Allison Williams Explained

Allison Williams
Birth Date:13 April 1988
Birth Place:New Canaan, Connecticut, U.S.
Education:Yale University (BA)
Occupation:Actress
Partner:Alexander Dreymon (2019–present; engaged)
Children:1
Father:Brian Williams
Years Active:2004–present

Allison Howell Williams[1] (born April 13, 1988[2]) is an American actress. For her work in horror films, she has been deemed a scream queen by some in the media. She first became known for starring as Marnie Michaels in the HBO comedy-drama series Girls (2012–2017), which earned her a Critics' Choice Award nomination. Her breakthrough came with the role of Rose Armitage in the horror film Get Out (2017), which earned her nominations from the MTV Movie Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards among other accolades. She went on to star in the horror films The Perfection (2018) and M3GAN (2022), the latter of which she also executive produced. Her latest on-screen appearance was for the role of Lucy Smith in Showtime's Peabody Award-winning miniseries Fellow Travelers (2023).

Early life

Williams was born and raised in New Canaan, Connecticut,[3] the daughter of former NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor Brian Williams[4] and TV producer Jane Gillan Stoddard. She has a younger brother Doug, the WCBS-TV reporter and anchor and former late-night anchor of Geico SportsNite on SportsNet New York.[5] Williams attended New Canaan Country School and Greenwich Academy.[6] She later attended Yale University majoring in English; she was a member of Morse College and the St. Elmo secret society.[7] [8]

While in New Canaan, Williams worked in a Ralph Lauren outlet store. She was also a member of the improv comedy troupe Just Add Water for four years and acted in the YouTube series College Musical.[9] [10] The project featured Sam Tsui and was directed by Kurt Hugo Schneider, both of whom also attended Yale. In 2010, Yale made a "That's Why I Chose Yale" promotional video featuring among others Williams, whose contribution went viral.[11] [12]

She graduated Yale with a degree in English in 2010.[13]

Career

In 2010, Williams performed a mashup of "Nature Boy" set to RJD2's "A Beautiful Mine", the theme song for the television series Mad Men.[14] The YouTube video of the performance received widespread praise on the Internet.[15]

After seeing Williams' mashup, Judd Apatow was convinced to cast Williams in the HBO series Girls.[16] [17] The series premiered on April 15, 2012, and generated universal praise from television critics.[18] [19] [20] [21] In 2016, Williams received a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

From 2011 to 2012, Williams appeared as Cheryl in the CollegeHumor series Jake and Amir.[22] [23] On December 4, 2014, she starred in the title role on NBC's live television presentation of the musical Peter Pan Live!, opposite Christopher Walken as Captain Hook.[24]

In November 2016, Williams appeared in Past Forward, a short film collaboration between David O. Russell and Prada. Williams wrote a series of Funny or Die sketches starring as newlywed Kate Middleton, with English actor and model Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.[25]

In 2017, Williams starred in the horror film Get Out, which was her feature film debut.[26] Director Jordan Peele was convinced she was right for the role of Rose after seeing her performance in Peter Pan Live! and cast her in order to "disorient audiences".[27] [28] [29] Williams said that she had been "looking for a role that would weaponize everything that people take for granted about me. So I instantly signed on to it."[30] To prepare for the role, Williams isolated herself from the cast and crew during production in order to understand the psychopathic nature of her character.[31] The film received critical acclaim, and the performances of the acting ensemble were praised.[32] Johnny Hoffman of MovieWeb praised her for being "suspicious and charming from beginning to end" and wrote that "Williams proved, with this character, that she is perfectly capable of portraying an effective villain."[33] The film earned her several accolades, including nominations for the MTV Award for Best Villain and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Williams was cast in the role of Charlotte on the Netflix horror film The Perfection,[34] which was released on May 24, 2019, to positive reviews,[35] and her performance was called "compelling". She was cast in the role of Kit Snicket throughout the second and third seasons of the Netflix comedy-drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events.[36] Williams appeared in the Swedish thriller film Horizon Line, which released in 2020.[37] [38]

