Taylor Polidore Williams has always been a shape-shifter, effortlessly slipping into complex roles that demand both depth and nuance. From playing a spirited college student in All American: Homecoming to navigating the turbulent world of Snowfall, Williams has mastered the art of transformation. But with her latest role as Kimmie in Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black, she’s redefining herself as a force on screen.
The script? It grabbed her from the very first page. “I remember reading it in one sitting, like binge-watching a show in a day,” she says. “It felt raw, dark, and completely different from anything I’d seen in Tyler Perry’s world before.” Beauty in Black is unapologetically gritty, bursting with emotional complexity and all the kind of drama that keeps you up at night. At its heart, Kimmie is a dancer—but that’s just the surface. “Kimmie is so much more than just her job. She’s a sister, a survivor, a woman fighting to reclaim her power in a world that tries to take it from her.”
Kimmie’s journey in the series, tackling the heavy realities of trafficking and exploitation, is something Williams connected with deeply. Having served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth, she’s no stranger to the darker corners of society. But stepping into Kimmie’s shoes forced a shift in her perspective. “I’m naturally trusting and optimistic, but Kimmie? She’s skeptical, always looking over her shoulder,” Williams says. “Playing her made me more discerning about people in my own life.”
With Beauty in Black’s explosive debut—nearly nine million viewers in the first week—it’s clear that audiences are craving stories that don’t hold back. And Williams credits the series’ success to Perry’s approach to storytelling. However, she also knows it’s about more than just drama. “It’s one of those shows where you have to talk about it afterward. Each episode feels like an event,” she says, clearly energized by the impact the show has had.
But this is just her arrival. For years, she’s been honing her craft in supporting parts, often alongside some of the most seasoned talent in Hollywood. From her time working with Meagan Good and Debbi Morgan in Divorce in the Black—a summer hit that spent weeks at the top of Amazon’s charts—to her pivotal recurring role on Snowfall, Williams has learned the ropes from the best. “Working with those women taught me how Black actresses should be treated in this industry. We deserve the best treatment and top pay,” she says. And, let’s not forget, Williams is also a voice-over artist, lending her talents to Nickelodeon, Disney, and Peacock.
Beauty in Black has been her moment to shine. And while Kimmie may be fierce and vulnerable in equal measure, Williams herself is nothing short of electrifying. “I felt like if this is a dream, I hope I never wake up,” she admits, remembering the moment she saw her name at the top of the call sheet for the first time. It’s a recognition of all the years of hard work, determination, and belief that led her here.
But the momentum doesn’t stop with just one role. Williams is not the type to be confined to any one box. She’s clear about her desires for the future: “I want to do comedy. I want to do action. I want to play someone who isn’t even human,” she says. There’s a hunger in her voice, a knowing that there’s so much more she’s capable of, and that Hollywood is slowly—but surely—beginning to see it.
Of course, she’s acutely aware of the challenges Black women continue to face in the industry. Quoting one of her favorite directors, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Williams reflects: “Black women have it exponentially harder in this business.” She’s fighting for nuanced, complex roles—stories that aren’t just about pain or struggle, but about triumph and transformation. “More movies like The Woman King,” she says. “We need to see Black women as spies, as warriors, as heroes. And villains, too.”
As the dust settles from Beauty in Black’s first season, the excitement only grows. Part 2 has been even more explosive, with Kimmie turning the tables on her adversaries in an unforgettable show of strength, endurance, and all out crazy. “She’s finally standing up for herself,” Williams says, clearly invested in Kimmie’s evolution. “The stakes are higher, and she’s ready to take control of her destiny.”
For Williams, though, this marks the beginning of a new legacy. A legacy where Black women are at the center of powerful stories that challenge the status quo and redefine what it means to be a leading woman in Hollywood. And as she looks toward the future, one thing is clear: she’s just getting started.
Stream Tyler Perry’s ‘Beauty In Black’ now on Netflix.
