Brow Beat

The Daily Show’s Jessica Williams on Playing a Black Woman Who Isn’t a Stereotype

Check out all Slate’s interviews from the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

In the new movie People, Places, Things, Jessica Williams—best known as a correspondent on The Daily Show—plays Kat, daughter and matchmaker to Diane (Regina Hall), attempting to set her up with lonely protagonist Will (Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement).

We caught up with Williams at Sundance to talk about why roles like hers are so scarce for black actors in independent movies. She described People, Places, Things as the rare film, let alone romantic comedy, where black women “just get to exist,” free of racial types or expectations. Watch the full interview above.

Interview booked by Raquel Bruno. Executive produced by Ayana Morali.