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Tonya Williams: The Young and the Restless, Reelworld Film Festival, and her barrier-breaking work

Q with Tom Power

Apr 18 2024 • 35 mins

The Canadian actor Tonya Williams spent two decades playing Dr. Olivia Winters on “The Young and the Restless,” which made her one of the first Black actors to star on a soap opera. In 2001, she founded the Reelworld Film Festival to lift up other racialized actors and filmmakers. Now, she’s being honoured with the Changemaker Award from the Canadian Screen Awards in recognition of her barrier-breaking work. Tonya joins Tom to look back on her career, the festival, and how playing a doctor on TV leads to a lot of oversharing from fans.

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