The NABJ Convention held in Chicago from July 31st through August 4th saw thousands of members and colleagues from across the industry gather to network, chat, and educate. One of the stand-out featured artists was actress Amber Shana Williams who reflected on her role as Tamar in the hit series, The Chosen. The series is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ and those who knew him, with anticipation of its fifth season coming out soon.
As a fictional narrative, The Chosen fills in the gaps with unique interpretations. Women are mostly nameless in biblical stories, yet this series gives women both a name and a distinct identity. The fictional character Tamar stands out because she is not Jewish, but Jesus recognizes her precisely because of her faith. Many characters are spiritually “called” by Jesus, yet Tamar recognizes him as a leader and chooses to work with him of her own free will. Playing off the title of the show, Williams shared with Just N Life what the theme of choice means to her character.
“It speaks volumes of who she is as a person and how she pursued Jesus. It’s such a lesson to those who have faith in Jesus to pursue and not always wait to be called because your purpose will find you there. She left everything behind to follow Jesus. It was such a sacrifice for her and I think her entire life was a sacrifice,” Williams said.
Tamar’s character is not based on a real person, so there is a level of responsibility of representing unnamed women in the Bible as well as a certain freedom. An Ethiopian woman like Tamar would be overlooked by ancient texts. Yet, The Chosen series offers a complex representation of a powerful and unnamed woman and honors contributions that would typically be unrecognized. This attention to representation is also displayed in the dynamic between Tamar and Mary. The female duo challenge each other while also supporting each other—an accurate depiction of friendship and sisterhood. Williams explained how Tamar has evolved tremendously as a dynamic character throughout The Chosen‘s five seasons.
“She was born into a life as a princess. She’s been all over the place, tasted the finest oils, and had the finest silks. [Her conviction] is not something you just wake up often and have. You learn that through trial and tribulation, and overcoming. And she’s done all of that, which is why it informs a lot of who she is today: empathetic, persistent, and determined. I love all of the things about her and I would love to be more like Tamar in my life,” Williams said.
Nevertheless, Tamar’s strength does not make her invincible. Jesus and Mary are two figures that are idolized, which means their flaws are often overlooked. Tamar, on the other hand, is strong, fierce, and compassionate, yet her imperfections make her character relatable to a modern audience. As a source of authenticity, Williams shares how she navigates the character and finds humanity in the role.
“Sometimes good people make bad decisions. People do some awful things with the best intentions. It teaches us to re-evaluate what we mean when we say certain words. And the labels that we put on them.”
Amber Shana Williams
“I do notice that when you’ve played a character for so long, you start to not recognize that line between you and them at a certain point. A lot of the characters we play have so much to teach us if we just listen. One of the first things we’re taught as actors, as artists, and as storytellers, is to not judge the characters we’re playing. Sometimes good people make bad decisions. People do some awful things with the best intentions. It teaches us to re-evaluate what we mean when we say certain words. And the labels that we put on them,” Williams said.
In biblical times, Tamar’s character would be considered radical just for having a presence. Women, specifically minority women, are pretty much invisible from these biblical stories. The same could be said about the Hollywood industry where minority women are often invisible or tokenized. Thus, by challenging first-century standards, Tamar equally challenges twenty-first-century standards. She is a powerful role model for women finding their voice and an inspiration for forging one’s path.
Stay tuned for more news on Season 5 and see what is next in Tamar’s journey on The Chosen.
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