In 2020, Williams reteamed with Blumhouse Productions to executive produce and star in M3GAN.[39] [40] [41] She plays Gemma, a roboticist and creator of the titular robot.[42] The film was released on January 6, 2023, to critical and commercial success.[43] [44] Jason Zinoman of The New York Times said that she had a "knack for playing it straight" and further wrote that she "capably updates the mad-scientist archetype, refusing to pause and ask questions while inventing a doll of the future, one who pairs with a child and adjusts to their needs, filling in as best friend and big sister."[45] Fletcher Peters of The Daily Beast wrote that Williams "conquers her role" and further praised her ability "to play off the absurdity with such finesse is incredible […] Williams excels in the gruesome scenes just as well as she does with the comedy".[46] Kristy Puchko of Mashable said that she "solidly grounds the human drama within this scary sci-fi premise of a killer doll."[47]

Following her roles in Get Out, The Perfection and M3GAN, she was dubbed a horror queen by several media outlets.[48] [49] [50] [51] She will reprise the role of Gemma in M3GAN 2.0, a sequel film that she also produces set for release in 2025.[52] [53] She starred as Lucy Smith in the October 2023 miniseries Fellow Travelers.[54] The series won a Peabody Award at the 83rd ceremony for "Chronicling LGBTQ+ History Over 50 Years."

Personal life

Williams began dating Ricky Van Veen, the co-founder of CollegeHumor, in 2011. They were engaged in 2014[55] and married on September 19, 2015, in a private ceremony in Saratoga, Wyoming.[56] Tom Hanks officiated the ceremony.[57] She and her husband lived in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.[58] [59] On June 27, 2019, Van Veen and Williams released a joint statement announcing their separation.[60]

In late 2019, Williams began dating German actor Alexander Dreymon, whom she met while filming Horizon Line. In late 2021, they had a son.[61] In December 2022, it was reported that the couple had become engaged.[62]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016Past ForwardWoman #1Short film
2017Get OutRose Armitage
2018The PerfectionCharlotte Willmore
2020Horizon LineSara Johnson
2022M3GANGemmaAlso executive producer
2025M3GAN 2.0Filming; also producer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004American DreamsDeborah2 episodes
2011Will & Kate: Before Happily Ever AfterKate MiddletonRecurring role; 4 episodes; also writer
DanielleEpisode: "The Guest Bong"
2011–2012Jake and AmirCheryl2 episodes
2012–2017GirlsMarnie MichaelsMain role
2013Jillian3 episodes
2014Peter Pan Live!Peter PanTelevision special
2015Candace's friendVoice; Episode: "Every Man's Dream"
2018Patrick MelroseMarianneEpisode: "Bad News"
2018–2019A Series of Unfortunate EventsKit SnicketRecurring role; 8 episodes
2019Sesame StreetSanitation WorkerEpisode: "Oscar Uncanned"
2023Saturday Night LiveHerselfEpisode: "Aubrey Plaza/Sam Smith"
2023Fellow TravelersLucy SmithMiniseries[63]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
2016Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesGirls[64]
2017Florida Film Critics CircleBest CastGet Out[65]
Fright Meter AwardsBest Actress in a Supporting Role[66]
IGN AwardsBest Supporting Performer in a Movie
MTV Movie & TV AwardsBest Villain[67]
National Board of ReviewBest Cast[68]
Online Film Critics SocietyBest Ensemble[69]
San Diego Film Critics SocietyBest Ensemble[70]
Seattle Film Critics SocietyBest Ensemble[71]
2018AARP Movies for Grownups AwardsBest Ensemble[72]
Georgia Film Critics AssociationBest Ensemble[73]
Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture[74]
2024Peabody AwardsChronicling LGBTQ+ History Over 50 YearsFellow Travelers

