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Tonya Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tonya Williams
OC
Williams at the 2013 Zanzibar Film Festival
Born
Tonya Maxine Williams

(1958-07-12) July 12, 1958 (age 68)
London, England
Other nameTonya Lee Williams
Alma materRyerson University
OccupationsActress, producer, director, activist
Years active1977–present
Spouse
Robert Simpson
​
​
(m. 1983; div. 1991)​
Awards
HonoursOrder of Canada

Tonya Williams OC (born July 12, 1958) is a Canadian actress, producer, and activist. Sometimes credited as Tonya Lee Williams, she is best known for her role as Dr. Olivia Barber Winters on the American daytime drama The Young and the Restless from 1990 to 2005 and 2007 to 2012. She is the founder and executive director of Reelworld Film Festival.

Early life

[edit]

Williams was born in London, England to Jamaican parents. She lived in London and Kingston, Jamaica as a young child. At age five, she contracted rheumatic fever; she and her mother then moved to Birmingham. In 1969 she and her family settled in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. As a teenager she modeled in Eaton's catalogues and danced on a television series called Boogie! which ran on Citytv. In 1977 Williams was crowned Miss Black Ontario.[1] She was a student in 1977 and wanted to be a lawyer.[1]

Williams was married to Robert Simpson from 1983 to 1991.

Career

[edit]

Williams' television debut was as a host of the Canadian children's show Polka Dot Door, from 1980 to 1983, after graduating from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1979. Appearances on the television series Check it Out! and Generations followed. Her involvement on Generations snagged her a role on The Young and the Restless, and has become her most lucrative role. Williams won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 2000 and 2002.

Williams appeared on A Very Brady Christmas as Cindy's roommate.

In March 2004, Williams hosted the special event program Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee on CBC Television. She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.

Williams is the founder, executive and artistic director of the Reelworld Film Festival, an annual film festival in Toronto that features talent from ethnically diverse communities.[2] In 2024, she was named as the recipient of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's Changemaker Award at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards, for her work with Reelworld.[3]

In January 2025, Williams was named as the recipient of the Toronto Film Critics Association's Company 3 TFCA Luminary Award, in honour of her work with Reelworld and her other efforts to advocate on behalf of people of colour in the Canadian film industry.[4] She selected film and television producer Leena Minifie as the recipient of the award's "pay it forward" grant.[5]

In 2026 she was named a recipient of the Governor General's Performing Arts Award.[6]

Filmography

[edit]

Actor

[edit]
Tonya Williams film and television acting credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1980–1983Polka Dot DoorHost
1984Seeing ThingsEpisode: "Second Sight"
1985Check it Out!Jennifer Woods22 episodes
1986As IsTV CommentatorTV movie
1987What's Happening Now!!MichelleEpisode: "The New Employee"
The LiberatorsJennyOn Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
Street LegalBelinda / Reporter2 episodes
Gimme a Break!Judy MitchellEpisode: "Parents' Week: Part 1"
Hill Street BluesShirleyEpisode: "It Ain't Over Till It's Over"
Falcon CrestChase's Secretary / Lois3 episodes
Captain Power and the Soldiers of the FutureChelsea ChandlerEpisode: "And Study War No More"
1988A Very Brady ChristmasBelindaTV movie
1989–1990GenerationsLinda Dukesunknown episodes
1989MatlockDana WilliamsEpisode: "The Starlet"
Nasty BoysunknownNasty Boys (pilot)
A Peaceable KingdomColleen3 episodes
1990–2005 The Young and the Restless Olivia WintersMay 1990–September 7, 2005
1990Spaced InvadersErnestine
Piece of CakeTanyaTV movie
1991The BorrowerDesk Nurse
1993CounterstrikeDeniseEpisode: "The Contender"
Getting ByJanetEpisode: "Shop till You Drop"
1994Silk StalkingsLoretta ColeEpisode: "The Last Campaign"
1998PSI Factor: Chronicles of the ParanormalCarole SandersonEpisode: "Bad Dreams"
2000Seventeen AgainMonique Donovan
2004Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel JubileeHostTV special
2005A Perfect NoteJasmineTV movie
2007Poor Boy's GameRuth Carvery
Finding Father's ToeCaroleShort film
2007–2012 The Young and the Restless Olivia WintersApril 12–13, 2007, and October 23, 2008 – February 15, 2012
2009–2010The BorderOctavia Jones5 episodes
2010My Name is KhanNews Anchor
2011 She's the MayorMaxine Williams13 episodes[7]
The Bold and the Beautiful Olivia WintersGuest: 2 episodes (February 1–2, 2011)
2012CybergeddonDonna Berg2 episodes

Producer, writer and director

[edit]
Tonya Williams producer, writer and director credits
Year Title Executive Producer Writer Director Notes Ref.
2001 Maple YesNoNoTV movie
2004 Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee YesYesNoTV special (Contributing writer)
2004 Da Kink in My Hair YesNoYesTV movie

Honours, awards and nominations

[edit]

In 2025, Williams was conferred the honour of an Officer of the Order of Canada.[8]

In addition, she has had the following awards and nominations.

Tonya Williams awards and nominations
Year Award Category ResultRef.
1996 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
1996 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
1997 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
1998 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
1999 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2000 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2000 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Won
2001 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2002 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Won
2003 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2004 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2005 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2005 ACTRA National Award of Excellence Won
2006 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2009 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2010 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2011 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2012 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series Nominated
2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award Film and television artistic contributions. Won
2012 Canadian Immigrant Award Top 25 Won [9]
2024 12th Canadian Screen Awards Changemaker Award Won [3]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "Miss Black Ontario, 1977, First, 18-year-old Tonya Maxine Williams was chosen Miss Oshawa and on Saturday she became Miss Black Ontario. The pageant w(...)". Toronto Public Library. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  2. ↑ Byron Armstrong, "Tonya Williams Marks 19 Years Celebrating Black Stories On Screen At ReelWorld Film Festival". ByBlacks, October 10, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Connie Thiessen, "Marilyn Denis, John Brunton among Canadian Academy 'Special Award' recipients". Broadcast Dialogue, March 19, 2024.
  4. ↑ Nicholas Sokic, "TFCA to honour Tonya Williams, J Stevens at awards gala". Playback, January 28, 2025.
  5. ↑ Alex Nino Gheciu, "‘Universal Language’ wins best Canadian film at TFCA Awards, while ‘Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story’ named best documentary". Toronto Star, February 24, 2025.
  6. ↑ Nicole Thompson, "Barbara Hannigan, James Cameron win Governor General's Performing Arts Awards". Victoria Times-Colonist, February 11, 2026.
  7. ↑ "She's the Mayor finds laughs in Hamilton". Hamilton Spectator, April 16, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Order of Canada Appointees – June 30, 2025".
  9. ↑ "Canada's Top 25 Immigrants 2012". Canadian Immigrant. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
[edit]
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