Cress Williams

Cress Williams (born July 26, 1970) is a German-born American film and television actor, best known for playing the hitman Wyatt in Prison Break and detective Ed Williams in Close to Home. He is also known for his role as Inspector Antwon Babcock in the final season of Nash Bridges, and as D’Shawn Hardell in seasons 4 and 5 of Beverly Hills, 90210. He also had a notable role of portraying music promoter Terrence "Scooter" Williams (the love interest of Khadijah) in the Fox television sitcom Living Single. He most recently played Mayor Lavon Hayes on The CW series Hart of Dixie.

Williams was born in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, to American parents. He attended Fullerton College and UCLA.

Williams acted in a 1990 Fullerton College production of William Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello, which was directed by Tom Blank. A Los Angeles Times review criticized Williams acting and said that he "gets wild-eyed as Othello, especially when jealousy begins to reign in his house. But the portrayal doesn't go beyond the obvious, and Williams tends to overact. All his emotions are on the outside; it's difficult to connect with Othello's internal struggle." He also acted in another production in the same year by Fullerton College called Red Noses, a black comedy produced by Peter Barnes and directed by Michael Fields.

Williams has appeared on many TV series since 1994, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Beverly Hills, 90210, NYPD Blue, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, 3rd Rock from the Sun, JAG, Living Single, Nash Bridges, Providence, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Veronica Mars, The West Wing, Close to Home, ER, and Grey's Anatomy. He portrayed Talak'talan, a Jem'Hadar leader in the Star Trek series, in a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Jem'Hadar". Williams joined the Prison Break cast by playing The Company's assassin, Wyatt Mathewson. He appeared in the final season of Friday Night Lights as Ornette Howard, father of East Dillon's star quarterback Vince Howard. He also starred alongside Rachel Bilson on The CW series Hart of Dixie as former football star turned mayor Lavon Hayes.