Abbott Elementary Star & Westchester Native Celebrates 30th Birthday

One of my favorite shows growing up was Everybody Hates Chris. For those of you who don't remember or don't know, Everybody Hates Chris was a sitcom inspired by the memories of the teenage years of comedian Chris Rock which ran for four seasons. I thought the show was hilarious, and it introduced me to Terry Crews, who has become one of my favorite actors and personalities. The couldn't come together without the titular character, Chris, and the actor who played him, Tyler James Williams.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams is one of us: he is a Hudson Valley native! The star was born in Westchester County, New York, and grew up in Yonkers. His mother, Angela Williams is a counselor, and his father, Le'Roy Williams, is a teacher and retired police sergeant.

Before his Everybody Hates Chris fame, he started acting at 4 years old. He greatly impacted your childhood, and probably didn't even realize it. He starred in Little Bill on Nick Jr. voicing Bobby, and he even played himself on Sesame Street from 2000 to 2005. It was 2005 that saw him take on the role of a young Chris Rock. His performance won him a Young Artist Award in 2007. Since then, he has been seen on shows and movies such as Nickelodeon's True Jackson, VP, Disney's Let It Shine, AMC's Walking Dead, and CBS Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. 

Abbott Elementary

Williams currently stars on the ABC Mockumentary Abbott Elementary, which has seen much acclaim. The show itself is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 98% Tomatometer and 89% Audience Score, and has been nominated and won a variety of awards, including winning Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Williams himself saw a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. But now Williams will take on a brand new role, a very personal one at that: his 30s.

Tyler James Williams Celebrates His 30th Birthday

Williams celebrated his 30th birthday on Sunday, October 9th. The Abbott Elementary star took to Instagram on Monday to say this on his story:

"I feel like I've been waiting for and working towards 30 my entire life. I'm grateful to be where I am. I appreciate the road to get here and I feel privileged to walk into what's next. Thank you to everyone who reached out yesterday and shared kind words. I try to put my phone down on my birthday and be present, but I'm seeing so much love today. It's overwhelming and a blessing. Thanks for rocking with me all these years.

Thank you ❤️"

We wish you all the best, Tyler. Thanks for giving us quality content all these years. A new episode of Abbott Elementary airs tonight on ABC at 9pm. New episodes air each Wednesday.