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Tonya Lee Williams
from Y&R to ReelWorld
Interviewed by Barbara Goodman
Editorial Director
Canadian Health & Lifestyle
You may know her as Dr. Olivia Winters from the daytime drama, The Young and the Restless. But what you may not know is Tonya Lee Williams started her acting career on the Canadian TV screen as a teenage girl who had to move to Hollywood to make a living.
This fascinating woman lives between the two worlds of L.A. and hometown Toronto. She shares her passions and inspirations of building a strong, independent Canadian film industry that encompasses the cultural diversity of Canada. Tonya is a modern day storyteller, sit back, relax and enjoy her tale. |
H&L When you went to L.A., was it with the intention of ‘making it’?
Tonya I never put that much expectation on myself, for me it’s about the experience. In the beginning of my career a modeling agency sent me to Paris, but I wasn’t tall enough. I learned that the experience of living in Paris for months with six other models was what was important.
I came back to Toronto to find there wasn’t much happening for people of colour. At an audition Gloria Reuben (of ER fame) said, “Tonya’s here we might as well all leave, she books everything.” If I was booking everything and not earning enough to live, then something was wrong. It started me thinking. I was one of the last to go to L.A.. I wanted to stay because I was booking. I thought there was more but there wasn’t. That was my reality check. I quickly found out that there’s a lot of money in L.A.. In one tiny guest spot I made what I’d make all year here. That was really appealing!
H&L Is Canada’s acting market better today?
Tonya There’s a different imbalance today. There’s more people of colour training but there’s still the same amount of work. If you compare that to when I was the only black person in my entire Ryerson University class it’s actually worse. Young actors are already asking, “How do I get to L.A.?”
I’ve been asked why Canada loses its actors to the U.S.. Our perceived loss builds the business there. Mike Myers and Jim Carrey make billions for the U.S. film industry. We have to build a strong, independent industry that will create opportunities for our actors and attract international audiences. ReelWorld Film Festival and ReelWorld Foundation, are initiatives to help build this foundation, but won’t solve it alone.
H&L How is the industry different here?
Tonya There’s a drive in Hollywood you don’t find around film in Canada. I compare it to an athlete’s drive to keep going until they win. That’s how Hollywood projects are handled. A passionate drive runs through everyone to be the best at what their doing, whether they’re in the mailroom, behind or in front of the camera. They work hard because they know there’s thousands waiting in the wings.
H&L Do you have that drive Tonya?
Tonya Definitely. My parents came from the Caribbean. My father was a judge, and when you come from a country where many oppressive things hold you down you have to work hard to get anywhere.
My parents divorced when I was 12. My mother was a nurse and yet I was taking piano, violin, ballet, and jazz after school. And if a school trip came up she saved for it. She sacrificed to give me every possible experience and opportunity. I watched her buy a house, rent it out then buy another. When I got into Ryerson she bought a house close by, and rented the other floors to pay for it so I wouldn’t be stressed. I came from that kind of drive and it’s bound to rub off.
She also taught me that because I was black I had to work harder to get the same opportunity as my friends. If you’re a person of colour that’s a given. I’m not sure Caucasians understand that’s how a child of colour is brought up. Your parents tell you that you have to be three times better just to be on a level playing field. The only Caucasians who may understand that are immigrants themselves.
That reality was there when I went to L.A. as well. I had to audition more, at fewer auditions with a lot more competition. So I had to be brilliant to have a career equal to my friends. And it’s not any different for people of colour today.
H&L What did you do differently to get ahead as an actor?
Tonya When I got my first agent here and other people sat at home and waited for their agent to call I knew I didn’t have that option. I had to be creative. So after the Genie and Gemini Awards I would send a card to producers who won with my picture on it congratulating them. I did my own marketing. I didn’t have the option of waiting for the phone to ring. I had to create the thought to create a role for me because there were no roles for black women then.
My Ryerson voice coach offered some profound advice that’s still with me today, “You’re only a good actor if the audience likes you.” Simple but true. If people aren’t coming to watch you, you’re not good. And I believe that goes for film too. If an audience isn’t coming to what we create, it can’t be good. And those of us in the Canadian film industry need to find out what they like and create it to bring in the audiences.
H&L Is there anything you’d like to say to today’s aspiring actors?
Tonya Hollywood’s different today, it’s savvier. The actors of the future know how to write, direct and produce. No more sitting and waiting for a call.
If I was starting now I’d align myself with emerging directors and screenwriters, a team where everyone can benefit from one another’s skills. You have to come with a story.
Or find a true story that you can portray, make that your baby and run with it. Agents get excited about a project that has a strong story even if they don’t know you. I’ve found stories about historical women that I’d want to play in a movie.
H&L What gets you through tough times?
Tonya When I was a child I’d read a lot of fairy tales. The Prince would always have to fight a dragon and kill it before he’d win the hand of the princess his reward. So I learned to romanticize the obstacles in my life. They’re just part of the journey, my dragon to slay to get the reward. I may not know what it is, it’s only important for me to know that there is that reward.
H&L This comes from reading as a child?
