Tonya Williams

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "For". Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image Tonya Williams Template:Post-nominals (born July 12, 1958) is a Canadian actress, producer, and activist. Sometimes credited as Tonya Lee Williams, she is best known for her role as Dr. Olivia Barber Winters on the American daytime drama The Young and the Restless from 1990 to 2005 and 2007 to 2012. She is the founder and executive director of Reelworld Film Festival.

Early life

Williams was born in London, England to Jamaican parents. She lived in London and Kingston, Jamaica as a young child. At age five, she contracted rheumatic fever; she and her mother then moved to Birmingham. In 1969 she and her family settled in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. As a teenager she modeled in Eaton's catalogues and danced on a television series called Boogie! which ran on Citytv. In 1977 Williams was crowned Miss Black Ontario.[1] She was a student in 1977 and wanted to be a lawyer.[1]

Williams was married to Robert Simpson from 1983 to 1991.

Career

Williams' television debut was as a host of the Canadian children's show Polka Dot Door, from 1980 to 1983, after graduating from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1979. Appearances on the television series Check it Out! and Generations followed. Her involvement on Generations snagged her a role on The Young and the Restless, and has become her most lucrative role. Williams won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 2000 and 2002.

Williams appeared on A Very Brady Christmas as Cindy's roommate.

In March 2004, Williams hosted the special event program Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee on CBC Television. She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.

Williams is the founder, executive and artistic director of the Reelworld Film Festival, an annual film festival in Toronto that features talent from ethnically diverse communities.[2] In 2024, she was named as the recipient of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's Changemaker Award at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards, for her work with Reelworld.[3]

In January 2025, Williams was named as the recipient of the Toronto Film Critics Association's Company 3 TFCA Luminary Award, in honour of her work with Reelworld and her other efforts to advocate on behalf of people of colour in the Canadian film industry.[4] She selected film and television producer Leena Minifie as the recipient of the award's "pay it forward" grant.[5]

Filmography

Actor

Tonya Williams film and television acting credits
Year Title Role Notes
1980–1983 Polka Dot Door Host
1984 Seeing Things Episode: "Second Sight"
1985 Check it Out! Jennifer Woods 22 episodes
1986 As Is TV Commentator TV movie
1987 What's Happening Now!! Michelle Episode: "The New Employee"
The Liberators Jenny On Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
Street Legal Belinda / Reporter 2 episodes
Gimme a Break! Judy Mitchell Episode: "Parents' Week: Part 1"
Hill Street Blues Shirley Episode: "It Ain't Over Till It's Over"
Falcon Crest Chase's Secretary / Lois 3 episodes
Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future Chelsea Chandler Episode: "And Study War No More"
1988 A Very Brady Christmas Belinda TV movie
1989–1990 Generations Linda Dukes unknown episodes
1989 Matlock Dana Williams Episode: "The Starlet"
Nasty Boys unknown Nasty Boys (pilot)
A Peaceable Kingdom Colleen 3 episodes
1990–2005 The Young and the Restless Olivia Winters May 1990–September 7, 2005
1990 Spaced Invaders Ernestine
Piece of Cake Tanya TV movie
1991 The Borrower Desk Nurse
1993 Counterstrike Denise Episode: "The Contender"
Getting By Janet Episode: "Shop till You Drop"
1994 Silk Stalkings Loretta Cole Episode: "The Last Campaign"
1998 PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Carole Sanderson Episode: "Bad Dreams"
2000 Seventeen Again Monique Donovan
2004 Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee Host TV special
2005 A Perfect Note Jasmine TV movie
2007 Poor Boy's Game Ruth Carvery
Finding Father's Toe Carole Short film
2007–2012 The Young and the Restless Olivia Winters April 12–13, 2007, and October 23, 2008 – February 15, 2012
2009–2010 The Border Octavia Jones 5 episodes
2010 My Name is Khan News Anchor
2011 She's the Mayor Maxine Williams 13 episodes[6]
The Bold and the Beautiful Olivia Winters Guest: 2 episodes (February 1-2, 2011)
2012 Cybergeddon Donna Berg 2 episodes

Producer, writer and director

Tonya Williams producer, writer and director credits
Year Title Executive Producer Writer Director Notes Ref.
2001 Maple Yes No No TV movie
2004 Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee Yes Yes No TV special (Contributing writer)
2004 Da Kink in My Hair Yes No Yes TV movie

Honours, awards and nominations

In 2025, Williams was conferred the honour of an Officer of the Order of Canada.[7]

In addition, she has had the following awards and nominations. <templatestyles src="Template:Awards table/styles.css" />

Template:Screen reader-only
Year Award Category Result Ref.
1996 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
1996 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
1997 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
1998 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
1999 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2000 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2000 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Won
2001 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2002 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Won
2003 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2004 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2005 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2005 ACTRA National Award of Excellence Won
2006 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2009 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2010 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2011 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2012 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award Film and television artistic contributions. Won
2012 Canadian Immigrant Award Top 25 Won [8]
2024 12th Canadian Screen Awards Changemaker Award Won [3]

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References

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  1. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Byron Armstrong, "Tonya Williams Marks 19 Years Celebrating Black Stories On Screen At ReelWorld Film Festival". ByBlacks, October 10, 2019.
  3. ↑ a b Connie Thiessen, "Marilyn Denis, John Brunton among Canadian Academy 'Special Award' recipients". Broadcast Dialogue, March 19, 2024.
  4. ↑ Nicholas Sokic, "TFCA to honour Tonya Williams, J Stevens at awards gala". Playback, January 28, 2025.
  5. ↑ Alex Nino Gheciu, "‘Universal Language’ wins best Canadian film at TFCA Awards, while ‘Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story’ named best documentary". Toronto Star, February 24, 2025.
  6. ↑ "She's the Mayor finds laughs in Hamilton". Hamilton Spectator, April 16, 2010.
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series

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