As The Chosen approaches its penultimate chapter, the actress reflects on the responsibility of representation, the courage to embrace new creative beginnings, and the importance of making room for a life beyond the work.
For Amber Shana Williams, bringing Tamar to life in The Chosen has been about far more than stepping into a character. It has been an exercise in representation, connection, and understanding the profound ways a story can make someone feel seen. As the series approaches its penultimate chapter, Williams is taking stock of a journey that has connected her with audiences around the world, while quietly preparing for the possibilities that await beyond it.
Playing Tamar has been both an honor and a responsibility she does not take lightly. Over the seasons, the character has become a source of recognition for viewers who understand what it means to occupy spaces where they don’t always feel welcomed. Williams believes that, at its heart, Tamar’s resonance comes from the experience of being the “other”—of navigating environments where acceptance is not always guaranteed.
The messages she receives from fans are a reminder of just how meaningful that representation can be. “It’s simultaneously been a privilege and a tremendous responsibility representing a character that has connected with so many people,” she shares. “I’m always touched by the stories I receive from fans about what it’s meant to them seeing her for the first time.”
It is a legacy Williams carries with pride, but she is also looking toward a new creative chapter—one that promises to stretch her in unexpected ways. Rather than settling into the comfort of what she already knows, she is drawn to projects that challenge audiences emotionally and intellectually, the kind of storytelling that encourages people to confront feelings and ideas they might otherwise avoid.
There is, however, an honest vulnerability in approaching what comes next. Williams admits that the uncertainty is a little intimidating, particularly as she begins exploring an entirely new creative outlet: writing. With a mind full of stories and ideas, she has started putting them onto paper, even if she has yet to determine where they might lead.
“Maybe if I can just get the words out of my head on paper, that’ll be enough,” she says.
For an actress whose work has already introduced audiences to a memorable character, the prospect of becoming a storyteller in her own right opens another dimension of possibility. And if she has her way, those stories may take her somewhere far removed from the world of The Chosen. Science fiction and fantasy, her favorite genres, are high on her wish list, alongside gritty suspense thrillers. She is ready to embrace something completely different, citing filmmakers Ryan Coogler, Danny and Michael Philippou, Zach Cregger, and Coralie Fargeat among those she would love to collaborate with.
That willingness to pursue the unfamiliar extends beyond her career. Williams has also undergone a significant personal transformation in her approach to health, fitness, and self-care. Living with an autoimmune condition prompted her to reconsider what wellness truly means, ultimately inspiring a lifestyle shift that has become central to how she cares for herself.
Once someone who actively disliked the gym and avoided running, she now finds that regular movement is essential to feeling like herself. Nutrition, medication, and exercise each have a place in her routine, but she credits a broader lifestyle change with making the greatest difference in managing her condition.
Still, Williams is quick to point out that wellness cannot be measured by physical health alone. Mental health, she believes, deserves equal attention, particularly in a culture that often rewards constant productivity at the expense of personal well-being.
Learning to rest, establishing boundaries, and becoming comfortable with saying no have all become important parts of her evolution. Even a career she deeply loves requires limits. Between filming, traveling, and balancing time across Dallas, Madrid, and Los Angeles, making room for family, friendship, and stillness has become non-negotiable.
“At the end of life we won’t remember that one day we worked overtime and finished that one project by deadline, but we will remember the belly laughs, bear hugs, and music we danced to.”
It is a perspective that feels particularly fitting for someone whose life is shaped by movement. Having spent time abroad, especially in Spain, Williams has developed a deeper appreciation for a different relationship with time. Meals stretch longer, conversations linger, and the emphasis shifts from the demands of work toward family, community, and simply enjoying the moment.
It is a philosophy she has consciously brought home with her. The familiar reminder to stop and smell the roses has taken on new meaning, as has the importance of protecting time with the people who matter most. Even the seemingly small habit of removing her shoes before entering her home has become a permanent fixture of her routine.
