Early life

Williams was born on December 3, 1975 in Heidelberg, Germany to Fred and Beverly Williams. She has two sisters, Leslie Dunn and Lisa Sorensen. Her family moved to Westfield, New Jersey, and Williams graduated from Westfield High School. She attended Union County College in Elizabeth.

Career

Williams made her television debut in an episode of The Cosby Show in 1987. She guest starred on Miami Vice, Roc, My So-Called Life, Sister, Sister, Moesha, and NYPD Blue. In film, she made her debut in the 1996 dark comedy-romance film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, starring Martin Lawrence and Lynn Whitfield. Later that year, she co-starred in Sunset Park with Rhea Perlman, and High School High alongside Mekhi Phifer. From 1997 to 1998, she had a starring role in The WB sitcom Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher. In 1999, she appeared in the romantic comedy film The Wood and the following year in the thriller Uninvited Guest, starring Mekhi Phifer.

Williams is best known for her role as Tracy "Bird" Van Adams in the Showtime drama series Soul Food, a continuation of the successful 1997 film of the same name. It also starred Nicole Ari Parker and Vanessa A. Williams. Nia Long played Tracy in the 1997 film. For her performance, Williams received three NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nominations. The series aired from 2000 to 2004. Soul Food went on to be the longest running drama with a predominantly black cast in the history of American prime-time television.

She later guest-starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and was a regular cast member on the short-lived NBC drama series Windfall in 2006.

In 2006, Williams appeared in the musical film Idlewild. The following year, she co-starred in the Tyler Perry's romantic comedy-drama Daddy's Little Girls. In 2008, she appeared in First Sunday opposite Ice Cube. She then starred in several independent films. In 2012, Williams co-starred as Chris Rock's sister in the romantic comedy film 2 Days in New York. Between 2013 and 2015, she played the leading role in the Up network's television film Marry Me for Christmas, and its two sequels Marry Us for Christmas and A Baby for Christmas. In 2013, she began hosting the Aspire network's television talk show Exhale. She also starred in two films for TV One: Girlfriends' Getaway and its sequel Girlfriends' Getaway 2 in 2014 and 2015, alongside Garcelle Beauvais, Terri J. Vaughn and Essence Atkins. In 2015, Williams also had a supporting role in David O. Russell's comedy film Accidental Love.

Personal life

Williams was married to actor Mekhi Phifer and the two had a son, Omikaye Phifer. In August 2008, she married D-Nice; they divorced in 2010.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993	Laurel Avenue	Sheila Arnett	Television film
1996	A Thin Line Between Love and Hate	Erica Wright
1996	Sunset Park	Cheryl
1996	High School High	Natalie Thompson
1997	Damn Whitey	Malinda	Short film
1999	Uninvited Guest	Tammy
1999	The Wood	Alicia	Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Actress
2000	Dancing in September	Rhonda
2005	Exposure	Woman	Short film
2006	Idlewild	Zora
2007	Daddy's Little Girls	Maya
2008	First Sunday	Tianna
2009	A Day in the Life	Boopsy
2012	The Undershepherd	Casandra	American Black Film Festival Award for Best Performance
2012	2 Days in New York	Elizabeth
2012	Back Then	Andrea 'Dre' Devine
2012	Side by Side	Herself
2012	A Cross to Bear	Fae	Television film
2013	24 Hour Love	PJ
2013	Marry Me for Christmas	Marci Jewel	Television film
2014	Percentage	Cassandra
2014	Girlfriends' Getaway	Camille
2014	Marry Us for Christmas	Marci Jewel	Television film
2015	Accidental Love	Rakeesha
2015	Girlfriends Getaway 2	Camille
2015	A Baby for Christmas	Marci Jewel

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987	The Cosby Show	Althea Logan	Episode: "Calling Doctor Huxtable"
1990	The Cosby Show	Shana	Episode: "Denise Kendall: Singles Counselor"
1990	Miami Vice	Lynette	Episode: "Too Much, Too Late"
1993	Roc	Celina	Episode: "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Father"
1994	South Central	Candi	Episodes: "Dad" and "Gun: Part 2"
1994	My So-Called Life	Yvette	Episode: "The Substitute"
1994	Me and the Boys	Elizabeth	Episode: "Bad Influence"
1994-1995	Sister, Sister	Tyra	Episodes: "Get a Job" and "Field Trip"
1995	Under One Roof	Tamika	Episode: "Secrets"
1995	The Client	Zora Ward	Episode: "Them That Has..."
1996	Moesha	Taylor	Recurring role, 3 episodes
1996	The John Larroquette Show	Shanelle	Episode: "When Yussel Learned to Yodel"
1996	NYPD Blue	Annette Morris	Episode: "Ted and Carey's Bogus Adventure"
1997	Dangerous Minds	Lashawn	Episode: "The Feminine Mystique"
1997-1998	Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher	Tasha Morrison	Series regular, 21 episodes
2000	Movie Stars	Bianca	Episode: "La Vida Loca"
2000-2004	Soul Food	Tracy "Bird" Van Adams	Series regular, 74 episodes Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (2003-2005)
2003	Half & Half	Myra	Episode: "The Big Much 'I Do' About Nothing Episode"
2004	The Division	Tanya	Episode: "Play Ball"
2004	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Lori-Ann Dufoy	Episode: "Careless"
2004	The District	Rennee	Episodes: "A.K.A" and "The Black Widow Maker"
2006	Windfall	Kimberly George	Series regular, 5 episodes

Music videos

• "Many Styles" by Audio Two
• "Someone to Love You" by Ruff Endz
• "Back at you" by Mobb Deep
• "Shorty Wanna Ride" by Young Buck
• "What Could've Been" by Ginuwine
• "Until It's Gone" by Monica

[ Source: Wikipedia ]