Actress Cynthia Kaye McWilliams discusses her latest role as Cathy in BET’s Average Joe.

Cynthia Kaye McWilliams is passionate about the art and craft of storytelling. She realizes that in order to survive and prosper in the entertainment industry, you must have faith, determination, and a true grasp of who you are. I had a joyous time conversing with her about her latest role as Cathy in BET’s new sitcom, Average Joe. The conversation was both fun and therapeutic. She led me on a journey to understand how she navigates this difficult and competitive industry, in addition to sharing information about the show. The chat seemed like I was conversing with a lifelong friend who truly knows life, understands their purpose, and is firm in their commitment to it. 

Cox: As a creator and entertainer, Cynthia, I want to know more about you. You’ve been hustling in this industry for years.  
McWilliams: That’s right, because I’m a hustler for sure, and I appreciate that you acknowledged that right off the bat for me. And that’s one thing me and Cathy, the character I portray in Average Joe, have in common. It’s that hustle spirit, but I am nowhere near as hardcore as she is in real life.  

Cox: I love that! Where did this love for entertainment come from because, besides acting, you also do voiceover work? And that’s a whole set of muscles you must train and flex to complete the job. It really speaks to how versatile you are.  
McWilliams: I would even go beyond entertainment and say it’s my love for storytelling. That’s what I really fell in love with. I don’t always love being an entertainer because you always have to be on! I have some really dope comedian friends who do stand up. And because I’m also a funny lady to many people, they always ask me if I would consider doing stand-up. It’s not for me because, with that, comes being on all the time.  

Storytelling requires you to tap into a character in different ways. Whether I’m playing a character like Cathy, who is gritty and edgy, or a loving and nurturing mother, the thing I love the most is finding people in my life that mirror them and parts of myself that are also inside those characters. I get a sense of joy from bringing it all together and attempting to tell a story that someone will feel seen in and can easily recognize themselves in.  

Cox: Speaking about tapping in differently to the characters, how do you do it when you can’t relate because you don’t have someone like them in your life or because nothing about them reflects a part of you?  
McWilliams: Sometimes we’d like to tell ourselves that someone isn’t like us or that we don’t know anyone like that, but that’s not true. We do that because, most of the time, we come from a place of judgment. So, when going through a script, I approach it from a place of love rather than judgment. Because at the end of the day, someone loves that person regardless of who the person is or what someone else may think of them.  

When looking at a character, I’ve got to fall in love with them too. Only when I can fall in love with them can I find traits about them that will make someone else fall in love with them too.  

There isn’t a single person on the planet that I can’t find something about that I can’t connect with. It’s because we all have so many layers to ourselves.  

Cox: Cynthia, I learned you were many independent films when a significant project didn’t pan out. What is it about the layers that make up Cynthia that keep you going?  
McWilliams: The first thing that comes to mind when you ask me is not going broke. You never want to go back to that. That’s where the hustle spirit is born in someone like me who wasn’t given everything. There is a sense of working harder for something when you aren’t given a lot. And even with the hustle spirit, it’s not about what you have because any of that can be taken away from you at any time; it’s about what you want.  

Cox: I like that perspective! So, what does Cynthia want out of all of this?  
McWilliams: I’m hungry, and that’s my thing. I’m hungry for just more in life, period! I’m hungry for more understanding about myself and the world. Be a better artist, person, partner, and friend. That’s what drives me more than just whether I will get the job. It’s about me wanting to keep working because I want to keep working.  

Cox: Outside of storytelling and entertainment, does something else interest or drive Cynthia?  
McWilliams: Giving back! If I’m not working on or trying to land that acting or voiceover gig, I’m focused on giving back. These jobs keep me fed so that I can give back to others. I stay in a constant place where I’m working so that I can ultimately give back to people. That’s part of my greater purpose.  

Cox: I love this mixture of hustle and walking in your purpose.  
McWilliams: Yes, we say hustle a lot regarding how we approach life, but it’s also about aggressively pursuing your purpose.  

Cox: Beyond the hustle and purpose, what does Cynthia ultimately want out of her life?  
McWilliams: I want there to be no line between how I view myself and how other people view me. I want to live dynamically and wholly as an artist. I want to be my fullest and most authentic self at all times. And doing that gives others permission and encouragement to do the same.  

I want to play multiple characters, do different things, and encourage others to be confident, especially women and women of color. As women, we can be sharp, classy, and have it all together, but other times we don’t have it all figured out. And that’s okay. We deserve to be angry and have righteous indignation about things, but we also don’t have to hold on to that pain.  

