Recently, I caught up with Amber Shana Williams, an international actress who has appeared in numerous film, television, and theater productions throughout the U.S. and Europe, and who plays Tamar in the highly acclaimed “THE CHOSEN”.

“The Chosen” recently released its 4th Season exclusively in theaters. With more than 1.8 MILLION fans flocking to cinemas around the U.S., the groundbreaking move to premiere all of Season 4 exclusively in theaters was met with a huge debut with“THE CHOSEN” landing at #2 in gross box office on opening night with continued success in the weeks to follow garnering a cumulative $22.7M+ box office gross to date. What began as a pioneering crowd-funded project has now evolved into a global sensation with over 770-million-episode views in 175 countries (soon to be dubbed in 50 languages with plans to subtitle in more than 600)! A global phenomenon, and now on The CW as well as streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Netflix, “THE CHOSEN” is the most successful crowdfunded TV series to date.

Where are you from?

I am originally from Dallas, Texas and currently live in Spain.

What led you into a journey of acting?

I think I’ve always loved doing it since I was young. But as I got older, I really learned how much of an outlet it became, especially when it came to processing and coping with things like trauma, depression, and anxiety. And I realized that I didn’t have to hide that part of me when I was in front of the camera because the characters that we play get to be themselves, and it was just kind of cathartic.

Let’s talk about this acclaimed series, “The Chosen.” How did you prepare for the role of Tamar?

I did a lot of research first on the accent. I had no idea who Tamar was, and it was my first time doing one on screen. When it came to the character breakdown, it had been a good number of years since I had lost someone very, very close to me that mattered. So I just had to really focus on, if I had another chance, and if that person was back in my life, how would I present them to Jesus for healing? That would be all the motivation I needed.

Throughout your portrayal, what has this role taught you about yourself as an actor?

Well, it taught me that I wait around for permission a lot. Also, validation was something I had a big problem with. Being a part of “The Chosen” just kind of allowed me to just be, to play, and to play, and to have a sense of freedom. It also gave me permission to be myself. This role has built my confidence. Tamar is a prime example of owning your space and being proud of who you are without letting pride hinder who you can be.

One of my favorite scenes in “The Chosen” was a conversation between Tamar and Mary Magdalene that really conveyed how heavy and painful it is to continue holding onto things, specifically our pasts, and continuously blaming ourselves for things that God already forgave us for. Many of us do that to ourselves. So, I have to ask. What has been your most memorable and impactful scene to film, and why?

This is one of my favorite scenes. I think there are many lessons that can be taken from that scene. Not only how we hold on to things but also how we approach having difficult conversations with the ones that we love in order to preserve or improve the relationship. I love that “The Chosen” focuses a lot on interpersonal relationships between siblings, friends, and family members. It’s essential and something that’s missing a lot. There are not many shows with these kinds of family values left. In this scene, we learned how to hold ourselves accountable, how to admit when we were wrong, and how to help me start conversations towards mending relationships with friends and family members.

How does it feel knowing that “The Chosen” has had such global success? Has it sunk in yet?

I think it’s still sinking in the process. But I’m not completely taking it all in yet because I’m being surprised every day with just how far across the world the show has reached and how many people it has affected.

Can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects we should look out for and what we can look forward to?

Well, for sure, at least one. It’s a comedy here in Spain, and it’s my first role speaking Spanish entirely, and I’m super excited to see it. It’s a sweet family film, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with the world.

When you’re not working, how are you practicing self-care?

I’m all about self-care. I love anything from a massage to my favorite meal to just having some quiet time alone. I love sitting in silence because I find peace and solitude. It’s just really nice to get back to yourself.

Before you go, drop a gem or some great advice for our readers out there. Feel free to say whatever compels you. I like to call this section UnpackingHer Thoughts.

I can say that it’s something that I’ve heard recently, and it’s something that definitely affected me a lot because I had a problem with imposter syndrome. You didn’t get to where you are by luck. You’re not lucky. You worked hard, and you’re good at what you do. Never allow the world or even yourself to tell you that you got to where you are by luck.

Connect with Amber:

https://www.ambershanawilliams.com

Thank you so much, Amber!