Drew Williams
Kristen Anzelc
Dave Gordon
Alex D. Rogers
Erin Brown
Ray C'Mone
Jessica Geiger
Keitric Starks
Dalyss Hamilton
Jill Fritzo
For Williams, stepping into her power isn’t about spectacle — it’s about understanding the roles she takes, protecting her sense of self, and using her platform to extend the work that matters to her.
Starring in the hit Tyler Perry Netflix drama Beauty in Black, Williams plays Kimmie, a young dancer whose life changes overnight when she becomes entwined with a powerful family and their famed beauty empire. From the strip club and rundown motel to offices and mansions, she’s playing a character that experiences a whirlwind of change, and she wants the viewer to share in the thrill of watching it.
It’s a transformation that could easily feel implausible, yet in Williams’s hands, it feels fully lived-in. When she first connected with creator and director Tyler Perry (House of Payne and The Haves and the Have Nots), about the role, she was determined to understand the full trajectory of the story. “I was nervous at first,” she admits. “I needed to know where the story was going because it felt so big.”
That clarity ultimately became essential to her process. “Once he walked me through what was coming, especially into the second season, I was instantly excited. I realized this journey was going to be incredible.” Rather than rushing Kimmie’s transformation, Williams approaches it with restraint, allowing the character to grow into her new reality in a way that feels earned rather than performed.
From season one to two, we see a dramatic transformation from Kimmie; Williams used her costume and fragrance choices to embody the character’s evolution. “The perfume helped me feel richer and more confident,” she says. “Costume played a huge role too. In season one, Kimmie’s world was the strip club and a rundown motel. By season two, she’s moving into offices and mansions, and her wardrobe shifts to suits and heels, which really helped me step into her new life.”
“Kimmie is just as shocked as me and the viewers,” she adds, laughing at the series’ twists.
Behind the scenes, the pace of filming a Tyler Perry production requires intense preparation. “At Tyler Perry Studios, we’ll shoot 16 episodes in two weeks; production moves really fast.” Scripts are provided in advance, allowing the cast to understand the full story arc before filming begins.
"We’re given all 16 episodes up front, so I kind of approach the script like a play. As soon as we step on set, it's go time"
Williams began building that discipline early while studying Mass Media Arts with a concentration in Film at Clark Atlanta University. “Some of the best training an actor can get comes from real-world experiences. Seeing how people navigate challenges, joy, and everything in between — that’s what I bring to my characters,” she says.
And that perspective extends beyond acting for Williams. In 2025, she founded The Shelter Rock Foundation to continue the work she began as a court-appointed special advocate supporting youth in foster care. “I would communicate directly with the young person and their foster parent, and be another guide to their home reunification or finding their forever home,” she says. Those experiences now shape how she approaches roles like Kimmie, grounding them in a deeper understanding of instability and survival.
As her acting career accelerated, stepping away was never an option. “I was like, how can I bridge this gap? Because I still want to do the work of advocacy.” The answer became the foundation itself. “It just felt like it was a part of my duty to help children, particularly those in vulnerable situations.”
For Williams, the work isn’t separate from the spotlight—it’s what gives it weight.
Maintaining a strong sense of self has been central to how she navigates her rising career.
She views adaptability as useful, but only when grounded in self-awareness. “Being able to assimilate wherever you are is only a strength when you truly know who you are.”
Williams draws inspiration from women who have defined both presence and longevity in the industry. “Somebody I’m most inspired by right now would probably be Jennifer Lopez,” she says. “I was obsessed with her in The Wedding Planner, then Maid in Manhattan, and even her music and outfit choices.” She laughs, adding, “And Janet Jackson too — the suits, the abs… they are forever on my mood board.”
Ever-curious and unafraid to push boundaries, Williams seeks roles that challenge her and expand her range. “I would do any genre,” she says.
“But action is really piquing my interest lately; I’d love to do a role where I can get physical.”
“It’s exciting to step into Kimmie’s journey and my own at the same time,” she adds, looping back to the theme of power and growth. Up next for Williams is the newly announced Season 3 of Beauty in Black. She’ll also join the cast of Season 4 of the serialized legal drama Reasonable Doubt on Hulu.
For Williams, the momentum is clear—she’s not just stepping into the moment, she’s shaping what comes next.
Beauty in Black, Season 2, Part 2, is now streaming on Netflix.
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