Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Playing tech analyst Russ Montgomery in two-season action show Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016-2017) is worlds apart from Tyler James Williams’ most famous roles. From 2005 to 2009, he was the lead in biographical sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, then Noah in zombie horror series The Walking Dead (2011-current) from 2014 to 2016. “I am a bit of a nerd. I love videogames, so playing with technology for [this] work was fun,” says the 25-year-old.
He almost wasn’t cast as a young 1
Chris Rock in Everybody Hates Chris. “He said that I was too good looking to play him, but the network said ‘it’s Tyler or no show’, so I guess I won,” he jokes.
Tyler never wanted to follow in 2
his cop dad Le’Roy’s footsteps, but rather his mom Angela’s. She’s a singer and songwriter and had Tyler performing music with her as a four-year-old.
While music – mainly hip-hop – 3
is his first love, Tyler admits that “acting is all I have time for right now”.
Something he always makes time 4
for though is food, specifically a traditional New York bologna sausage sandwich, as well as chicken wings and “a plain New York margherita pizza”.
Tyler isn’t a big drinker but he 5
does have a favourite: “Jack [Daniels whiskey] and Coke. It’s difficult to mess up that combination,” he laughs.
Besides being killed off on Walk6
ing Dead, the one thing Tyler has regrets about is not getting to do all of his own stunts, adding that he’d love to compete in a celebrity challenge version of obstacle-course reality show American Ninja Warrior (2009-current).