The UB Interview: Anthony E. Williams Talks ‘Tyler Perry’s Straw’

The highly anticipated “Tyler Perry’s Straw” launches on Netflix this Friday June 6th.

A single mother’s world unravels in chaos as her day goes from bad to worse to catastrophic as she struggles to care for her ill daughter.

Pushed to the brink by a world that seems indifferent to her existence, she’s forced to confront impossible choices in a society that offers her no safety net.

What will be her last straw?

The female leads are the focus of this film, Tyler shared why that was important for him; “Well, if you think about it, when have you seen these types of characters before? In what film have you seen a Janiyah, or a Nicole, or Detective Raymond? What film have you seen them in and realized their struggle?” Tyler went on to say; “When you have this opportunity and this platform to tell a story, whether you want to teach or not, you have to be mindful that people will take away lessons. Because these images are so profound and powerful, I think that as people watch it, it’ll tell the story of real people. And I know that there are a lot of Janiyahs out there in the world for real.”

Taraji P. Henson shared what she thinks audiences will connect with; “I think they’ll definitely relate to a lot of Janiyah’s struggles. We’ve all been in a situation where we felt like we weren’t heard, where no one understands what you’re saying, and it’s one big miscommunication and all of a sudden this one little thing becomes this great big thing. I think so many people everywhere will identify with that. That is universal.”

The cast includes: Taraji P. Henson as Janiyah, a struggling single mother who can’t catch a break.
Sherri Shepherd as Nicole Parker, a bank teller who meets Janiyah on the worst day of her life.
Teyana Taylor as Detective Raymond, a police officer who sees Janiyah’s humanity and empathizes with her situation.
Glynn Turman as Richard, Janiayh’s boss, who doesn’t give her a break.
Sinbad as Benny, a neighborhood resident who witnesses Janiyah’s generosity.
Rockmond Dunbar as Chief Wilson. He writes Janiyah off and doesn’t care to understand why she’s doing what she’s doing.

Anthony E. Williams, portrays Officer Dickson, a key member of the police department handling the bank emergency.

The rising producer, writer, and actor was born and raised in Ohio. Anthony’s journey is marked by resilience and perseverance.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from UNC Charlotte and a master’s in business from the University of Houston—all while teaching himself electrical engineering and working high-level sales positions to support his education and now budding creative career.

Anthony began pursuing acting full-time in his 30s, booking eight shows in just 16 months starting in 2020. He has trained with The Groundlings in Los Angeles, Bob Krakower in New York, and the Tasha Smith Actors Workshop.

With no credits to his name, “F.A.M.” became his breakthrough project—opening the door to his first television role and launching a professional career that’s continued to gain momentum.

His television screen credits include “The Blacklist,” “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” “New Amsterdam,” recurring on “Law & Order: SVU” and “FBI,” and most recently appearing in “The Equalizer” alongside Queen Latifah.

On the film side, he recently appeared in the horror/thriller “Screamboat” with Tyler Posey. After auditioning for Tyler Perry 26 times, Anthony has now worked with the prolific creator on “Young Dylan” (Nickelodeon), recurring on “BET’s Sistas,” — once again proving that determination and diligence lead the way for a man from Ohio with no Hollywood connections, but with talent and a dream.

Aries from UB caught up with the multi-talented Anthony E. Williams to talk about his new film “Tyler Perry’s Straw.”

Anthony tells us about the films premise and his character.

He shares how “Straw” is different than any other Tyler Perry film and his experience of working with the cast.

Plus he shares his ideal role and tells us what’s next and more.