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sachs . Adam . February 8, 2017 . Allison Williams on Her Brand-New Blonde, Daily Doughnuts, and Her Pal Katy Perry . Allure . November 2, 2017 . I think if I'd used my middle name professionally—Howell Williams—I'd have a totally different career..
  2. Web site: Celebrity birthdays on April 13 . The Miami Herald . April 13, 2014 . July 6, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140416182352/http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/04/13/4053609/celebrity-birthdays-on-april-13.html . April 16, 2014 . Actress Allison Williams ('Girls') is 26..
  3. Web site: Kaufman . Amy . February 17, 2017 . How Allison Williams mined the horrors of white privilege for 'Get Out' . Los Angeles Times . August 16, 2018.
  4. News: Schuster . Dana . August 5, 2011 . Anchor's away . The New York Post . July 6, 2014.
  5. Web site: Koblin . John . July 20, 2017 . Another Williams Takes His Turn Before the Camera, at SNY . The New York Times . February 5, 2018.
  6. News: Allison Williams flies high . New Canaan Advertiser . December 4, 2014 . March 7, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170308150029/http://ncadvertiser.com/41615/new-canaans-sweetheart-set-to-soar/ . March 8, 2017 . dead.
    • "I went to the New Canaan Nature Center for preschool," she said. "I was so into that world, and still think about it all the time. It established my love for nature and animals." "New Canaan Country School and Greenwich Academy followed."
  7. Web site: Mor . Michael . December 16, 2011 . Q&A: Alumna from new HBO series joining Whiffs for benefit concert . Yale News . en-US . September 27, 2020.
  8. Web site: Klein . Alex . May 5, 2010 . WEB EXCLUSIVE: Every Yale Secret Society, 2009–2010 (or, A Tribute to Rumpus) . IvyGate . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120420034440/http://www.ivygateblog.com/2010/05/web-exclusive-every-yale-secret-society-2008-2009-or-a-tribute-to-rumpus/ . April 20, 2012 . April 26, 2012.
  9. Web site: Serna . Danny . January 11, 2011 . HBO picks up new television series starring Allison Williams '10/ . November 16, 2017 . Yale Daily News.
  10. Perlman . Jake . September 2, 2014 . 'Girls' meets 'Glee'? Watch the trailer for 'College Musical' with Allison Williams . Entertainment Weekly . en-US . May 11, 2020.
  11. https://news.yale.edu/2011/12/16/qa-alumna-new-hbo-series-joining-whiffs-benefit-concert
  12. https://www.mediaite.com/online/allison-williams-this-week-the-biggest-star-in-her-family-sorry-briwi/2/
  13. Web site: Yager . Sarah . January 29, 2010 . Kurt Schneider re(de)fines formula for YouTube success . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100905153053/http://yaleherald.com/featured/kurt-schneider-redefines-formula-for-youtube-success/ . September 5, 2010 . September 14, 2010 . The Yale Herald.
  14. Web site: Shea . Danny . Allison Williams, Brian Williams' Daughter, Sings 'Mad Men' Theme Song (VIDEO) . HuffPost . Huffington Post Media Group. New York City. October 13, 2010 . December 28, 2011.
  15. Web site: Rachel . Sklar . Allison Williams, This Week The Biggest Star In Her Family (Sorry, BriWi) . . October 14, 2010 . December 28, 2011.
  16. Web site: Weisman . Aly . Here's The YouTube Video That Got Allison Williams Cast In 'Girls' . 2023-03-29 . Business Insider . en-US.
  17. Web site: Nellie . Andreeva. Trio Cast In Lena Dunham's HBO Pilot, Including Brian Williams' Daughter Allison . Deadline Hollywood. . . Los Angeles, California. October 28, 2010 . December 28, 2011.
  18. Web site: Hess . Amanda . Amanda Hess . March 11, 2013 . Was That a Rape Scene in Girls? . Slate Magazine . May 4, 2020 . November 16, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201116162521/https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/03/girls-adam-and-natalia-sexual-assault-and-verbal-consent-on-hbo-s-girls.html. live.
  19. Web site: Harris . Aisha . March 11, 2013 . A Seminal TV Moment f/k/a HBO's Girls "money shot": Was it the first in TV history? . Slate Magazine . August 5, 2022.
  20. News: Keene . Allison . March 11, 2013 . 'Girls': Did Lena Dunham Go Too Far? . The Hollywood Reporter . July 14, 2017 . November 16, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201116162558/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/girls-did-lena-dunham-go-427452 . live.
