Billy Dee Williams | Billy Dee Williams Biography | Who Is Billy Dee Williams
Billy Dee Williams (or William December ‘Billy Dee’ Williams Jr) is an American singer, artist, and actor. He is Famously known for playing Landro Calrissian in the film franchise ‘Star Wars.’
Billy has made appearances in films such as Batman, Nighthawks, Mahogany and Brian’s Song. He played Harvey Dent in Batman. It was announced in July 2018 that Billy would return as Lando Calrissian in Star Wars: Episode IX.
Billy Dee Williams Age | Billy Dee Williams Birthday
Williams was born on April 6, 1937, in New York City, United States of America. He is 82 years old as of 2019.
Billy Dee Williams Twin Sister | Billy Dee Williams Family | Billy Dee Williams Parents
Williams is the son of Loretta Anne; a West Indian-born elevator operator from Montserrat and William December Williams Senior who died in 2008. Williams Senior was an African-American caretaker from Texas.
Williams also has a twin sister; Loretta.
Billy Dee Williams School
Williams attended The High School of Music & Art, which later became the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art after merging with the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan.
Billy was a classmate to Diahann Carroll, who later played Brady Lloyd in the 1980s soap opera Dynasty.
Billy Dee Williams Wife | Billy Dee Williams Divorce | Billy Dee Williams Married
Williams was a very good looking man who many women were interested in during his youthful times. Due to this, he has dated a good number of ladies and has gotten married more than twice in the past.
The first woman to become his spouse was Audrey Sellers. He married her when he was in his early twenties in 1959. Unfortunately, by 1963, the marriage was had reached its elastic limit and the two went their separate ways.
Later, the actor got married to Marlene Clark in 1968. Clark was an actress and model who was known for movies such as Ganja & Hess and Night of the Cobra Woman as well as the sitcom, Sanford and Son. The marriage between the two only lasted three years before it crashed.
Billy Dee soon bounced back and tied the knot a third time with Teruko Nakagami in 1972. Somehow, the two have managed to stick together. Nevertheless, it has not always been rosy for them. As in 1993, their marriage seemed to have hit the rocks. The couple even went their separate ways only to come back 4 years later. Just like the actor, Teruko Nakagami had been married to American jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter, before meeting her husband. Her marriage to the musician only lasted from 1961 to 1964.
With a child together from the marriage, they both also have a child each from their previous marriages. Billy Dee’s first child Corey Williams was birthed to him by his first wife Audrey Sellers in 1960. His next child Hanako Williams was born by Teruko in 1973, while from her previous marriage. Teruko had a daughter Miyako Shorter.
Billy Dee Williams Career
Billy Dee Williams began acting on stage before finally moving to the big screen. The Last Angry Man was his first movie followed by his first TV appearance in Look Up and Live. While these were both in 1959, the 1960s saw him, doing mostly TV shows including The Defenders and The New People.
The 70s and 80s were busy years for him, playing roles in many productions including the popular Batman movie in 1989. There were also works such as Dynasty and the television series Mission Impossible. His great performances continued through the 90s to the 2000s.
Billy’s first big break was in the acclaimed Brian’s Song in which he played Gale Sayers. His next hit came in 1973 when he played Louis McKay in Lady Sings the Blues. In 1976, he auditioned for the role of Han Solo, during the casting of Star Wars.
Although he didn’t get the role, he was eventually cast as Lando Calrissian in the two follow-up films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Williams has since appeared in numerous films, including 1989’s Batman as district attorney Harvey Dent.
Williams originally took the role with the agreement that it would land him in a sequel playing the villain Two-Face, but the studio did not use him when the time came for the third installment, Batman Forever. In between, Williams has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films.
Williams is well-known for his appearance in advertisements for Colt 45, a low-cost brand of malt liquor. Currently, Williams is part of the large star-studded cast assembled for the latest installment in EA Games’ acclaimed Command & Conquer computer game series, and is quoted on the official site as saying “This is the most fun I’ve had since Star Wars”.
He’s also an accomplished painter and owns his own art gallery, where much of his artwork has sold for thousands of dollars. In 1961, he recorded a jazz LP — currently out of print — for Prestige Records entitled Let’s Misbehave, featuring Williams singing swing standards.
Williams guest starred on That ’70s Show as a pastor. When counseling Eric and Donna, Eric continually made Star Wars references to which the pastor replied, “Star Wars is one of the greatest films ever made.” He guest starred on Scrubs as the godfather of J.D.’s love interest in the episode.
Turk called him Lando all throughout the episode, much to the annoyance of Williams. In 2014, he appeared on two episodes of Dancing with the Stars, in which he and a partner danced to Meco’s version of the Star Wars theme.
Billy Dee Williams Star Wars
Billy Dee Williams is returning to a galaxy far, far away.
The actor, who famously played the galactic gambler Lando Calrissian, will reprise the role for Star Wars: Episode IX, the next Star Wars installment from Lucasfilm.
Chatter about Williams joining the production, which is set to begin later this summer. When the actor bowed out of an upcoming sci-fi and pop culture convention citing a conflict with a movie schedule. Sources confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Williams will indeed be returning to the Star Wars film franchise for the first time since 1983’s Return of the Jedi. The Lando Calrissian character made his suave debut in the 1980s The Empire Strikes Back.
Williams has in recent years returned to the role that fuels his appearances on the convention circuit, voicing Calrissian in various cartoon series and video games.
The character is one of the more popular personages in the Star Wars universe and appeared in a major way in this year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Donald Glover slipped on the cape to play a younger Calrissian.
Episode IX is being directed by J.J. Abrams and will reunite Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver, among others. Keri Russell is one of the new additions to the cast. The film is set to open Dec. 20, 2019.
Billy Dee Williams Net Worth
The legendary actor has been around for a very long time. He is known for playing roles in very successful and interesting movies such as the Star Wars franchise. In essence, it can be said that Williams has fully paid his dues in Hollywood with the currency of hard work and talent. Consequent to that, he has an estimated net worth of over $9 million.
Billy Dee Williams Instagram
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