WILLIAMS, Tonya Lee 1967–
(Tonya Williams)

PERSONAL

Original name, Tonya Maxine Williams; born July 12, 1967, in London, England; raised in England, Jamaica, and Oshawa, Ontario, Canada; father, an attorney and judge; mother's name, Cora (a registered nurse); married Robert Simpson, 1983 (divorced, 1991); married another time (divorced). Education: Ryerson University, graduated; studied theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and in Hollywood, CA.

Addresses: Office —ReelWorld Film Festival and Foundation, 438 Parliament St., Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario M5A 3A2, Canada.

Career: Actress and producer. Wilbo Entertainment, president and executive producer; Publicity Group (public relations company), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operator; ReelWorld Film Festival, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, founder and president, 1998—; ReelWorld Foundation, founder, 2002. Worked as a model; appeared in commercials. Pageant contestant and named Miss Junior Personality and Miss Black Ontario.

Member: Women in Film and Television.

Awards, Honors: Image Award nominations, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), outstanding actress in a daytime drama series, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, Image awards, outstanding actress in a daytime drama series, 2000, 2002, and Daytime Emmy Award nominations, outstanding supporting actress in a drama series, 1996 and 2000, all for The Young and the Restless; Red Ribbon of Hope Award, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; Positive Impact Award, for work in the Canadian arts; Doctor Bird Award, for outstanding artists of Caribbean ancestry; Legacy of Leadership Award, Howard University.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

(As Tonya Williams) Jennifer Woods, Check It Out!, CTV, USA Network, and syndicated, 1985–1988.

Linda, Generations, NBC, 1989.

Dr. Olivia Barber Hastings Winters, The Young and the Restless (also known as Y&R ), CBS, 1990—.

Also appeared as host of the series Polka Dot Door, TV Ontario.

Television Appearances; Movies:

(As Tonya Williams) Commentator, As Is, Showtime, 1986.

(As Tonya Williams) Jenny, The Liberators, ABC, 1987.

Belinda, A Very Brady Christmas, CBS, 1988.

Monique Donovan, Seventeen Again, Showtime, 2000.

Television Appearances; Specials:

CBS Soap Break, CBS, c. 1995.

(As Tonya Williams) Host, The 14th Annual Soul Train Music Awards, syndicated, 2000.

Host, Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee, CBC, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Belinda, "Tango Bellarosa," Street Legal, CBC, 1987.

Chelsea Chandler, "And Study War No More," Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future (live action and animated), syndicated, 1987.

Lois, "Battle Lines," Falcon Crest, CBS, 1987.

Lois, "Hat Trick," Falcon Crest, CBS, 1987.

Lois, "Redemption," Falcon Crest, CBS, 1987.

Reporter, "A Little Knowledge," Street Legal, CBC, 1987.

Shirley, "It Ain't Over Till It's Over," Hill Street Blues, NBC, 1987.

Dana Williams, "The Starlet," Matlock, NBC, 1989.

Janet Whitney, "Shop Till You Drop," Getting By, ABC, 1993.

Loretta Cole, "The Last Campaign," Silk Stalkings, USA Network, 1994.

Carole Sanderson, "Bad Dreams," Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, syndicated, 1998.

Appeared in episodes of other series, including For the Record, In Good Company, and Seeing Things, all CBC. Also appeared in Gimme a Break!, NBC, and in Time of Your Life.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Young woman, Half 'n' Half, ABC, 1988.

Peaceable Kingdom, CBS, 1989.

Sadie McGowan, Nasty Boys, NBC, 1990.

Tanya, Piece of Cake, CBS, 1990.

Television Work; Specials:

Executive producer, Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee, CBC, 2004.

Film Appearances:

(Uncredited) Skullduggery (also known as Warlock ), Media Home Video, 1983.

(Uncredited) Separate Vacations, Lightning Video, 1986.

Ernestine, Spaced Invaders (also known as Martians!!! ), Buena Vista, 1990.

Desk nurse, The Borrower, Cannon, 1991.

Film Work:

Executive producer, Maple (short film), Soulzstyle Productions, 2001.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Inside Soap, February, 2000, p. 24.

Jet, October 13, 1997, pp. 52–56.

Electronic:

ReelWorld Film Festival and Foundation, http://www.reelworldfilmfest.com, April 23, 2004.

Tonya Lee Williams Official Site, http://www.tonyaleewilliams.com, April 7, 2004.

The Young and the Restless Web Site, http://www.cbs.com/daytime/yr, April 23, 2004.