# Cynda Williams

Cindy Ann Williams is an American actress. She is credited as Cynda Williams.

## Early life and education

Williams was born Cindy Ann Williams in Chicago, Illinois to Charles, a police officer and Beverly, a medical lab technician. She was raised in the Pullman neighborhood on the city's south side. She spent parts of her early childhood in Indiana, where she sang in her grandfather's church. Williams attended Bennett Elementary School before she moved with her mother to Muncie, Indiana, as a teenager. While in Indiana, Williams attended Northside High School; graduating in 1984. After high school, Williams attended Ball State University, studying theater and was crowned Ms. Ball State in 1987. She graduated in 1989.

## Career

In 1989, Williams changed her first name to "Cynda" to avoid conflicts with Laverne & Shirley actress Cindy Williams, who was also listed by the same name with the Screen Actors Guild. Williams has acted in films on both television and in the cinema. Her first appearance in a feature film was in Spike Lee's 1990 Mo' Better Blues. "In the Midwest, I was told by casting directors that I wasn’t the right type because I didn’t look black enough, and I didn’t look white," says Williams. "But everything changed when I moved to New York, because my look could cross different lines." She was also in One False Move (1992) as well as the Tales of the City Channel 4/PBS miniseries.
Williams had a brief stint in the music industry in 1990 with her appearance on the soundtrack to Mo' Better Blues, on the song "Harlem Blues". The single was popular, reaching No. 9 on the R&B charts on November 17, 1990. With the success of the single, Williams had been lined up with Sony to produce her own album. While she was trained in a variety of genres, jazz became pressed on her after the success of "Harlem Blues". The album was shelved following internal disagreements at Sony.

## Personal life

Williams was married to actor Billy Bob Thornton, from 1990 to 1992.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | Mo' Better Blues | Clarke Bentancourt | |
| 1992 | One False Move | Lila "Fantasia" Walker | |
| 1993 | Ghost Brigade | Rebecca | |
| 1995 | Condition Red | Gidell Ryan | |
| 1995 | The Tie That Binds | Lisa-Marie Chandler | |
| 1996 | Sweeper | Diane | Direct-to-video |
| 1996 | Spirit Lost | Arabella | |
| 1996 | Black Rose of Harlem | Georgia | |
| 1996 | Tales of Erotica | Davida Urked | |
| 1998 | Caught Up | Vanessa Dietrich/Trish | |
| 1998 | Relax...It's Just Sex | Sarina Classer | |
| 1998 | The Last Call | - | |
| 2001 | MacArthur Park | Alicia | |
| 2001 | March | Angela Walsh | |
| 2003 | With or Without You | Cheri Fontenot | |
| 2004 | Shooter | Coach Mary | Short film |
| 2005 | When Do We Eat? | Grace | |
| 2007 | Frankie D | Barbara | |
| 2007 | Divine Intervention | Sister Grier | |
| 2008 | Tru Loved | Lisa | |
| 2008 | Beautiful Loser | Dennice (Adult) | |
| 2012 | Turning Point | Dede Johnson | |
| 2014 | Gangland | Tammy | |
| 2015 | 72 Hours | Liyah | |
| 2017 | The Hills | Miss Lee | |
| 2017 | Ray Meets Helen | Doctor Harris | |
| 2017 | A Chance in the World | Ruby Dottin | mis-credited as Lynda Williams |
| 2017 | Wilted Rose | Tanya Sanchez | Short film |
| 2017 | Pieces of David | Detective Elaine | |
| 2018 | Every 21 Seconds | Administrative Nurse Malone | |
| 2019 | A Sisterhood of Signatures | Mrs. Owens | Short film |
| 2019 | Welfare Check | Jo | Short film |
| 2019 | Everyday But Christmas | Deanna's Mother | |
| 2020 | Why Me | Ms. Black | |
| 2020 | The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater | Deb | |
| 2021 | Mad As Hell | Detective Briggs | |
| 2021 | Untold: The Back & Forth Story | Chriss Murray | |
| 2021 | Finding Dawn | Dawn | Short film |
| 2021 | Life Ain't Like the Movies | Pat Mills | |
| 2023 | Kings of L.A. | Yolie |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Tales of the City | D'orothea Wilson | Recurring cast |
| 1995 | Marker | Pamela Austin | Episode: "Truth, Lies and Rock 'n' Roll" |
| 1995 | Fallen Angels | Deletha | Episode: "Fearless" |
| 1996 | Gang in Blue | Anita Boyard | TV movie |
| 1997 | New York Undercover | Erica Rockler | Episode: "Hubris" |
| 1998 | The Wedding | Liz Odis | TV movie |
| 1999 | Introducing Dorothy Dandridge | Vivian Dandridge | TV movie |
| 2000 | The Courage to Love | Cecelia Delille | TV movie |
| 2000 | Hidden Blessings | Brandy Taylor | TV movie |
| 2003 | Violation | Rita Washington | TV movie |
| 2006 | Our House | Nurse | TV movie |
| 2019 | Black Privilege | Alderwoman Tyrina | TV movie |

## Award nominations

| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
| 1993 | Independent Spirit Award | Nominated | Best Female Lead | One False Move |