The Many Faces of ‘Abbott Elementary’ Star Tyler James Williams

In this video, Tyler James Williams talks about portraying Gregory Eddie on 'Abbott Elementary'.

Transcript

00:00The many faces of Gregory.

00:01My favorite scenes are when Gregory looks right into the camera

00:04when something outrageous happens and he can't directly comment on it.

00:07It's a face that reads, are you seeing this?

00:09I need you to watch my class for five minutes.

00:11Five minutes or five Ava minutes?

00:12Stop flirting with me.

00:14That was always what was super fun to me about the mockumentary format

00:19is the ability to have a connection to the audience

00:23in a different way than you normally would

00:26because you can actually look directly into their eyes.

00:28It's just like another layer to the show that keeps it interesting.

00:32I think like you're always looking for with these network comedies,

00:35how do you keep it from getting boring?

00:37You know what I mean?

00:38And keeping actors from getting bored.

00:39I think this ability to break the fourth wall keeps it fun constantly.

00:44And once you build a relationship to each camera,

00:47you kind of are looking at different people in the room in their own home,

00:50which is really nice and fun.

00:52I love the fact that we can do that

00:53and somebody can feel like you're looking directly at them

00:55or thinking the exact same thing that they are.

00:57They're living in this moment with you.

00:59Sometimes they are written in,

01:01and I think they're written there for story breaks and things.

01:05More times than not, it's us in the moment feeling where it needs to be

01:12because it's not something that really can be pre-planned in a way.

01:16And I think that's what makes it nice and improvisational.

01:18In that moment, you're realizing this character feels this way

01:21and wants someone to look to.

01:23And that's why I think it works the best.