Though she hasn’t appeared on The Young and the Restless since 2012, Tonya Williams frequently finds herself inundated with offers of a reprisal and queries from the soap’s devotees as to when she’ll be returning. The answer? Almost assuredly never.
Tonya Williams Explains Her Refusal To Return To Y&R
“The show is fantastic, by the way,” the actress told SheKnowsSoaps. “I left on great terms. I absolutely love the show. It has nothing to do with the show…
“I know that recently the show had reached out — they reach out every once in a while — for the 50th anniversary,” Williams revealed. “And it would have been lovely to do but I could not imagine doing the role. It takes a lot for me as an actor. You don’t just turn up and start reading a script. I don’t know how to explain it…I trained as an actor. I go through a lot of processes into who that character is. And that character was someone from 20 years ago.
“And I said to them, I don’t want to do it a disservice. I really feel I left Olivia on a high note and everybody has a great memory. And it would stress me out to think of the weeks I would need to shut down the other things I was doing to focus only on this. I would need to mentally prepare for this character and I just don’t feel I have the chops for it anymore. Or the desire, really.”
Instead, Williams would rather devote her significant energies to the Reelworld Screen Institute, the production company she founded in 200, which has since spun off a film festival and a charitable arm. Her stated goal: “To [amplify diverse voices and [advocate] for opportunities and equity in the Canadian screen industries.” Those efforts have paid dear dividends.
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“I’m the boss now,” Williams relayed. “I lay down the law. People are following my directions. I honestly can’t imagine going back to a place where I’m waiting to be told what to do. I’m just not that person anymore.”
Are you disappointed by Tonya Williams’ moratorium on a return engagement? Let us know in the comments section below.
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