Get to know the Pearson clan, the family from NBC's hit show, 'This Is Us.' A devoted and loving son, William moves to Memphis to make music with his cousin Ricky (played by the delightful Brian Tyree Henry), penning the song, “We Can Always Come Back to This” for him. The actress who plays Madison is married in real life to “This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman. He abandoned Randall at a fire station soon after his birth. "My job at the end of the day is to be him. In a phone interview with Bustle, the actor says that — especially in Tuesday's episode — he felt a certain kind of responsibility to viewers. "I just kind of usurped his old soul energy that Ron naturally has, and I just kind of went with it," the actor says. He’s William, and I need to be his younger. 1 History 2 Relationships 2.1 Romantic 2.2 Laurel Dubois 2.3 Familial 2.4 Randall Pearson 2.5 … Enter to Win a Copy of Brian Moylan’s New Book, And sign up for our brand-new newsletter devoted to, Aaron Tveit and Gavin Creel Reunite for a Belty Performance of ‘In His Eyes’. RELATED: Sterling K. Brown Talks Tension During 'This Is Us' Thanksgiving. William Hill is born. In This Is Us, Nakia and Jones play the same character, William Hill, at very different points in his life. This story contains spoilers from Tuesday's midseason finale of This Is Us, ... my job as an actor is to make it work and make it play. "This Is Us" premiered an unforgettable original song, "We Can Always Come Back to This" on last night's episode, and composer weighs in. For me, it was one of the most powerful episodes.”, Already a subscriber? The studio has reportedly been exploring a sale since December. "Most of these kids have either gotten in trouble with the law to some degree, and are on the trajectory for possibly being behind four walls for the rest of their life, but they’re there in order to try and curb that and change that," he says. The two spoke for only a few minutes before Nakia filmed his first scenes as William, and never actively discussed the role or the ways they played the part with each other. Jones Played Romero on ‘Mr. In last night’s episode, “Memphis,” we see William’s life from birth to death, and Nakia plays the character as someone filled with potential energy, a life of what could have been. was discovered last seen in the May 4 2021 at the Crosswords With Friends Crossword. William … The sky opens, and then it goes back.”, To play the younger William, Nakia had to refer to the version of the character everyone already knew: the sage, philosophical version played by Jones. Milo, 43, plays man of the house, Jack - Rebecca's first … So it was, to me, it was quite an easy situation to pull that.”, Nakia watched “Memphis” with some friends, and even though he had read the script, the episode got him plenty emotional. Two New Accusers Say They Were ‘Drugged’ and ‘Trafficked’ by T.I. The legendary Hollywood titan tells Vulture what’s true (and what’s not) about the movie’s lore and offers his thoughts on its great gay legacy. Season 1 of This Is Us was filled with life changes for all the characters, but none more than Randall, who in the space of a year gained and lost his biological father. Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson. These Are Definitely the 20 People Who Were at Ariana Grande’s Wedding, Ariana Grande Says ‘Yuh’ for Life, Marries Quarantine Boo Dalton Gomez. Tonight's episode of This Is Us, "Memphis," took Randall and William on a road trip that unlocked a lot of the older man's past, and it was just as emotional as the show has taught us … This Is Us gave an emotional gut-punch this week — Milo Ventimiglia wasn't kidding when he suggested taking the day off from work after it aired. ... Yeah, he’s educated, he’s well-to-do, his life is quote-unquote 'perfect' on paper, and her mother’s isn’t. And I just felt like somehow our souls just aligned to make that happen. 'This Is Us' Season 1, Episode 8 recap: Randall learns the truth about his mother and William at Thanksgiving. In This Is Us, Nakia and Jones play the same character, William Hill, at very different points in his life. But the memory of … He was also bisexual. ", The actor thinks that telling these raw and very human stories on a large platform like This Is Us is important — especially for William's character. He was like, 'OK, I’m not going to do drugs, and every time I [think of the judge's] face, it’ll at least make me think about making a wrong turn or a wrong decision.' But first, prepare yourself with this PSA from stand-up Sara Schaefer. Amanda Warren has an extensive TV resume, having a number of credits from shows such as The Good Wife, The Leftovers, Gossip Girl, and The Closer. “This entire experience, going to Memphis and really living in the soul of William added so many layers for me to bring in. We first meet William when he’s played by Jones as an older, reflective man suffering from stage 4 stomach cancer, looking to connect with his son, Randall (played by Sterling K. Brown), while he still has the chance. © 2021 Bustle Digital Group. “Okay, so I do not play the piano,” Nakia admitted. The LAPD now confirms they’ve opened an investigation into allegations against the rapper and his wife. “It still seems like there are a lot of people that are confused about that. Robert Langdon Is Back, and This Time, He’s Hot, 3 Big Questions About the WarnerMedia-Discovery Deal, Watch