Tyler James Williams and co-star Quinta Brunson’s Abbott Elementary character’s sweet romance is one of the highlights of the popular sitcom. However, Williams has claimed he wants more conflicts between the two.
Behind all the fame that comes with being a Hollywood child star, there is the crushing weight of expectations from nearly everyone. Over the years, this weight has proven a little too much to bear for several child stars.
While Tyler James Williams’ journey in Hollywood has followed the same pattern, he has managed to live above the pressure. The actor rose to fame as a teenager while portraying Chris on the hit show “Everybody Hates Chris” between 2005 and 2009.
After the role, Williams was faced with the uncertainty of his future in Hollywood. The pressure on him got even worse when a producer told him, “I’ll never see you as anything else, and you’ll probably never work again.”
Although the comments got to him, Williams dug deep and worked hard to reinvent himself. Apart from working with an acting coach, he also turned down several roles offered to him.
Tyler James Williams loves the 'little moments' between Abbott Elementary's Janine and Gregory but says he wants 'more conflict' https://t.co/bFTm1FeLXh
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) April 3, 2023
Tyler James Williams In Abbott Elementary
When Quinta Brunson, the creator and actress in “Abbott Elementary,” came to Williams with a role, he had no choice but to accept it. Brunson told him she had written the character Gregory Eddie with Williams in mind, and that was all she needed to convince him.
The role has certainly stuck with Williams, earning him one Golden Globe win and an Emmy nomination. More importantly, he has become a social media heartthrob due to his burgeoning on-screen romance with co-star Brunson.
Williams and Brunson’s Abbott Elementary roles — Gregory and Janine — see them in a sweet, slow-paced romance. While the innocence of their romance has won many admirers, Williams feels the two could do with a little more conflict.
He made this revelation while speaking to Us Weekly over the weekend at PaleyFest in LA. Williams said about the on-screen romance:
“That we’re not trying to make this too complicated or sexy. It’s the little moments and it’s reminding people that that’s what courting relationships are… it’s the little moments. That’s what I love most.”
He continued:
“I’d like to see conflict with them. They have to learn how to handle conflict.”
Although the show premiered in December 2021, fans didn’t get to see Gregory and Janine kiss until the second season. Since then, their relationship has blossomed and given the show’s fans something to look forward to.
Apart from Williams and Brunson, the critically acclaimed sitcom also features Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, William Stanford Davis, and Chris Perfetti.