Exclusive: Ciera Payton Talks Lifetime’s Wendy Williams: The Movie
Premiering Saturday, January 30 at 8 pm ET/PT on Lifetime is Wendy Williams: The Movie, the first biopic about outspoken television host Wendy Williams. Ciera Payton takes on the lead role while Morocco Omari stars as Wendy’s ex-husband Kevin Hunter.
Talk show host Wendy Williams executive produces the biopic on her life, revealing the highs and lows she has experienced throughout the years. Wendy has made herself the go-to source for great celebrity dish on her hit talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, but recently the spotlight has turned towards her. The authorized project provides a revealing look at Wendy’s journey, from her scrappy upstart days in urban radio to the success of her own syndicated talk show. Despite all the naysayers and obstacles Wendy encountered throughout her life, her strength and determination have allowed her to thrive.
For Payton, who currently portrays Lilly Winthrop on Tyler Perry’s The Oval, this is her biggest role to date. Her other credits include USA Network's Graceland, Bad Teacher on CBS, The Walking Dead, Spike Lee's Oldboy and the role of Jameelah Hawkins in Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It series. Payton also appeared in Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral. In speaking with BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales, Payton talks about getting the role, and embodying the personality of someone who is still living and shining the world everyday with celebrity news on TV.