Scott Foley Wipe Up Gobs of Hand Sanitizer in the Trailer for. He continues, "With something like this, where we do have a chronic problem with men in jail, ... or going that direction, [William's journey] is a really powerful, beautiful thing to display on national television.". But Jack isn't the only one who continues to steal the show through flashbacks, even when he's not present in current-day scenes. And I think, often, that’s life in general. "To see that he actually gets to be a father late in life, and also to be a grandfather, and to be a friend, and basically see everything turn around for him … it went all the way as far to the negative as it possibly could, and then it’s like this beautiful ending of life," Nakia says. This Is Us' Ron Cephas Jones Calls That William Tearjerker 'an Open-Mouth Moment' this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. “It was kept a secret,” she tells StyleCaster. All rights reserved. Consider Comedy! “That’s been going on actually since the beginning,” he told Vulture during a phone interview. Apart from that, working with his co-stars Sterling K. Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson also made playing William that much more of a rewarding experience. Nakia doesn't have the screen time that his older counterpart had, and he's not typically in scenes with any of the main cast, but that just makes his impact more impressive. John Boyega and Joe Cornish Batten Down the Hatches for. and Tiny. ‘This Is Us’ returned after the mid-season winter break with Episode 5 titled ‘A Long Road Home’ on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, at 9 pm ET on NBC. William, Randall's birth father, quickly captured hearts last season, and, despite the fact that the character lost his battle with cancer, we're lucky enough to continue to learn about him through flashbacks. This Is Us is an American romantic family drama television series created by Dan … (Yes, two actors play adult William, but it would have strained credibility to have 62-year-old Ron Cephas Jones play twentysomething William, so … Feeling Like Your Life Has No Meaning? Ron Cephas Jones as William on ‘This Is Us’: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know 1. A trailer for the new Fox drama based on a British reality show is here. Rounding up the most iconic screenshots from the Showtime series. And, of course, the mystery of Jack's death still endures as one of the biggest storylines in the NBC drama. Ramy Youssef Reflects on Performing at First Palestinian Comedy Festival, “i wanna be able to get heckled in gaza.”. Jennifer C. Holmes didn’t know she was playing Randall’s mom, Laurel, when she was first cast on This Is Us in 2016. But at the same time, that’s her mother. "I would love if people would watch the show and say, 'Yeah, that's my uncle, that's my brother, that's my son,' and they also find some way to find hope from it." “But that was actually some of the funnest parts of it all, because I really feel like that’s the soul of Memphis and that’s the soul of who William is. Nakia, who plays the younger version of William, says he wants to help This Is Us viewers find hope through William's story, even though he treks through some dark territory. 'This Is Us' Season 1, Episode 16 recap: [Spoiler] ... And in the present, when William and Randall arrive at the bar where he used to play, William’s cousin is not happy to see him. The role is a complex, but ultimately triumphant one, and audiences should take a message of hope away from William's role in the show. After last night’s episode of This Is Us, Jermel Nakia’s Twitter mentions have been filled with fans surprised to realize that he and Ron Cephas Jones are actually two different actors. I feel like one of the reasons William ever survives even from his youth to his older age was always this thought of somehow being able to reconnect with his son. "I feel like it’s very much so a part of the political climate of the African American man right now — with being on trial, and going to jail, and just the conflicts of the African American man in America." ‘The Pool’ Included a Scene Where William Is Stopped Because of the Color of His Skin Sterling K. Brown as Randall... 2. “I watched every episode religiously because I felt like it was definitely a part of my job,” Nakia said. Nakia even planned to attend a screening of the episode at boys' high school in Chino Hills, California. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. "It changed him. But [last night’s episode] made it completely clear for all those that still were sitting with that confusion.”. He carries many poignant and moving scenes largely on his own (and often through silence instead of words), and it's clear from a single conversation how important the character is to him. This crossword clue Actor Ron ___, who plays Randall's biological dad William "Shakespeare" Hill on "This Is Us": 2 wds. ", This idea of a parent who loses their child in some way is also now being explored in a different way through Randall's foster child, Deja, and Nakia says that William's story has a big influence on how Randall handles the situation. That's where Jermel Nakia comes in. He’s born with the gift of poetry, and eventually uses it … William struggles with drug abuse throughout his life, which is also what likely contributed to the death of his girlfriend, and lead to him to leaving Randall at a fire station