Cox: Last question before we get into Cathy and Average Joe During your journey as an actress, have there been parts where you started to turn down roles because you wanted to make sure the industry didn’t see you as monolithic in the type of character you could portray?  
McWilliams: First, hats off to you on the big word of the day, monolithic. Early in my career, I said yes to everything. And that’s because when we start in this industry, we just want to be working and want people to see us. It stems from our desire to prove that we can make it. As I started moving up and through my career, I learned the value of saying no and turning down opportunities, even if that meant I would be out of work for a minute. And that’s scary!  

It’s scary to say no to something when you don’t know what’s next, but that’s when your faith steps in. You must have faith in this industry because I don’t see how anyone could do it without it. There is no guarantee in any career, but by acting, you don’t have a consistent schedule, working Monday through Friday and knowing you will get paid on the same days of the week.  

And on top of that, in this industry, people might recognize you from your recent work on a show or commercial, but then it can be a couple of days or weeks later, and you are back to being unemployed and unrecognized. This industry can be hot and cold, but I got to a point in my career where I said I wouldn’t just keep playing the same role. Just because they all saw me as such doesn’t mean I have to continue to accept the parts and go down that path. That’s why it was a blessing to get the role of Cathy.  

Cox: Thank you for that transparency. I love it because it can give others the encouragement they might need. So now we are on to Cathy. How was it for you to audition for the role and land it? Did you go in knowing that this was the one meant for me?  

McWilliams: Yes, for sure, because I think you have to go in there believing that because how else will they believe it too? I didn’t feel confident that they would see the role as a fit for me, but on the other hand, I knew a few of the people behind the project. Robbie Reed was casting for it; I’ve known her for years. She’s seen me audition for many projects and is a huge supporter. But even she didn’t think I would go for a role like Cathy’s at first. People tended to think of me as someone who could play either a buttoned-up professional or someone warm, loving, and playful. But I’m a storyteller, so when I went in here, I knew they wouldn’t see it for me at first, but I was like, little do you all know, but let me show you.   

Cox: What do you love about playing Cathy?  
McWilliams: Cathy has no filter. She reminds me of a mixture between Peg Bundy and Mary J. Blige. I remember growing up watching Married with Children, and Peg Bundy would have no filter and say whatever came to mind. And when it comes to Mary J. Blige, she has style and flair just like her. I love that she has these two-character prototypes. She also holds no punches, which I really enjoy about her.  

Cox: Will we be surprised by anything with the wise and tough Cathy?  
McWilliams: People will be surprised by Cathy because, in the beginning, you see this tough woman. And like any woman, there are layers to her. You will later discover the fullness that is Cathy outside of how you were first introduced to her.  

Even within her marriage to Leon, you will start to see some love rather than the cantankerous relationship you see them having initially. You know, he just annoys Cathy. But there will be those moments, you know, where you can talk smack about someone you love, but no one else can.  

Also, you will see she loves her true crime and mystery shows. So, at first, she thinks she knows exactly what she will do in these scenarios as they arise. But then she is thrown off by what actually happens and realizes that what she thought she was going to do is completely opposite of what she will do.  

Cox: This series is based on someone’s real life. What was it like playing a character in a show based on actual events?  
McWilliams: We all found this show to be super interesting because it was based on the real life of Robb Cullen. It’s a testament that when a story is told authentically and you get more specific within it, it becomes more universal. It’s funny because Robb is an older white guy, and when he was telling his story and working in partnership with BET, they were like, Let’s tell it through the lens of a Black family. Doing this didn’t change the story at all, and it added more layers to it.  

I always say that when you do anything through a Black lens and perspective, you get more stories within the story, and things seem to become even more vibrant.  

Cox: What do you think is going to get people hooked?  
McWilliams: The story is compelling and fascinating. But it’s the writing of it all that will get you hooked. I love how the writing set it up in a way where we took time to tell a story to establish characters so that we could get to know them all individually throughout the series.  

One thing that stands out is that right when we get into the drama of it all, the women really stand out. It isn’t a story where the men are having problems and the women are in the dark. In the first episode, the wives are right there when things go wrong. That makes it authentic because any woman in a relationship will notice a slight change in their man.  

It’s going to keep everyone guessing.  

Cox: At the end of the series, what type of emotions or thoughts do you think this series will bring up in someone?  
McWilliams: It will make people wonder who they are and what kind of person they will be when they are in a high-stakes situation. They might start looking to the left and right of them and question if they have the right people in their life, like who is really down for them when the time comes. 

Photo Credits:
Photographer: Tisha Brenee
Styling: Carnita Nicole
Makeup: Bobbie Riley
Hair: Shawnna Courtney

Fashion Credits:
Gold Dress:
Dress: Gert Johan Coetzee
Jewelry: Jared Jamin
Shoes: Kaiane Designs

Black Dress with Pearls:
Dress: Gert Johan Coetzee
Jewelry: Lili Claspe
Shoes: Steve Madden