Jesse Williams

Jesse Wesley Williams is an American actor, director, producer, model, and activist. He is best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy from 2009 to 2022, alongside guest appearances in subsequent seasons. Beyond his work on television, he has appeared in films such as The Cabin in the Woods and The Butler, and performed voice acting and motion capture for the video game Detroit: Become Human.

Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois, on August 5, 1981, to Johanna Chase, a professional potter, and Reginald Williams. He grew up with two younger brothers and graduated from Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1998. He went on to attend Temple University, graduating with a double major in African American Studies and Film and Media Arts. Following his graduation, Williams worked for six years as a public school teacher in Philadelphia, instructing courses in American Studies, African Studies, and English. During his college years, he also worked occasionally as a model for brands including Kenneth Cole, Levi's, and Tommy Hilfiger.

In 2005, Williams began studying acting and was selected for the ABC Television New York Actors Showcase. He made early television appearances in Law & Order and Greek before making his feature film debut in 2008 in the sequel to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. He joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy in 2009 and became a series regular in 2010, remaining with the show through May 2021 and returning for guest appearances in 2022, 2024, and 2025.

Williams expanded his career into film, theatre, and production, founding the company farWord Inc. in 2012. He played the lead role in the 2012 horror film The Cabin in the Woods and later appeared in the thriller Money. In March 2022, he made his Broadway debut starring as Darren Lemming in the revival of Richard Greenberg's Take Me Out. In 2023, Williams took on the recurring role of Tobert in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.

In addition to his screen roles, Williams provided voice acting and performance capture for video games such as Detroit: Become Human and NBA 2K21, and appeared in music videos for artists including Rihanna, Estelle, and Demi Lovato. As a producer, he served as executive producer for the documentary Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement, the Academy Award–winning short film Two Distant Strangers, and the Tony Award–winning revival of Take Me Out.

Williams is actively involved in advocacy as a board member of The Advancement Project and executive producer of Question Bridge: Black Males. He received the Humanitarian Award at the 2016 BET Awards and was named TV Actor of the Year at the 2011 Young Hollywood Awards. He earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play and shared a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination with the ensemble of Only Murders in the Building.