as a baby. Take me to meet your father.William Hill William Hill was the biological father of Randall. “I’m able to utilize what he’s doing, but also be able to bring my own life to the table because of who William would be younger on, before experiencing so much.” He got a sliver of a moment to connect with Jones when he was going to hair and makeup on his second day on set. "In the end, he had one person who believed in him at that moment," Nakia says. While at the hospital, they discover Dr. K (Gerald McRaney), the OGBYN who delivered the Big Three, is a patient at the hospital and … '", On the show, William goes through immeasurable grief and loss throughout his life, but before the end, he finds joy. "[Randall] realizes that he could take [Deja's] mother to court, basically saying she’s an unfit mother, and it could mirror something that could’ve happened in his life," Nakia says. From Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) to the Big Three, Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown), and everyone in-between. It’s obvious where Young William (Jermel Nakia) gets his musical talent. Paulina Porizkova Recalls ‘Lonely’ and ‘Depressed’ Marriage to Ric Ocasek. Randall, turn the window down, turn up the music. A day after making his debut in the Basketball Africa League. He had Stage 4 stomach cancer and passed away from it. Devoted This Is Us viewers know they need to be prepared to feel a range of emotion on Tuesday nights — they've likely been moved to tears, both happy and sad, by any of the countless emotional arcs the characters have gone through since last season. This Is Us star Ron Cephas Jones—who plays Randall's biological father, William—opens up about his final episode and what it means for him going forward. In the most recent episode of This Is Us, however, William finds a glimmer of motivation at what could have been a rock bottom, when a judge grants him a more lenient sentence in hopes that he'll turn his life around. She’s currently in litigation with Ocasek’s estate after being written out of his will. Nakia plays the younger William, a talented writer and poet whose life eventually sinks into a heroin addiction. We first meet William when he’s played by Jones … As a rule, I think young William is definitely very introverted, but it kind of goes by the wayside when the music comes on. ~ … "He realizes how horrible it was to not have his birth father throughout his life, and so for him to do it to someone else, he’s unable. This Is Us fans had to bid an extremely emotional, terrifically tearful farewell to William toward the end of last season. (The 60-year-old Jones is a veteran, whereas Nakia is a relative newcomer.) “First off, her … “The first thing that I said was, ‘I’m so happy that you’re you, so that I can be you.’ And we laughed a little bit and had a light tears situation because we both knew the impact of what this role would be, or believed it would be,” Nakia explained. This season seems like it’s going to end with more heartbreaks than happy couples. There are a lot of people that don’t have support, and then there’s that one person that comes along and says, 'Hey, you can do this. ", Ron Cephas Jones portrays William's older self going through the difficulties of an entirely different age, and Nakia says the way their roles complement each other to tell this story was almost effortless. All rights reserved. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. Ron Cephas Jones portrays William's older self going through the difficulties of an entirely different age, and Nakia says the way their roles … Joshua Jackson Sends Shivers Up Your Spine in Peacock’s, The daytime host reflected on her appearance in Allen’s 1996 film, We’re Shaken, Not Stirred, at the News Amazon Is Eyeing MGM for $9 Billion. “He has an old soul, so that was something I’m very familiar with, because I like to believe that I have one. Spoilers for the Nov. 7 episode below. I think it was nice to see it all come together in the end. William H. "Shakespeare" Hill (died 2017), portrayed by Ron Cephas Jones (recent … "I couldn’t just do this performance, and [think], 'It’s just a performance,' and then walk away from it," Nakia says. "And, he has his son there. This is the same day where William also brings his "friend" to spend Christmas Eve with the family, and we discover they were lovers until William came to live with Randall. In a “tiny and intimate” ceremony at her home. Catch the next one, Episode 6 titled ‘Birth Mother’, on January 10, 2021. Log in or link your magazine subscription, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Drew Barrymore Discusses Being ‘Gaslit’ About Woody Allen With Dylan Farrow, Jerry Bruckheimer Is Cool With You Thinking. Time-out, J. Cole Just Dropped a New Video for ‘Amari’. © 2021 Vox Media, LLC. Nick Pearson is Jack's brother on This Is Us, but here's what else you need to know about the actor who plays him, Michael Angarano. Like somehow our souls just aligned to make that happen and her mother’s isn’t the! Lonely ’ and ‘ Depressed ’ Marriage to Ric Ocasek Randall at a fire station soon after his.. Is here up the most powerful episodes. ”, Already a subscriber newcomer. related: K.. Clan, the mystery of Jack 's death still endures as one of biggest... Nakia admitted Youssef Reflects on Performing at first Palestinian Comedy Festival, I. 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