Jesse Williams, pictured right, is set to take over the coveted role previously won by disgraced actor Jussie Smollett in a Tony award-winning Broadway play.
Williams, 37, will make his Broadway debut in next year’s revival of Richard Greenberg’s Tony Award-winning 2002 play Take Me Out, Deadline.com reports.
Williams, who plays Dr. Jackson Avery on Grey’s Anatomy and has appeared in Lee Daniels’ The Butler and The Cabin in the Woods, will play the lead role of Darren Lemming, a mixed-race professional baseball player at the peak of his career who decides to come out of the closet.
Smollett’s legal troubles cost him the lead role in the Broadway play. The play debuted on Broadway on February 27, 2003, and ran for 355 performances. It won the 2003 Tony Award for Best Play.
Smollett, who is biracial and openly homosexual, was set to play the lead role, but he was dropped from the play after police arrested him for staging a hate crime hoax in Chicago.
Take Me Out explores homophobia, racism, classism and toxic masculinity in men’s sports.
Smollett, 33, was in New York City to audition for the role, 12 hours before he staged a hate crime with two Nigerian-American brothers in January.
Greenberg’s play sparked speculation that it was based on Major League baseball star Derek Jeter. But the rumors were unfounded.
Photos by Tiffany Rose/WireImage, Prince Williams/Wireimage
Why was this even a choice? Scandal aside the better actor won.
ionCurr
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Jesse(whom I worked with on Grey’s Anatomy) hasn’t been free of scandal himself. But I will say he was a pleasure to work with and was a gentleman & a scholar.
Oh well it sucks to be jussie ?
Is it me?
I don’t see the hype of Jesse Williams.
Honesty, Lucien Laviscount would’ve been better
What for you is for you. So just keep it moving, Jussie.
I feel the same. He’s an ok actor but I think he gets love for being a “voice” about inequality and such. Plus he’s Good looking.
He look normal to me. Lucien would KILL this roll
Wow. Jesse has fallen off in the looks department.
Did his ex wife put the hoo doo on him.
I hope not.
You must be triplets because you’ve worked with everyone in Hollywood since Shep was a pup.
Ever since what’s his name gave that speech at that popular awards show. They started calling him Jesse. So it stuck. Cameras panned on Jessie showing the amusement.
You know what..??
Being a parent does that. Regardless of debacle with his ex wife he loves his kids.
The media just released a report that Ms. Jussie referred to his trainers as being “black as sin.”
That’s what I was thinking
Lol @ that pic of Jussie. Sandra, you’re funny.
Hilarious … even that cry look fake rofl
He know he outta stop cause his momma is “black as sin” as well. A mess!
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Jessie is the better actor so…
Jessie wife counting them checks. Yassss
They traded on one gay drama queen for another
Lol especially since he’s posting pics of his new boo!! https://media1.giphy.com/media/RX7N03MEUafW8/giphy.gif
He probably doesn’t sing but still could be the better singer too. Jussie is #goatthroat
Jesse’s divorce drama seems so small now compared to the Jussie debacle
That picture of Jussie has me in tears…laughing ???
??? the picture of Jussie ??????????
I will be posting pictures of my bank deposits n highlight the ones that says direct deposit.??
You DEAD wrong ????
Had to scroll back up???
Aren’t u lucky
[coughs sarcasm]
Why am I imaging Jessie (No U) in two yrs living in his sister’s guest house telling his nieces and nephews how the CPD caused his fall from grace? *Terry Malloy voice* You don’t understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender for the Academy Award. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let’s face it. ?
Jusse got out light skinned. https://media2.giphy.com/media/kglMbWcEhhh8lSCUeP/giphy.gif
Goat throat? ??
Im crying. He got WHAT NAH? https://media3.giphy.com/media/2WxWfiavndgcM/giphy.gif
They could have GONE with Michael Ealy.
Lol @ that crying pic of Jussie. Too funny.
Why the crying pic though ?
Bwahahaha!! ??
Seriously?? ?????
Yeesh! Talk about watching a career burn into flames right in front of me!
?
the same Goat Throat that misplaced that subway sandwich?
So true. Jesse W is known for strolling through W Hollywood for the types of men he prefers. His whole marriage, at least on his end, was a cover.
Me evah
He even looks fake upset in the pic—I mean…??????
lmaooooooo!!
Jussie is such a baby. He’ll b alright he’s not a starving artist like many who enter show biz. Maybe he should help people . Giving back is a great way to heal from a bad deed you’ve done.
Is any body hetero these days? That ATRAZINe aint no joke.
LOL
She looks like a Wiccan
That’s the ww or black hipster chick way of vooodooo
Sis needs to go into hiding for at least two years and then come back. Jesse I haven’t forgot you cheated on your day one ninja.
Goodt.
I knew that bogus chat of fake crying with Robin Roberts was poor acting!!
I wanted to believe him and I kept my benefit of doubt for him. I just wanted him to
1. stop talking about this in the media
2. Just stop singing FOREVA (insert Cardi B meme)
The def didn’t want someone that could pass the paper bag test.
Exactly!!!
Chile….hilarious
What ‘chu talkin’ bout, Willis?
i see they were going for s specific look…?
…and her T-cell count??????????
So it’s safe to say Denzel Washington, Michael K. Williams, and Don Cheadle were not considered?
Maybe cus the character is said to be mixed race right?