  21. News: Berman . Judy . January 22, 2013 . 'I'm a White Girl': Why 'Girls' Won't Ever Overcome Its Racial Problem . The Atlantic . July 14, 2017 . April 23, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160423180223/http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/01/im-a-white-girl-why-girls-wont-ever-overcome-its-racial-problem/267345/ . live.
  22. Web site: December 1, 2011 . Jake and Amir / Cheryl . CollegeHumor . April 16, 2013.
  23. Web site: August 14, 2012 . Jake and Amir / Cheryl Part 2 (starring Allison Williams) . CollegeHumor . April 16, 2013.
  24. Sneticker . Marc . July 30, 2014 . Allison Williams to play Peter Pan in NBC's 'Peter Pan Live' . Entertainment Weekly . July 30, 2014.
  25. Web site: Allison Williams . Funny or Die . April 16, 2013.
  26. Web site: 2017-02-17 . How Allison Williams mined the horrors of white privilege for 'Get Out' . 2023-03-27 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  27. Web site: December 1, 2017 . What White People Won't Accept Re: 'Get Outs Rose Armitage . The Mary Sue . en-US . October 12, 2021.
  28. Web site: March 4, 2017 . Jason . Guerrasio . Jordan Peele: Why Allison Williams is perfect in 'Get Out' . 2023-03-27 . Business Insider . en-US.
  29. News: Hipes . Patrick . November 4, 2015 . Allison Williams To Star In Jordan Peele's Horror Movie 'Get Out' . Deadline . May 27, 2016.
  30. Web site: Yuan . Jada . Harris . Hunter . February 22, 2018 . How Get Out, the First Great Movie of the Trump Era, Got Made . Vulture . en-US . October 12, 2021.
  31. 2017-05-05 . Allison Williams on Her Wicked Get Out Role: "I Have No Empathy for Her" . 2023-03-27 . Vanity Fair . en-US.
  32. Crucchiola . Jordan . The Singularity of Allison Williams . en-US . Wired . 2023-03-27 . 1059-1028.
  33. Web site: Hoffman . Jonny . 2022-10-22 . Allison Williams' 5 Best Performances, Ranked . 2023-03-27 . MovieWeb . en.
  34. Web site: Busch. Anita. October 27, 2017. Allison Williams Toplines Horror Thriller 'The Perfection' For Director Richard Shepard. April 16, 2019. Deadline Hollywood.
  35. Hasty. Katie. December 30, 2018. Here's every 2019 movie release date so far. April 16, 2019. Entertainment Weekly.
  36. News: Otterson . Joe . March 20, 2018 . Allison Williams Joins 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' at Netflix . Variety . April 2, 2018.
  37. Web site: Allison Williams, Alexander Dreymon to Star in STX Survival Thriller 'Horizon Line'. 2020-07-12. The Hollywood Reporter. February 2019. en.
  38. Web site: Williams . Trey . February 1, 2019 . 'Get Out' Star Allison Williams to Star in STX Survival-Thriller 'Horizon Line' . The Wrap . en-US . July 12, 2020.
  39. Web site: 2023-01-07 . M3GAN marked a big career first for Get Out's Allison Williams . 2023-03-27 . Digital Spy . en-GB.
  40. Web site: 2023-01-08 . Why Murderous Robotic Doll 'M3GAN' Was Allison Williams' Most "Complicated" Co-Star . 2023-03-27 . The Hollywood Reporter.
  41. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . October 7, 2020 . Allison Williams Reteams With 'Get Out' Producer Blumhouse For 'M3GAN' . Deadline . en-US . August 5, 2022.
  42. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 2023-01-08 . How 'M3GAN' Boogied Her Way To The Box Office Via TikTok; Sequel Already In Works . 2023-01-28 . Deadline . en-US.
  43. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 2023-01-08 . 'M3GAN' Slays With $30M+ Opening; 'Avatar: The Way Of Water' Hits Half Billion Faster Than 'Top Gun 2', 'Rogue One' – Sunday AM Box Office Update . 2023-01-28 . Deadline Hollywood.
  44. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 2023-01-16 . Moviegoing Happens Over MLK: 'Avatar 2' Soars With $40M 4-day, 'M3GAN' Moves $21M+, 'Puss In Boots 2′ Hits $112M, 'Otto' Bright At $15M+ – Update . 2023-01-28 . Deadline . en-US.
  45. News: Zinoman . Jason . 2023-01-05 . 'M3gan' Review: Wherever I Go, She Goes . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-03-27 . 0362-4331.
  46. News: Peters . Fletcher . 2023-01-06 . Allison Williams Deserves All the Hype in the World for 'M3GAN' . en . The Daily Beast . 2023-03-27.
  47. Web site: Puchko . Kristy . 2023-01-04 . 'M3GAN review: 2023's first must-see movie has arrived . 2023-03-27 . Mashable . en.
  48. 2023-01-06 . Allison Williams Talks M3gan . 2023-03-27 . Time . en.
