At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" won for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, marking Houston's second win in the category.
Anthony McCarten is a New Zealand writer and filmmaker. He is best known for writing big-budget biopics The Theory of Everything (2014), Darkest Hour (2017), Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), The Two Popes (2019), and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022). McCarten has been nominated for four Academy Awards, including twice for Best Adapted Screenplay, for The Theory of Everything and The Two Popes.
Jody Williams is a South African pop/R&B singer. She won the fourth season of the South African reality television singing competition Idols on 9 December 2007 at age 17, making her the youngest winner of the competition until 2017, when Paxton Fielies won the Competition at age 17.
Annette Ngozi Ilonzeh is an American actress. From 2010 to 2011, she played Maya Ward on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, and later starred as Kate Prince in the short-lived ABC reboot of Charlie's Angels. She later had recurring roles on shows such as Arrow, Drop Dead Diva and Empire. In 2017, Ilonzeh played Kidada Jones in the biographical drama film All Eyez on Me and starred in the thriller 'Til Death Do Us Part. From 2018 to 2020, she started as Emily Foster in the NBC drama series, Chicago Fire.
Whitney is a 2015 American biographical film directed by Angela Bassett based on American singer Whitney Houston and her turbulent marriage to R&B artist Bobby Brown that premiered on Lifetime in North America on January 17, 2015. Whitney received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with DaCosta's performance as Houston and Bassett's direction being praised but Escarpeta's casting and the film's accuracy being criticized. Bassett was nominated at the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film and at the Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Director in a Television Miniseries or Movie.
Yolonda Ross is an American actress, writer and director.
Ashton Durrand Sanders is an American actor best known for his portrayal of teenage Chiron in the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight (2016). He has since acted in films such as The Equalizer 2 (2017), All Day and a Night (2020), and Judas and the Black Messiah (2020). He portrayed Bigger Thomas in Native Son (2019) and Bobby Brown in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022).
Black Lightning is an American superhero drama television series, developed by Salim Akil, that premiered on The CW on January 16, 2018, and concluded on May 24, 2021. It is based on the character of the same name, created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden, featured in publications of DC Comics. Cress Williams stars as the titular character alongside China Anne McClain, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, Marvin "Krondon" Jones III, Damon Gupton, James Remar, Jordan Calloway, and Chantal Thuy. The series sees the retired Black Lightning return to his life as a superhero and follows the effects of his vigilante activity on his professional and family life.
Naomi Sarah Ackie is a British actress. She is known for her television roles in The End of the F***ing World (2019) and Master of None (2021) and her film roles in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022), and Blink Twice (2024).
The first season of the American television series Black Lightning, which is based on the DC Comics character Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning, premiered on The CW on January 16, 2018, and ran for 13 episodes until April 17, 2018. The season was produced by Berlanti Productions, Akil Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment. It was ordered in May 2017 and production began that September, with Salim Akil serving as showrunner.
The second season of the American television series Black Lightning, which is based on the DC Comics character Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning, premiered on The CW on October 9, 2018, and ran for 16 episodes until March 18, 2019. The season was produced by Berlanti Productions, Akil Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment. It was ordered in April 2018 and production began that June, with Salim Akil once again serving as showrunner.
The third season of the American television series Black Lightning, which is based on the DC Comics character Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning, premiered on The CW on October 7, 2019. The season is produced by Berlanti Productions, Akil Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment. It was ordered in January 2019 and production began that July, with Salim Akil once again serving as showrunner.
The fourth and final season of the American television series Black Lightning, which is based on the DC Comics character Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning, premiered on The CW on February 8, 2021. The season is produced by Berlanti Productions, Akil Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the franchise. The season was ordered in January 2020 and production began that October, with Salim Akil once again serving as showrunner.
Jefferson Michael "Jeff" Pierce, also known by his alter ego Black Lightning, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise, first introduced in the 2018 episode "The Resurrection" of the television series Black Lightning. The character is based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden, and was adapted for television in 2018 by Salim Akil. Jefferson Pierce has been continually portrayed by Cress Williams, with Kaden Washington Lewis portraying a young Jefferson.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a 2022 American biographical musical drama film directed by Kasi Lemmons, from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, based on the life and career of American pop icon and actress Whitney Houston. The film stars Naomi Ackie as Houston with Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, and Clarke Peters in supporting roles.
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