Hudson Williams is still trying to adjust to the speed of his ascension, but the curve, as he says, has been inevitable. The Heated Rivalry star recently appeared on the Shut Up Evan podcast, recalling the experience he has gained from having to learn about the business side of the movie industry in just one month, which takes most actors several years.
This interview offers a unique, unvarnished view of what happens after the breakout event, where the possibilities of creativity intersect with the challenges of overload and the impact of publicity.
A 30-day crash course in career strategy
As Williams goes on to describe this time following The Heated Rivalry, this was a “lightning-in-a-bottle” experience, where very little time was given for adjustment. As the actor goes on to describe, he, along with fellow actor Connor Storrie, has been presented with the level of opportunity within such a short time span that most young actors are lucky to experience within a lifetime.
“I was just talking with one of my agents yesterday, and she said, Connor and I have had to learn what a lot of actors get in five years in like 30 days,” Williams said.
In regard to roles, he said, “Do I wait for this more prestigious movie?” he asked. “But this also sounds good. Finding out, do I read 10 pages? Do I just read the log line? What do we say no to before really giving it the full time? Because just if I simply do not have the time, if I just sat and read everything to finish all the scripts and in time to give an answer to these people. So, that’s really tricky because I don’t want a gem to like escape me. I’m figuring all that out quickly, but it’s a very fortunate position. So I’m trying to slip myself whenever I go to complain.”
Williams notes that time itself becomes an issue in and of itself. The truth of the matter is that it is not possible to read all the scripts to their fullest extent and make determinations about which ones to prioritize or reject. It is not possible to fully evaluate all of them. Williams wants to make certain that a gem is not passed over when he can get it and considers it to be ‘really tricky.’
Besides the infrastructure that would be provided in his chosen career, Williams also spoke about the mental change that accompanies sudden stardom. This was exemplified by the famous picture that was taken of him from behind in the airport.
“There’s a gray area,” he continued, recognizing the public’s fascination with the issue, as well as the awkwardness of being captured in a photograph when one hasn’t given their permission to do so. In contrast to public events, there isn’t time to “disarm” the situation.
This is the first time in his life that Williams admitted to having social anxiety when going out to engage in normal activities in Vancouver. “Gym shorts, dusty sneakers,” Williams said in his explanation about being fearful of being exposed when not protected. Williams even mentioned criticism about wearing his sunglasses indoors, saying that it’s not because he wants to be different but because of his need to protect himself. “It’s about hiding the exhaustion, and sometimes the fear in your eyes.”
His style has been becoming more and more integrated into his public image, starting with his red leather trench coat appearance on The Tonight Show. For his podcast, his influences varied from Rihanna to A$AP Rocky, and from Audrey Hepburn to Ryan Gosling, all based on the concept of “aura” instead of trend.
He also responded to the comparisons made on social media sites, labeling him a “modern-day Princess Diana.” While most celebrities might shy away from being compared to Princess Diana, this is something that Williams not only accepted but also appreciated as a compliment. “I’ve loved her my whole life,” he said, adding that it is one of the best compliments he has ever received, given the qualities of vulnerability, visibility, and humanity that Princess Diana embodied.
With fashion and beauty brands such as Fenty Beauty and Donatella Versace taking notice, Williams realized that his face is known not only for his acting talent but for some other reasons as well. Talking about his experience at the Met Gala, Williams expressed his eagerness to be associated with the event, justifying the extravagance of the Met Gala with the following statement: “If I have something that costs $60,000 from head to toe on me,” he joked, “I am the best form of a philanthropist.“
The interview took place during Golden Globes Weekend, which had a very busy schedule for Williams in terms of industry brunches and parties, along with a nomination for Best Actor in a Limited Series. Although this weekend was very busy for Williams, host Evan Ross Katz did mention that Williams came alone to this podcast.
It seemed to me, and to Katz, that the answer to the meaning of the balancing act performed by Williams lay in the balancing act performed by Williams himself. As he puts it, “It’s a very fortunate position, so I’m trying to check myself whenever I go to complain.”