  49. Web site: Lee-Maxwell . Jennifer . 2023-01-10 . Allison Williams Is a Totally New Kind of Horror Queen . 2023-03-27 . Collider . en.
  50. Web site: Stewart . Sara . 2019-05-22 . How Allison Williams became Hollywood's smartest scream queen . 2023-03-27 . New York Post.
  51. Web site: Ryan . Patrick . Allison Williams' friends told her to get therapy after 'Get Out,' 'The Perfection' roles . 2023-03-27 . USA TODAY . en-US.
  52. News: Barnes . Brooks . 2022-11-16 . Hollywood Horror Blockbuster: Two Leading Producers Will Soon Join Forces . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-01-28 . 0362-4331.
  53. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 2023-01-18 . 'M3GAN 2.0' To Happen In 2025 . 2023-01-28 . Deadline . en-US.
  54. Web site: Otterson . Joe . 2022-06-07 . Allison Williams to Star Opposite Matt Bomer in Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers' (Exclusive) . 2023-01-28 . Variety.
  55. Web site: Blumm . K.C. . Jordan . Julie . February 26, 2014 . Allison Williams Engaged to Ricky Van Veen . People . July 14, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714160256/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20791421,0.html . dead .
  56. Web site: Kimble . Lindsay . Mizoguchi . Karen . September 19, 2015 . Allison Williams and Ricky Van Veen Are Married . People . September 19, 2015.
  57. Web site: October 6, 2015 . Allison Williams and Ricky Van Veen's honeymoon was 'heavenly' . Hello! . October 16, 2015.
  58. Web site: February 18, 2015 . Chelsea 'Girl': Allison Williams makes her home on Manhattan's West side . Brick Underground . August 5, 2022.
  59. Web site: Sargeant. Jordan. February 11, 2015. Allison Williams Might Be the Most Boring Person in New York. Gawker. Gawker Media. New York City. March 7, 2017. January 4, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230104132458/https://defamer.gawker.com/allison-williams-might-be-the-most-boring-person-in-new-1685292170. dead.
  60. Web site: Nahas . Aili . Chiu . Melody . Stone . Natalie . June 27, 2019 . Girls' Allison Williams and Husband Ricky Van Veen Separate After Nearly 4 Years of Marriage . People . en-US . August 5, 2022.
  61. Web site: Jordan . Julie . April 25, 2022 . Allison Williams and Alexander Dreymon Welcome First Baby, Son Arlo: 'Over the Moon,' Says Source . People . en-US . April 25, 2022.
  62. Web site: Mattie. Kahn. January 5, 2023 . Allison Williams is Passing on the Vibe Shift . January 7, 2023 . . en-us.
  63. Web site: Otterson . Joe . June 7, 2022 . Allison Williams to Star Opposite Matt Bomer in Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers' (EXCLUSIVE) . July 12, 2022 . Variety . en-US.
  64. Web site: Lincoln . Ross . November 14, 2016 . Critics' Choice TV Nominations Unveiled . Deadline . November 15, 2016.
  65. News: 'The Shape of Water' Leads 2017 Florida Film Critics Awards Nominations . Florida Film Critics Circle . December 21, 2017.
  66. Web site: 2017 Fright Meter Awards Winners . 2023-03-28 . en.
  67. Web site: Bell . Crystal . April 6, 2017 . Here Are Your 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards Nominations: See The Full List . https://web.archive.org/web/20170407052512/http://www.mtv.com/news/3000426/2017-mtv-movie-tv-awards-nominations/ . dead . April 7, 2017 . MTV . April 6, 2017.
  68. Web site: National Board Of Review Announces 2017 Award Winners . National Board of Review . November 29, 2017 . December 9, 2017.
  69. Web site: Hipes . Patrick . December 28, 2017 . 'Get Out' Named Best Picture By Online Film Critics Society . Deadline . December 28, 2017.
  70. Web site: Murray . Rebecca . December 9, 2017 . San Diego Film Critics 2017 Nominees: 'Three Billboards,' 'Shape of Water,' and 'Dunkirk' Top the List . Showbiz Junkies . December 9, 2017.
  71. Web site: 'Blade Runner 2049' Leads the 2017 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations . Seattle Film Critics Society . December 11, 2017 . December 11, 2017.
  72. Web site: Appelo . Tim . Complete List of Winners at the 2018 Movies for Grownups Awards . 2023-03-28 . AARP . english.
  73. Web site: 2017 Awards . Georgia Film Critics Association . January 8, 2018 . January 8, 2018.
  74. December 13, 2017 . 2018 SAG Awards Nominations: See the Full List . Vanity Fair . December 13, 2017.

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