Wright State grad reflects on second season of HBO Max’s ‘College Girls’

In this enjoyably diverse and naughty look at roommates and relationships at New England’s prestigious Essex College, Williams portrays the featured role of Willow, a bold, confident and gay athlete unafraid to tell it like it is.

“It’s really incredible to be a part of this show,” she said. “Sometimes I’m still in awe that I’m in the ‘Mindy Mafia’ as I call it. Mindy is creating her own empire and she’s been at it for a while. She’s also a woman of color I have looked up to and respect. So to be a part of this new world she and Justin Noble have created that people really like is great. People really vibe with the show. It’s one thing for people to watch something because you’re in it and want to support you, but it’s another thing when people continue to watch whether you’re in an episode or not or whether you’re in a scene or not simply because they enjoy the content.”

“The Sex Lives of College Girls” premiered in November 2021, showcasing the core four women from different racial, educational and socio-economic backgrounds that are at the heart of the show. In the second season, which premiered in November 2022, Willow evolved as a confidant, growing closer to leading characters Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott) and Leighton (Reneé Rapp), particularly developing a new kinship with Leighton who became more open about being gay.

In the comical “Doppelbanger,” one of the strongest of the 10-episode season and the only one written by Kaling, Leighton pursues a new love interest during a game of tennis with Willow as her sidekick.

“I took great honor in the fact that Mindy wrote that episode because it was my heaviest episode,” said Williams. “I did not take it lightly. TV is hard. When you’re on it you’re still auditioning to a certain degree to stay on it. I had so much fun on ‘Doppelbanger.’ Reneé is wonderful to work with. We just clicked. Leighton and Willow really work as opposites who bounce off each other. I like that Willow is the upperclassman that people can come to. I think Willow is starting to be more of a big sister to other people – not just Whitney.”

Williams, mastering the snappy rhythms in each script, appreciates Willow’s growth over the past two seasons but acknowledges the challenges of being a part of an ensemble in terms of character development. She hopes the writers will find opportunities to take Willow deeper in season three.

“I like that more characters are coming to Willow for advice and I would love to see more of what Willow can do,” she said. “I do love the Whitney and Willow relationship and I can’t wait for there to be more of that. Hopefully they’ll be roommates. I would like to see Willow in more environments. It’s hard for a character to go deeper in 26 minutes with four storylines from the main characters and six supporting regulars. But I think the writers did a nice job of making college even more real.”

Before joining “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” Williams appeared in the world premiere of C.A. Johnson’s coming-of-age comedy “All the Natalie Portmans,” which opened in February 2020 at off-Broadway’s MCC Theater. She was also seen off-Broadway in Johnson’s drama “The Climb.” Her credits include Indiana Repertory Theatre’s “Pipeline,” Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” National Black Theatre’s “Sweet” and Wright State’s “Romeo and Juliet” and “Harvey.”

The Atlanta-based Williams, cousin of comedian Katt Williams, recognizes the value of comedy at such a turbulent time in our collective culture. She looks forward to returning to the world of Essex College to bring more joy to audiences simply in search of a good laugh.

“With all that’s going on in the world right now, people need to laugh,” she said. “There are other roles that other shows play that are just as important, but it’s good for all of us to have a common laugh. I know boomers who love this show and I know people who are Gen Z who love this show. People from all generations, ethnicities and orientations can watch this show and find something they connect to. That’s the reason why this show is important right now.”