Jessica Williams Talks Shrinking and Her Viral SAG Moment with Harrison Ford
The comedian-turned-actress talks about having creative freedom on set and reflects on her time being mentored by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.
This year Jessica Willams earned her third Emmy Nomination for Shrinking, marking a momentous achievement for the actress in a category littered with talent and primetime prestige. It’s a moment that Williams does not take for granted, confessing she is giddy every time it happens. For this week’s episode of The Awards Tour Podcast, the comedian-turned-actress discusses her season 3 role as Gaby and how the character has changed over years.
Williams also recounts Gaby’s evolution throughout the series, balancing laugh-out-loud comedy with emotionally charged moments, and the creative freedom she receives from the show’s writers and producers. She also explains how co-creator Bill Lawrence’s “best idea wins” philosophy fosters a supportive, collaborative set and helps bring out the strongest version of the show. She also reflected on her time as a correspondent on The Daily Show, the support Jon Stewart gave her as she developed her comedic voice, and the importance of having a safe space to experiment and grow.
Read on for a preview of the chat with Jessica Williams for Shrinking: Season 3.
Jacqueline Coley for Rotten Tomatoes: You are Emmy nominated again, just continuing this incredible run with Shrinking. Does it feel like old hat at this point to keep getting recognized for this work, or do you still get a little giddy on Emmy morning?
Jessica Williams: I still get giddy. It does not feel like old hat. I’m so thankful every time it happens. Definitely not old hat. I’m stressed every time it happens. You know who’s not stressed I think he’s really thrilled it happened — is Michael [Urie]. Because I always end up being the one who calls him and wakes him up to tell him he was nominated for an Emmy, and I go, “Why is it me? Calling to congratulate you?” So this year I called him just to say, “Congrats, I love you.” This was right after the nominations were announced, and he had a sleeping mask on. He was like, “Hello?” And I was like, “Hi, congratulations, you got nominated for an Emmy again.” And he goes, “Oh my god, I did?” I’m like, “What’s happening?” [laughs] But me? I’m stressed. He’s not. Different people struggle with it differently.
Shrinking: Season 3 is currently streaming on AppleTV+.
