Jesse Williams is currently making his Broadway debut in Richard Greenberg play Take Me Out, with headlines dominated by the Grey’s Anatomy star acting in scenes featuring full-frontal nudity. The producers were clearly anxious that this not become sensationalized, and laid down strict rules against recording any footage of Williams naked.
Recommended VideosAudience members were asked to put their phones in a Yondr pouch that can only be unlocked by the theater and were asked to behave with “respect and support for our actors and in order to create a phone-free space”. Fat lot of good that did them, as the naked footage of Williams is now all over social media.
Reactions are pretty much what you’d expect:
To whoever leaked Jesse Williams’s d*** pics:
Thank you for doing the Lord’s work and I wish you a bountiful harvest this season
— joseph™ (@JoeyIsYoung) May 9, 2022*getting on twitter and searching Jesse Williams name like* pic.twitter.com/dhmYsnSySh
— . (@thebrattyvirgo) May 9, 2022Jesse Williams if greys don't work out try onlyfans babes pic.twitter.com/vwscebXNWy
— 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊♡ (@Neptune_Leo22) May 9, 2022Jesse Williams!!!??? pic.twitter.com/IL6qE4aqDr
— Sinfluencer (@lukeyism) May 9, 2022But there are many rightly pointing out that this is a huge breach of consent:
whoever recorded jesse williams in take me out, fuck you dude. they’ve been taking everyone’s phones and literally locking them up pre-show to avoid something like this. he should be celebrating his tony nomination and instead his dick is plastered all over the internet it’s sick
— ansley (@bbqchicksalad) May 10, 2022like its kinda fucked up! i dont think any of them want creepy sneak shots of their dicks on the internet considering there was a phone ban in the theatre also a bit strange to continuously tag jesse williams with ur thirst tweets! idk
— dont talk to me (@earthgirls_r_ez) May 10, 2022im generally not anti-bootleg, but sharing footage of jesse williams naked when they make you lock up your phone for the express purpose of protecting the actors from nudes being taken… yeah that doesnt sit right with me
— ⓒⓘⓐⓡⓐ (@pumpkin__py) May 10, 2022Others point out that it breaks the trust between actor and audience:
Honestly shame on anyone posting or reposting the video/picture of Jesse Williams. A Broadway stage is supposed to be a safe place for the actors. Phones are secured in pouches for a reason. Don’t violate him like that and don’t contribute to that violation. It’s not some joke.
— Camilla (@Camilla_33) May 10, 2022How did NO USHERS clock a phone that close and immediately confiscate it and ask the patron to leave? Literally I just need to know how. Like I got mad at someone texting and stopped the show to tell them to get off it. I was in a sweat suit. Still vulnerable tho.
— unnu perplexing my tranquility 😡 (@Emerbabe) May 10, 20221. I wonder how #JesseWilliams feels. To me this is a violation. He is starring in a play where he is nude. As a result attendees aren't allowed phones. Someone broke the rules and his crown jewels are available for all to see. He is an actor not a porn star. No consent given.
— LISA BENT (@IamLisaBent) May 10, 2022Thankfully, today isn’t a completely terrible one for Williams. He’s just been nominated for a Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play at the 2022 Tony Awards for Take Me Out, with the show itself scoring a nomination for Best Revival of a Play.
Even so, it’s pretty gross to be sharing this footage. Sure, you could argue that an actor standing before an audience night after night is clearly comfortable showing their body off, though at least they’ve given consent and control over how they’re being perceived. Random strangers ogling your dick completely out of any artistic context is very different from that and extremely uncool.
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