Bree Williamson
Encyclopedia
Bree Williamson Roberts (born December 28, 1979; Toronto
, Ontario
) is a Canadian
actress.
and sibling of successful business woman Tarra Williamson (Owner of Forward and Beauty Bar), she has been playing the role of Jessica Buchanan
on the ABC
soap opera
One Life to Live
since February 5, 2003. The character is the daughter of original character Victoria Lord Banks (played by Daytime Emmy Award
-winner Erika Slezak
since 1971), and gave Williamson the opportunity to portray Jessica's alternate personalities
"Tess
", from 2005 to 2006 and again starting in 2008 and 2011.
Williamson had previously auditioned for a role on OLTL but was rejected because of her resemblance to actress Erin Torpey
, who was playing Jessica Buchanan on the show at the time. When Torpey resigned in January 2003, Williamson was remembered by the casting department and offered the role of Jessica.
In 2009, 2010 and 2011 Williamson was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award
for Outstanding Supporting Actress
for the role of Jessica.
In 2009, Williamson appeared as Brandeis on Gossip Girl
in episode "The Grandfather: Part II".
In 2010, She also returned as Brandeis on Gossip Girl
in "The Empire Strikes Jack".
, she announced that she and Evans had separated in June 2007; they later divorced.
In the September 2006 issue of ABC Soaps in Depth, Williamson revealed she had just received her green card and proudly proclaimed, "Now you can't kick me out!"
In 2006 Williamson was a co-host for the Planned Parenthood Awards
, which honor individuals and organizations for "their contributions to protecting women's rights." She also appeared in a public service announcement
for breast cancer
awareness.
In 2008, Williamson married Michael Roberts. On September 21, 2010, Williamson and Roberts welcomed their first child, McGreggor Edward Roberts.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actress.
Career
A graduate of the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and sibling of successful business woman Tarra Williamson (Owner of Forward and Beauty Bar), she has been playing the role of Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
since February 5, 2003. The character is the daughter of original character Victoria Lord Banks (played by Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
-winner Erika Slezak
Erika Slezak
Erika Alma Hermina Slezak is an American actress, best known for her role as Victoria Lord on the American daytime soap opera One Life to Live...
since 1971), and gave Williamson the opportunity to portray Jessica's alternate personalities
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
"Tess
Jessica Buchanan
Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live...
", from 2005 to 2006 and again starting in 2008 and 2011.
Williamson had previously auditioned for a role on OLTL but was rejected because of her resemblance to actress Erin Torpey
Erin Torpey
Erin Catherine Torpey is an American actress and singer. She best known for her role of Jessica Buchanan & Megan Buchanan Rappaport as well as the new character Erin on One Life to Live .-Career:...
, who was playing Jessica Buchanan on the show at the time. When Torpey resigned in January 2003, Williamson was remembered by the casting department and offered the role of Jessica.
In 2009, 2010 and 2011 Williamson was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
for Outstanding Supporting Actress
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 6th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1979....
for the role of Jessica.
In 2009, Williamson appeared as Brandeis on Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
in episode "The Grandfather: Part II".
In 2010, She also returned as Brandeis on Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
in "The Empire Strikes Jack".
Personal life
On December 29, 2005 Williamson married Josh Evans. In the July 3, 2007 edition of Soap Opera DigestSoap Opera Digest
Soap Opera Digest is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional information...
, she announced that she and Evans had separated in June 2007; they later divorced.
In the September 2006 issue of ABC Soaps in Depth, Williamson revealed she had just received her green card and proudly proclaimed, "Now you can't kick me out!"
In 2006 Williamson was a co-host for the Planned Parenthood Awards
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
, which honor individuals and organizations for "their contributions to protecting women's rights." She also appeared in a public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
for breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
awareness.
In 2008, Williamson married Michael Roberts. On September 21, 2010, Williamson and Roberts welcomed their first child, McGreggor Edward Roberts.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Twice in a Lifetime | Carol Anne | |
| 2001 | Doc Doc (TV series) Doc is a medical drama/family drama with strong Christian undertones starring Billy Ray Cyrus as Dr. Clint "Doc" Cassidy, a Montana doctor who takes a job in a New York City medical clinic. It ran from March 11, 2001 to November 28, 2004 on PAX... |
unknown | 1 episode |
| Earth: Final Conflict Earth: Final Conflict Earth: Final Conflict is a Canadian science fiction television series based on story ideas created by Gene Roddenberry, and produced under the guidance of his widow, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry. It was not produced, filmed or broadcast until after his death... |
Victim | 1 episode | |
| 2002 | Odyssey 5 Odyssey 5 Odyssey 5 is a Canadian science fiction series that first ran in 2002 on Showtime in the United States and on Space in Canada.In the United States, the initial run of the series ran for 14 of the 20 episodes, leaving the six remaining episodes unaired for a period of roughly two years... |
Kid#2 | 1 episode |
| Mutant X Mutant X (TV series) Mutant X is a science fiction television series that debuted on October 6, 2001. The show was created by Marvel Studios, and it centers around Mutant X, a team of "New Mutants" who possess extraordinary powers as a result of genetic engineering. The members of Mutant X were used as test subjects... |
Miranda Davis | 1 episode | |
| Adam & Eve | Andrea | ||
| 2003 | One Life to Live One Life to Live One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social... |
Jessica Buchanan Jessica Buchanan Jessica Eugenia Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live... |
2003–present |
| SoapTalk | Herself | 3 episodes | |
| 2004 | Daytime's Greatest Weddings | Jessica Buchanan | V |
| SOAPnet Reveals ABC Soap Secrets | Herself | ||
| 2005 | Live with Regis and Kelly Live with Regis and Kelly Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception... |
Herself | 1 episode |
| 2006 | The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards | Herself | |
| 2007 | The Fashionista Diaries The Fashionista Diaries The Fashionista Diaries was a reality show that aired on SOAPnet in the summer of 2007 as a part of SOAPnet's original programming. The show could also be seen on ABC's website and is available for download on iTunes. The show followed six assistants in the competitive world of fashion and beauty... |
Herself | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Gossip Girl Gossip Girl Gossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite... |
Brandeis | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama... |
Amber Denali | 1 episode |