Tonya Yes, plus I was an only child and would easily fall into my own fantasy world. I also had rheumatic fever when I was four. I was hospitalized for six months and only had contact with my mother, the doctors and nurses.
My mother told me they held me down to give me the needles. This and the pain of the needles were very traumatic, so I’d escape into my fairytale world of “these people are clearly cruel and someone’s going to save me.” This was my way of dealing. I couldn’t play and run like the other kids either so that was more time spent reading and expanding my imagination.
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H&L What about Tonya’s future?
Tonya I definitely see myself as a director. I also see myself in a little cabin writing a novel or a script. I can’t be creative when I have too much going on. The last few years with Y&R, and flying back and forth has squelched that and I’m really starting to crave it.
I also have to make a decision on what I’m going to focus on from a health perspective. The flying is hard on my body as well as the stress of not creating what I need. When I made the decision to phase out Y&R to be here more and to make this my job it really freaked me out. Because the reason I went to L.A. was to earn money. Last year I directed ‘Da Kink in My Hair’ and I hardly made anything. I still haven’t learned how to earn money here. So working with ReelWorld will help create work for me as a writer, director or producer as well as for other Canadians here the dragon again.
My passion is to reveal the tapestry of Canadian multi-culturalism to the world. Canada is known as the biggest multi-cultural country in the world and I love that. We’re denying ourselves; we’re not showing the world our number one feature. We do this better than anyone else. And ReelWorld will help do this
H&L You have a novel perspective for the film industry here.
Tonya I believe we’re born with tools and that during our life we’re also given tools. There’s a reason I was born to Caribbean parents, another melting pot, lived in England, Canada and the U.S. There’s a multi-cultural thing in the way I’ve lived.
When I started the Film Festival everyone thought it would be a Black Film Festival but that was never my intention. My intention is to bring all cultural film under one Festival. The idea still hasn’t caught on. There are some 43 cultural film festivals in Toronto. I believe a time will come when there won’t be any segregated work.
H&L Would you like to change your life in any way?
Tonya I’ve had a definite shift in my energy. I want to explore that and find more balance. I think people are supposed to be in
a relationship, to have a family. There’s a connection I feel I’m missing. And I’d like to open that area of myself. I haven’t learned how to integrate relationships into my life yet so they’ve been short. And since I’ve been so busy in my career I don’t even know what I’d like in a relationship. When I asked myself that, what I realized was “Who do I want to be?” that’s what has to be clear first.
I’ve been living in a persona for many years. There’s a part of me that’s an all natural girl, and then there’s the Y&R persona that most people know. When I’m in L.A. I live in that persona, and I’m so not that. I’m so exhausted from living that persona I haven’t had the energy to find me.
Ideally it would be great to be able to take the time to find that out. But what may happen as I live in my new choices I’ll actually find out.
H&L What’s the one thing you’d really miss if it wasn’t in your life?
Tonya (reflecting) I’m obsessive about quiet and silence. It’s the one thing where I feel I’d go insane if I couldn’t have it. I can go days with absolute silence so I can think, hear myself, be centred and be focused. I can give up material things, I don’t believe they have any real value except for the pleasure it brings in that moment.
H&L You truly connect with your spirit.
Tonya Yes. I believe that I’m just passing through this life. So I focus on why I’m here.
H&L Why do you think you’re here?
Tonya Well I know we’re all here to learn our lessons. I see it like we’re these rough objects that we’re polishing. I think most people feel we’re here to help other people. I think we’re really only here to help ourselves and in the helping of ourselves we help others.
One of the things I’ve been learning through the Festival is to be a good team player; I’m a great lone wolf. I’ve found it hard to connect in groups where decisions are discussed and created by the group and not an individual. By me learning this, other people as well as the organization blossoms because of all their contributions.
I believe if you’re on the right path and learn your things then the energy you exude helps people around you without you even making an effort.
H&L What do you do to feel good?
Tonya I’m a huge pamperer. I go to a spa, get a massage, stay in bed and read all day Sunday. I love to do those things. And I love exploring. And it doesn’t matter where; it could be in my neighbourhood. I love watching others. These things relax me. And I’m a movie-a-holic. I love the whole story you get from a movie. Not like TV where there’s never an end. What irony that I’m in a Soap.
H&L Your mentors.
Tonya Diane Keaton. She’s done such amazing work. To maintain that career level for so many years, to direct, to write and have one of the most powerful production companies in Hollywood on her terms. She has a powerful drive, yet she shows her vulnerability, I think that’s beautiful. She adopted two children and created a functional family out of desire. Everything I believe a woman can be. Another is Goldie Hawn. I totally respect these women who’ve been able to balance their careers with family.
And clearly my mother.
H&L Where are you like Diane Keaton?
Tonya I see myself as yet to become a ‘Diane Keaton’. I’m growing into that.
H&L A closing philosophy.
Tonya Sometimes it’s enough just to wake up, open your eyes and declare it a beautiful day. Then don’t let the person honking his horn make you tense. What does it really matter in the big scheme of things? Feel sorry for that person having a hard, dark day. Then fill yours with lightness by complimenting someone and making them feel good you’ll feel good too.
H&L
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