Person

Jesse Williams

Acting · Born 1981-08-05 · Chicago, Illinois, USA

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.

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  Law & Order

  Kwame

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  Grey's Anatomy

  Jackson Avery

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  The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  Self

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  The Daily Show

  Self

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  The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

  Self

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  Late Night with Seth Meyers

  Self - Guest

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  Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

  Self - Guest

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  Saturday Night Live

  Self - Cameo (uncredited)

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  LIVE with Kelly and Mark

  Self - Guest

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  The View

  Self

• 2026MontmartreToussaint
• 2025Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite StoryExecutive Producer
• 2025Hotel CostieraDaniel De Luca
• 2025What We HideSheriff Ben Jeffries
• 2025Hoops, Hopes & DreamsProducer
• 2025Shifting GearsAndy
• 2024The Great Lillian HallDavid Flemming
• 2024Following HarrySelf
• 2023Your Place or MineTheo
• 2022Secret HeadquartersIrons
• 2021Only Murders in the BuildingTobert
• 2020Two Distant StrangersProducer
• 2020With Drawn ArmsSelf
• 2020Bottomless Brunch at Colman'sSelf
• 2020Little Fires EverywhereJoe Ryan
• 2019Jacob's LadderIsaac 'Ike' Singer
• 2019A Black Lady Sketch ShowIsaac
• 2019Random Acts of ViolenceTodd Walkley
• 2019Desus & MeroSelf - Illustrious Guest
• 2019Selah and the SpadesHeadmaster Banton
• 2018Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us'Self
• 2018United We Stand: The Ali Summitnarrator
• 2018Station 19Dr. Jackson Avery
• 2018Survivor's Guide to PrisonSelf
• 2018The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHaleSelf - Special Guest
• 2017Band AidSkyler
• 2017The Obama Years: The Power of WordsSelf - Narrator (voice)
• 2016BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama CelebrationSelf
• 2016America DividedSelf
• 2016To Tell the TruthSelf - Panelist
• 2016Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter MovementSelf
• 2016MoneySean
• 2015The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf
• 2015The Spoils Before DyingParker
• 2014Celebrity Name GameSelf
• 2014Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf - Guest
• 2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelf
• 2013They Die by DawnJohn Taylor
• 2013Snake & MongooseDon "The Snake" Prudomme
• 2013The ButlerRev. James Lawson
• 2013Rich Girl ProblemsPeter
• 2012The Eric Andre ShowSelf
• 2012The Cabin in the WoodsHolden McCrea
• 2012Finding Your Roots
• 2011J.A.W.Enin
• 2010Dirty Dancing 3: Capoeira Nights
• 2010Brooklyn's FinestE. Quinlan
• 2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest
• 2009WashingtonienneKeya
• 2008The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2Leo
• 2007GreekDrew Collins
• 2006Beyond the BreakEric Medina
• 2005Grey's AnatomyJackson Avery
• 1997The ViewSelf
• 1996The Daily ShowSelf
• 1990Law & OrderKwame
• 1988LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf - Guest
• 1975Saturday Night LiveSelf - Cameo (uncredited)
• 1949The Emmy AwardsSelf
• —LegacyTroy