April 27, 2016 The Skanner Page 7
Arts & Entertainment
Tyler James Williams:
The “RePlay” Interview
Williams Talks about His New Sci-Fi Series
By Kam Williams
For The Skanner News
Born in Westchester
County, New York on
Oct. 9, 1992, Tyler James
Williams can be seen
this spring co-starring
as computer whiz Monty
in CBS’ “Criminal Minds:
Beyond Borders,” a new
spinoff series. Early last
year, he guest-starred
as Noah in AMC’s “The
Walking Dead.”
In 2014, he imperson-
ated Steve Urkel on “Key
& Peele.” The skit received rave reviews
and was named the #1 sketch of the year
by New York Magazine.
On the big screen, Tyler starred as Li-
onel Higgins in the breakout film “Dear
White People,” a satire about being a
Black face in a very White place. The
picture was well-received, including
winning the Special Jury Prize at the
2014 Sundance Film Festival. The year
before, he appeared in Peeples oppo-
site Kerry Washington and Craig Rob-
inson.
Tyler might be best known for his
work on the Emmy Award-winning
series “Everybody Hates Chris,” for
which he won a 2007 NAACP Image
Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Se-
ries. In 2012, he was nominated for
another Image Award for his perfor-
mance a gifted rapper plague by self-
doubt in the Disney Channel Original
Movie, “Let It Shine.”
Tyler began acting at the age of four
on “Sesame Street” and he subsequent-
ly co-starred in the animated series
“Little Bill.” His other television credits
include “Law & Order: SVU,” as well as
numerous appearances in sketches on
“Saturday Night Live.”
An accomplished musician, Tyler
Tyler James Williams
recently released a mixtape with his
brother Tyrel titled “Me, My Brother
& a Mic.” Here, he talks about starring
in “RePlay,” a scripted time-loop series
from New Form Digital, which debuted
on April 20.
To see the premiere episode of “Re-
Play,” visit: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=IY6iJrat8K4
“
The Portland Black Panthers
Combining histories of the city and
its African American community with
interviews with former Portland
Panthers and other key players, Lucas
N. N. Burke and Judson L. Jeffries’ “The
Portland Black Panthers: Empowering
Albina and Remaking a City,” published
earlier this year by the University of
Washington Press, provides a complex
account of the protracted civil rights
movement throughout the Pacific
Northwest. Lucas N. N. Burke is a doctoral
student in history at the University of
Oregon. Judson L. Jeffries is professor
of African American and African studies
at the Ohio State University. He is the
author of “Huey P. Newton: The Radical
Theorist” and editor of “On the Ground:
The Black Panther Party in Communities
across America.” For more information
or to order the book, visit https://www.
washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/
BURPOR.html.
KW: The premise does sound a little
like “Groundhog Day.”
TJW: Yes, I would describe it as a
modern day “Groundhog Day.” I really
liked “RePlay” be-
cause it wasn’t just
Allison’s character
that experienced
a replay, but even-
tually her friends
realize they are also reliving the same
day. And it is interesting to see how
humans would act if they knew there
were never any consequences for their
actions because the next day they could
wake up and just redo it.
I would describe it as a modern
day Groundhog Day
Kam Williams: Hi Tyler, thanks for
the interview.
Tyler James Williams: Thank you,
Kam.
KW: What interested you in “Re-
Play?”
TJW: I just really liked the story and I
loved the movie “Groundhog Day.”
KW: How would you describe the se-
ries in 140 characters or less?
TJW: It’s DJ Allison Lee’s (Lyndsy
Fonseca) 25th birthday party and she
just has to impress promoters. She fails
and wishes for another try. She gets 25
chances to get it right.
TJW: I play Nate, who is Allison’s best
friend, but he is secretly in love with
her. He is in the “friend zone,” but real-
ly tries to get out of it. Each day, he gets
a bit more desperate.
KW: What is your favorite dish to
cook?
TJW: I love breakfast food any time of
the day.
KW: Ling-Ju Yen asks: What is your
earliest childhood memory?
TJW: I Well I remember everything
from my days shooting “Sesame Street.
“It was such an incredible experience.
My mom also convinced me to steal one
of Big Bird’s feathers, which I still have.
KW: If you had an opportunity to
repeat the most important day of your
life until you got it right, would you?
TJW: Oh man, I think I would. I would
probably take a really bad date from
when I was younger where just every-
thing went wrong.
KW: Sherry Gillam would like to
know what is the most important life
lesson you’ve learned so far?
TJW: Patience, always be patient. I
also believe everything happens for a
reason.
KW: How would you describe your
character?
Read the rest of this interview at
TheSkanner.com