Before giving in to the calling for acting, Nafessa Williams was a lawyer. The Philadelphia native told the Verge that she was happy that she decided to at least give it a try before abandoning it completely. 

Wanting The Good Life

In the same interview, the actress revealed that she loved television and used to invent her own TV guides as a kid.

Williams recalled feeling a spark towards acting at the young age of six. However, because she didn’t have any family in the industry, her ambition felt like a far-fetched dream. 

Furthermore, she added that she hated her job and was far from happy to be a part of it. She would watch TV and found that she wanted to be just like the young Black ladies she watched on TV, live the same life, and do the same job.

Williams said;

 I used to watch TV, and I really wanted to be Rudy Huxtable [from The Cosby Show]. I was like, “I look like her, she looks like me.” I wanted to be her. 

Losing Her Job and Fetching Her Dream

After spending a chunk of time self-pitying, the actress mentioned being hit by a realization that she deserved to be happy and do what she loved. Eventually, her realization led her to attend an audition that was happening in Philly.

Nonetheless, Williams's job did not allow her to go to the audition, at which point she got fired. Looking back, the actress admits that it was the best thing that happened to her and that it marked the beginning of a new life for her.

Williams said;

It was the best thing that ever happened to me. It was the first day of the rest of my life. 

Having lost her job as a lawyer, the actress finally had the time and determination to get into acting. However, in an interview with WhereistheBuzz TV, the actress revealed that her first big earning came after her role in Black Lightning.

On Being Thunder

The 31-year-old actress is the eldest daughter of the protagonist of the series Black Lightning and goes by the name Thunder. In the series, she portrays the character of a black lesbian superhero. 

When talking about her character with The Verge, Williams expressed that her character represents a mass of people waiting to see someone like them on the TV screens. She aspires to inspire these people and connect with them.  

Talking more about inspirations, the actor went on to reveal that she was heavily inspired by Will Smith and has been following in his footsteps. 

The actress confessed her goal was to be the female Will Smith as, like her, Will came from West Philly and paved his own way in Hollywood.