Acting
Jesse Williams
Born August 5, 1981 · Chicago, Illinois, USA
Biography
Jesse Wesley Williams is an American actor, director, producer and activist. He played Dr. Jackson Avery on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy (2009–22) and has appeared in films such as The Cabin in the Woods (2012) and The Butler (2013). He has provided voice acting and motion capture for Markus in the video game Detroit: Become Human (2018). He served as an executive producer of the Academy Award-winning short, Two Distant Strangers (2020) and the Tony Award-winning revival of Take Me Out (2022), the latter of which he was also nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
Known for
7.6
Grey's Anatomy
Jackson Avery, Director
7.0
The Cabin in the Woods
Holden McCrea
7.2
The Butler
Rev. James Lawson
8.0
Only Murders in the Building
Tobert
7.1
Station 19
Dr. Jackson Avery
6.7
Brooklyn's Finest
E. Quinlan
8.1
The Morning Show
Vernon
5.7
Your Place or Mine
Theo
6.2
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
Leo
7.8
Law & Order
Kwame
8.3
The Daily Show
Self
8.0
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
6.8
Two Distant Strangers
Producer
5.3
Secret Headquarters
Irons
7.6
Little Fires Everywhere
Joe Ryan
7.0
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
7.2
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
6.6
Band Aid
Skyler
8.5
The Eric Andre Show
Self
6.4
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
Filmography
- 2026MontmartreToussaint, Executive ProducerMovie
- 2025Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite StoryExecutive ProducerMovie
- 2025Hotel CostieraDaniel De Luca, ProducerSeries
- 2025What We HideSheriff Ben Jeffries, Executive ProducerMovie
- 2025Hoops, Hopes & DreamsProducerMovie
- 2025Shifting GearsAndySeries
- 2024The Great Lillian HallDavid FlemmingMovie
- 2024Following HarrySelfMovie
- 2023Your Place or MineTheoMovie
- 2022Secret HeadquartersIronsMovie
- 2021Only Murders in the BuildingTobertSeries
- 2020Two Distant StrangersProducerMovie
- 2020With Drawn ArmsSelf, Executive ProducerMovie
- 2020Bottomless Brunch at Colman'sSelfSeries
- 2020Little Fires EverywhereJoe RyanSeries
- 2019The Morning ShowVernonSeries
- 2019Jacob's LadderIsaac 'Ike' SingerMovie
- 2019A Black Lady Sketch ShowIsaacSeries
- 2019Random Acts of ViolenceTodd Walkley, Executive ProducerMovie
- 2019Desus & MeroSelf - Illustrious GuestSeries
- 2019Selah and the SpadesHeadmaster BantonMovie
- 2018Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us'SelfSeries
- 2018United We Stand: The Ali SummitnarratorMovie
- 2018Station 19Dr. Jackson AverySeries
- 2018Survivor's Guide to PrisonSelf, Executive ProducerMovie
- 2018The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHaleSelf - Special GuestSeries
- 2017Band AidSkylerMovie
- 2017The Obama Years: The Power of WordsSelf - Narrator (voice)Movie
- 2016BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama CelebrationSelfMovie
- 2016America DividedSelfSeries
- 2016To Tell the TruthSelf - PanelistSeries
- 2016Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter MovementSelf, Executive ProducerMovie
- 2016MoneySeanMovie
- 2015The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelfSeries
- 2015The Spoils Before DyingParkerSeries
- 2014Celebrity Name GameSelfSeries
- 2014Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf - GuestSeries
- 2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelfSeries
- 2013They Die by DawnJohn TaylorMovie
- 2013Snake & MongooseDon "The Snake" PrudommeMovie
- 2013The ButlerRev. James LawsonMovie
- 2013Rich Girl ProblemsPeterMovie
- 2012The Eric Andre ShowSelfSeries
- 2012The Cabin in the WoodsHolden McCreaMovie
- 2012Finding Your RootsSeries
- 2011J.A.W.Enin, Co-ProducerMovie
- 2010Dirty Dancing 3: Capoeira NightsMovie
- 2010Brooklyn's FinestE. QuinlanMovie
- 2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - GuestSeries
- 2009WashingtonienneKeyaMovie
- 2008The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2LeoMovie
- 2007GreekDrew CollinsSeries
- 2006Beyond the BreakEric MedinaSeries
- 2005Grey's AnatomyJackson Avery, DirectorSeries
- 1997The ViewSelfSeries
- 1996The Daily ShowSelfSeries
- 1990Law & OrderKwameSeries
- 1988LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf - GuestSeries
- 1975Saturday Night LiveSelf - Cameo (uncredited)Series
- 1949The Emmy AwardsSelfSeries
- —LegacyTroyMovie
- —The Decline of F*cking Western CivilizationMovie