Exclusive interview with Anthony E. Williams, American Actor, Producer and Writer.

By Jean-Paul Eliard
The 11 June 2025

Hi Anthony, I'm happy to do this interview.

Can you introduce yourself to the visitors of cinema-movietheater.com?

I’m Anthony E. Williams an actor, writer, and producer. I’ve worked for several fortune 500 companies as an MBA in sales divisions which let to me creating WMZ Entertainment. I used WMZ to produce F.A.M. my award-winning pilot. That launched my acting career after it won 15 awards. 

My most recent project as an actor is STRAW which dropped on Netflix June 6th from Tyler Perry Studios.

What did you like about your character Officer Dickson?

Dickson is the right-hand man of the Chief.

Any and everything the Chief needs throughout the film Dickson does it.

He is also providing information to the audience in a way my characters have not in the past. Often, I come in as an FBI agent and have back and forth with the leads, however Dickson continues on in the story to provide action and context and I liked that.

What did you appreciate when you read the script?

Tyler Perry Studios is doing a thriller.

That’s all I needed to hear. I’m in! Once I read the script I saw how it touched on deep topics concerning single mothers and poverty all wrapped into a police drama of which I love.

The script came at the perfect time in my career where I could be a part of a film the culture would embrace.

How is filming with Taraji P. Henson, Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor.........and director Tyler Perry going?

Those names hold weight not just in the world but in my house. I remember seeing Taraji in baby boy with my cousin at the AMC, and Teyana for the first time in the Fade video.

I told my wife I’M GOING TO WORK WITH HER SOON. This was my third Tyler Perry project (Young Dylan / Sistas) and my second time working with Teyna Taylor (Honey:Rise Up and Dance).

To say it was amazing would be an understatement. From the first day of filming we could feel that we were not just making a film to entertain we were making

a film for the culture. Growing up in a predominately white suburb this was something that seemed to be a pipe dream of a kid who spoke too proper and went to a Jesuit private school. 

Tyler shoots fast so we all had to be on our job, know our lines and bring our ideas and be ready to play and change quickly.

Being with such talent made changes effortless and was a dream come true.

How did you prepare for your role? 

I really thought about the times I was #2 at work. Setting policy for VP’s and go to market strategy for sales organizations.

I took time and studied Rockman Dunbar so I could understand his cadence and tone.

I also stayed in character and let the actor, not just the chief, know if he needed anything on or off camera I was his man. 

I slept with the script under my bed from the day my agent sent it just in case I would be going through my lines in my sleep and missed one.  We shot in 4 days so there was no time to get it right, you have to show up with knowledge and be ready for action!

Where was the film shot?

This was shot in Atlanta near the studio and some shots were done on a soundstage inside Tyler Perry Studios.

Are you watching during the broadcast?

This came out on Netflix June 6th so I was up at 2:00am local time ready for it to go live. Even though I already saw it at the premier in NYC I wanted to be the first to see it when it was released to the world. Having a project go live on TV/Netflix feels like scoring 3 goals in a soccer game, I run around the house beating my chest and sliding across the floor when my scene plays like a school kid. I’m Peter Pan on the screen.

When and why did you choose to become an actor?

I always wanted to do this but 2 stories come to mind for the WHY.

One is when I was a kid my mother would let me pick movies from the TV guide from the ‘special’ channels that required a code.

I would sit cross-legged and watch HBO/Showtime. I remember it being an escape from suburban life and wonder what it would be like to jump in the TV and partake in the stories.

The other was sitting in the back of my dad’s car and asking him, ‘if you weren’t a businessman what would you be?’ He answered ‘I would have gone to law school, UNC Chapel Hill. If not that I would have been an actor. I was really good in High School when we did Macbeth.’

I looked at my sister and we just nodded. She was the book worm and I was pretty much the class clown. I also knew I had a better chance of getting on Law & Order than being a lawyer. 

Cut to present day and you guessed it, my sister graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a J.D., and I’m FBI Agent Strick on Law & Order: SVU. You must be careful what you tell kids lol!

The WHEN is very simple. At 32, while working for GE and complaining to my wife how I wish I was an actor and not in business, my wife gave me some tough love. ‘You can either accept your decisions and continue as a salesperson, or you can do something about it. However, I’m not going to spend the rest of my life with someone who wishes they went after something.’

Shortly have that I started taking classes, booking independent films and going to NYC via Amtrak and soon after landed my first commercial agent contract.

What is your next challenge/project?

My next challenge is to continue to find project’s that the world needs to see like Straw and characters I can bring to life. I have several projects I’m looking forward to producing as well.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

The only thing I can add is that, to anyone with a dream please go after it.

I used to sit up at night and google my name wishing something came up and thinking at 32 I was too old to chase a dream.

It’s so much better on the other side and even though I am not where I want to be I’m working towards it, and with that I can look myself in the mirror with pride and sleep well at night.

Also, when you chase your dreams you know if suddenly the lights went out suddenly today and the big guy in sky were to call me home, I have no regrets,

I went after it and entertained the masses to the best of my ability.

Don’t wait, go out there and fail miserably today because you never know, you may end up on Netflix. ?

Thank you so much for your interview, Anthony. I wish you all the best 

Thank you!

More information about Anthony on Instagram and on IMDb.