But if Spain has influenced how Williams lives, the United States continues to shape how she dresses. Her approach to fashion is unapologetically expressive, eclectic, and guided by mood. She sees clothing as an extension of personality, with every era offering something worth exploring. The 1990s, in particular, continue to hold her attention.
Her fashion inspirations are equally bold. Given the opportunity to raid a closet, she would head straight for Grace Jones, Fran Drescher’s iconic wardrobe as Fran Fine in The Nanny, and Rihanna. It is a trio that says plenty about her appreciation for individuality, theatricality, and fearless self-expression.
Living in Spain has also introduced her to a more understated approach to getting dressed, one she admires but has never quite adopted. For Williams, putting an outfit together is part of the pleasure. She loves beginning with a statement piece and allowing it to dictate the rest of the look. The possibility of being overdressed is hardly a concern.
“I will forever be overdressed to every event I’m invited to… just for the plot.”
That same appreciation for individuality informs the way she moves through the world. Speaking multiple languages has given Williams a particular sensitivity to the experience of navigating unfamiliar environments, especially when language becomes a barrier. She finds genuine fulfillment in helping someone communicate in a language that feels natural to them.
Having experienced life in Spain herself, she understands the comfort of being able to express oneself without constantly searching for the right words. Speaking to someone in their “heart language,” as she describes it, can immediately change the dynamic of an interaction. It offers reassurance, creates connection, and allows people to feel understood without the added pressure of translation.
It is a small but meaningful way of making space for others, and perhaps an extension of the empathy she has brought to her work as an actress.
Her curiosity about people and places also shapes the way she travels. Rather than relying exclusively on guidebooks, Williams has developed a habit of joining free walking tours whenever she arrives in a new city. Beyond the opportunity to explore, she values the local perspective these experiences offer. Her favorite discoveries often come from asking guides where they eat, how they spend their days off, and which places they would never recommend to tourists.
For Williams, the best travel experiences are rarely found by following a checklist. They come from conversations, unexpected recommendations, and the willingness to let someone who knows a place introduce you to it.
That philosophy carries over to the table, too. A self-described foodie, she still thinks about an unforgettable omakase experience at Turo in Madrid. The meal was memorable not simply for its flavors, but for the artistry of the experience itself. Watching the chef prepare each course in front of her felt almost like a performance—a detail she especially appreciated as an actress. Each dish offered something different, and surrendering control to the chef made the experience all the more enjoyable.
Sometimes, she suggests, the pleasure is in trusting someone else to take the lead.
Perhaps the clearest reflection of Williams’s personal evolution, however, can be found in what she chooses to do when no one is asking anything of her.
A perfect day off does not involve an ambitious itinerary, a new destination, or another opportunity to be productive. In fact, it looks like absolutely nothing. After years of balancing the demands of a busy career with international travel, she has learned to protect the rare moments when she can simply be.
Ordering in, binge-watching her favorite shows, and lounging on the couch in an oversized T-shirt with her dog, Moka, curled up beside her is her idea of a perfect reset. No alarms. No emails. No agenda.
“We tend to villainize rest and put a price tag on peace and relaxation, but there shouldn’t be any guilt in just existing,” she says.
It is perhaps the most revealing sentiment of the conversation. For an actress who has spent years giving life to someone else’s story, who is constantly moving between cities and exploring new creative possibilities, learning to embrace the quiet moments is its own kind of transformation.
As one chapter of The Chosen draws closer to its conclusion, Williams stands at an interesting intersection: honoring a role that has meant so much to others while making room for the stories, experiences, and versions of herself still waiting to emerge.
She is not rushing to define what comes next. Instead, she is allowing herself the freedom to explore, to experiment, to write, to travel, and to rest.
And perhaps that is the most compelling part of her next chapter. Not simply what Amber Shana Williams will do next, but who she will allow herself to become along the way.
Photo Credit:
Photogrpaher: Jonny Marlow
Stylist: Anna Schilling
Hair Stylist: LaRae Burress
Makeup Artist: Dion Xu
