Billy Dee Williamsis getting candid.The esteemed actor, 86, shared the cover of his forthcoming memoir,What Have We Here?, with PEOPLE in an exclusive reveal. The book, publishing next year from Knopf, features Williams on the cover, branding a cape as Lando Calrissian, his iconicStar Warscharacter.“Billy Dee Williams has had a fascinating life and career,” the book’s editor, Victoria Wilson, shares in a statement. “The book he writes is fun and, like Billy, hard to resist and draws you in.”
Born in 1937 in Harlem, Williams beganacting on Broadwayas a child. His early years were also spent as a talented visual artist. He studied painting at The High School of Music & Art (which later became the famed Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts) and was nominated fora Guggenheim Fellowshipas a teenager. He continued his studies at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design before pursuing acting full-time.
Billy Dee Williams.Albert L. Ortega
Albert L. Ortega
The stage eventually led to the screen, with Williams landing his first film role in Paul Muni’sThe Last Angry Man. It was Muni who told him he could be any character he wanted, “no matter the way you look or the color of your skin.”“I saw how many times throughout my life I wanted to go right and some force in the universe caused me to turn left instead, and things worked out,” Williams says.What Have We Here?will touch upon a number of Williams’ celebrated roles, including his part in the acclaimed 1971 filmBrian’s Song. The film depicted the friendship between Chicago Bears players Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayer (Williams) following Piccolo’s terminal cancer diagnosis.Brian’s Songreached over fifty million viewers and was the year’smost-watched television film. Williams was nominated for an Emmy for his performance.
Williams played Lando Calrissan, the first Black character in the “Star Wars” franchise.Maximum Film/Alamy
Maximum Film/Alamy
source: people.com
