Jesse Williams Reveals Why He Turned Down a Role on a Soap Opera Early in His Career
Jesse Williams is looking back at a pivotal point in his career.
During an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan, host Kelly Ripa noted that the 40-year-old Grey’s Anatomy actor had been approached about being on a soap opera right after college.
Click inside to find out what happened…
“I’ve said this to one other person, Emma Stone,” Kelly began. “You escaped – I always say escaped – working on a soap opera. They offered you a job, you turned it down.”
“But I always say that soap operas have a really great eye at who a major star is,” she continued.
Jesse shared that he received the offer right after college and that he had “no thoughts about acting at that time.” He explained that his commercial agent had got him an audition for a soap and he ended up getting the role, but couldn’t justify leaving school in Philadelphia to take it.
“I would have to move from Philadelphia, drop out of school, go to Los Angeles [and] explain to my parents that I’m quitting school to do a short stint on some soap opera,” he said. “So, it was lovely of them to offer, but I knew that was not my path.”
He ended up moving to New York City, where he took on any film-related jobs he could find on Craigslist.
“At any point did you go, ‘I should’ve taken that soap opera job,’” Kelly joked.
“When that unemployment check [ran] out,” Jesse replied with a laugh.
Check out the full clip down below!
Find out what Jesse‘s first role after his Grey’s Anatomy exit will be…