'Greenleaf' Actor Describes Emotional Toll of Playing Pedophile in Church Drama (Watch)
Actor GregAlan Williams was reduced to tears as he described the emotional toll it took on him to play the part of a pedophile in the OWN Network's church drama series "Greenleaf."
Williams' character Robert "Mac" McCready was killed off of the show last Wednesday, but not before the world witnessed the ugly truths about the pedophile that he portrayed on the show. Playing the role was anything but easy for Williams who admitted that a weight had been lifted off of him when he learned he wouldn't have to play the character anymore.
"After I had processed that Mac was going to die, I was in my car and I felt the weight of this guy lifting off me," he revealed before breaking down in tears during an interview with OWN. "I was trying to figure out, 'What's wrong with you man? Whats going on? Why you feeling like this?'"
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Williams recalled breaking down in his car to the point that he felt like vomiting and had to pull over. For him, playing Mac meant playing a villain that countless people have encountered in real life.
"The moments when you're portraying this guy, you have to think like this guy. When he sees a victim I have to think about that other human being in that way and that's not comfortable," the actor said through tears. "He's not just some TV villain in a sci-fi movie or in a soap opera who just says nasty things. For so many people it brings to mind their own victimization, their own suffering, because he's real."
Media Maven Oprah Winfrey helped create the dramatic series "Greenleaf" last year.
In a statement shared with The Christian Post, Winfrey previously revealed why it was important for her to explore the black church as the center for her drama.
"I think it's a platform that nobody has actually explored. I grew up in the black church, I wouldn't be who I am without it," she said. "My speaking to the writers room on the very first day and my conversations with [writer Craig Wright] were all about, 'look this is not just a church. It's the nurse, doctor, lawyer, psychologist, our therapy, nurturer, support, it's our rock."
