Not only can he destroy the Death Star, butBilly Dee Williamsdesigns his own clothes and creates paintings thatsell for thousandsof dollars. And theStar Warsactor— who starred as Lando Calrissian inEmpire Strikes Back,Return of the JediandRise of Skywalker— considers all that a “fairly normal kind of existence.”
“I get up in the morning. I do my exercise on my bike. I hang out with my grandkids,” Williams, 82, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “I meet my friends in the restaurant during the afternoons and have nice lunches and things of that nature besides my painting, my drawing.”
Williams’ creativity started at a young age. He studied visual arts at New York City’s prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (Jennifer Aniston,Nicki Minajand Sarah Paulson are among the many famous alums) and graduated with a scholarship to the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design. In fact, Williams started acting in part to earn money to put towards painting supplies.
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While the Emmy nominee forBrian’s Songsells his artwork, his clothing designs remain in his closet only. “I’ve done it for myself but I should’ve gone into business,” Williams says. “Who knows? I might at some point, a new adventure.”
Williams embarked on another new adventure when he started writing a memoir. “I’ve had a fairly interesting life, so I just talk about all the interesting things — that I think are interesting anyway,” he says.
Throughout all of his various endeavors over the decades, “I’ve had a pretty good time,” Williams says. “I feel very fortunate that I’ve lasted this long. I count my blessings.”
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkeris in theaters now.
source: people.com
