WhileTyler James Williamsis currently enjoying a successful run on the award-winning comedy sitcomAbbott Elementary, the actor reported having several struggles in television during a recent interview withGQ. Williams played a teenager in the 2005-2009 sitcomEverybody Hates Chris, which chronicled the childhood years of real-life comedian Chris Rock–a role that Williams described as “traumatic.”
According to Williams, growing up on a highly popular television show as a kid (in the lead role of Chris) led to difficulties with “hypervigilance” that eventually required therapy for the actor. “The time this was happening was the same time the internet was becoming more ingrained in the industry,” Williams explained to GQ. “So as I’m going through the most awkward years of my life, everyone sees it. I think my voice was cracking nonstop during seasons two and three. I was trying to find myself in front of everybody. And everybody had an opinion and was getting used to getting theirs out [online].”
In addition, Williams has shared that his conclusion of the hit series was not necessarily positive, with one producer ofEverybody Hates Christelling the successful kid actor that he didn’t have a future in television. Williams recounted his shock when the producer told him, “‘I’ll never see you as anything else and you’ll probably never work again.” “I was like, ‘Holy shit,” added Williams, “you really just looked at me and said that.'”
Related:10 Child Actors Who Were Nominated for Oscars Before Becoming Adults
Friendship Brought Him Back to Television
Regardless of his struggles (including being told this when he was still too young to vote), Williams has surpassed expectations and gone on to play the primary characterGregory Eddie onAbbot Elementary, a first-grade teacher with a love interest in lead character Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson). Currently in season 2, the acclaimed sitcom has a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and has scored Primetime Emmy, Independent Spirit, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Based on his childhood experiences, the performer still has difficulties “being seen.” “I still get triggered by things that are part of everybody else’s childhood,” said Williams. “Every time someone comes up to me, regardless of what it is they recognize me for, what that says to me in the moment is that I’m seen. I have to be on, immediately, because someone’s watching.”
But the actor is reportedly doing well, establishing “firmer boundaries” and trying to “slow the pace of his life.” He explained that his trust in Brunson led him back to sitcom TV. The actress reportedly wrote and sold the sitcom with Williams in mind for her co-star lead. “I was standing on my balcony and she called me.Abbottwas going, and she was like, ‘Do you want to do this?’” he recalled. “We had a two-hour conversation about what we needed to see in Gregory, and when she listed the characters that he could be like, they were already on my list.”
