Cress Williams

Cress Williams (born July 26, 1968) is an American actor, known for his roles in Prison Break and Close to Home. His most recent roles include Mayor Lavon Hayes on The CW series Hart of Dixie and the title character on The CW’s Black Lightning. Williams is also best known for his recurring role as Terrence “Scooter” Williams on Fox’s Living Single and as Inspector Atwon Babcock on Nash Bridges.

Williams acted in a 1990 Fullerton College production of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, which was directed by Tom Blank. He also acted in another production in the same year at Fullerton College called Red Noses, a black comedy produced by Peter Barnes and directed by Michael Fields.[3]

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, 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”.[4] Williams joined the Prison Break cast by playing The Company’s assassin, Wyatt Mathewson.[5] 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.