Cress Williams Wife, Children, Height, Weight, Bio, Family

Quick Facts

Cress Williams is a TV and movie actor, who gained fame and popularity for his roles as Mayor Lavon Hayes on the CW series Hart of Dixie and Jefferson Pierce in the DC comic book TV series Black Lightning.

Here’s everything you’d need to know about the American actor.

Biography

Cress Williams was born in a city in Germany called Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemberg on the 26th of July 1970 to an African-American family. Shortly after his birth, they moved back to the United States.

As a child, Cress always knew he wanted to be an actor; while his friends were into basketball and football, at the age of seven, he picked up interest in acting and singing.

Before getting his career started in 1990, he attended Fullerton College (junior college) in California where he majored in Theatre. During this time, he got roles in various school productions including Williams Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, directed by his mentor Tom Blank. He also appeared in Red Noses, a black comedy produced by Peter Barnes and directed by Michael Fields. The Elephant Man was another play he appeared in while still in college.

After junior college, he got admission into the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). In his last year in the University, he landed a role in Beverly Hills, 90210, appearing in 13 episodes.

Career

Professionally, his acting career began when he played Terrence ‘Scooter’ Williams in the series Living Single. He was also the cast to play the role of Talak’talan in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993).

Following his acting debut, he appeared on many TV series including NYPD Blue, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, 3rd Rock from the Sun, JAG, Nash Bridges as Antwon Babcock, Providence, Law & Order: Special Victims Units, Veronica Mars, The West Wing and Close to Home as Ed Williams. He also appeared in an episode of America’s number one prime-time show, E.R, which garnered 33 million viewers weekly.

In 2008, Cress Williams featured in nine episodes of the show Prison Break as a hitman, Wyatt Matthewson.

His foray into movies began with the film The Doom Generation (1995). Other TV series and films he is most popular for are Never Been Kissed (1999), Fallen Detective (1998), In Your Eyes (2014), Code Black and the final season of Friday Night Lights where he played Ornette Howard. He also gained notable attention for his role as Lavon Hayes in Hart of Dixie.

In 2018, he was picked for the lead role as Jefferson Pierce on the CW superhero TV series Black Lightning. Cress William also played the role of John Henry Irons in the animated film, The Death of Superman and was cast to reprise his role in the sequel, The Reign of the Superman.

He has not only made an indelible mark in acting but also in directing. Cress has directed several plays including Talk Radio, Answers and Loyalties.

Family: Wife & Children

On the 14th of October 2000, Cress Williams married the beautiful actress and singer, Simbi Khali in Malibu, California. Their union was blessed with two children – a boy and a girl. Their first child, a boy named Elijah Khali Thomas Williams was born on the 20th of July 2004 and the second child, a girl named Amika Khali Williams was born on the 13th of August, 2007.

Cress and Simbi, who were married for eleven years, got divorced in 2011. The actor began dating another actress, Kristen Torrianni. They met at a church event in 2006 and became close friends since then, leading to an eventual relationship.

Cress Williams and Kristen tied the knot on the 21st of May, 2013 in an intimate ceremony on the island of Kauai. Later, the couple held a formal reception of about 150 guests in Los Angeles. His co-stars from the Hart of Dixie – Kaitlyn Black, Scott Porter and were present at the occasion.

Cress Williams’ Height & Weight

The German-American actor has a mesmerizing height of 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm) and weighs about 192 lbs (87 kg). He is also in great shape, which is kind of expected when one plays a superhero hero on screen.

Though the actor was already in pretty good shape, he had to double down on his work out routine and diet when he was cast as Jefferson Pierce in Black Lightning. Needless to say, whatever he’s doing, it’s working for him.

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