Will is featured in the Fall 2021 edition of Contents Man! There is a wonderful interview where he talks about his life, career, and his new show Dopesick – you can read a snippet from the interview below. I’ve added photos from the shoot to the gallery!
In watching several interviews you’ve done, the comment section is overwhelmingly positive with many noting how you seem so kind, articulate, and thoughtful. I know you’ve talked about the negative effects of social media on mental health, but do you feel that these positive comments affect how you view yourself or have you gotten to a place where your self-perception isn’t impacted by anything external?
I’m so grateful for the support I receive from anyone who watches my work. It is of course meaningful, and I don’t take that support for granted. At the same time, just as you can develop a negative opinion and put your mental health at risk by reading negative comments, if you put too much stock in the opinions of people online that you don’t know, I believe you’re also at risk of developing an inflated sense of self. I try to have my actions and my words in real life (that is to say ‘offline’) be my focus. I can’t control others’ opinions; I can only hold myself to a standard over my work and how I conduct myself. I try to stay out of the comment section if I’m honest. It’s hard and you see hurtful things all the time, but so many internet platforms are set up in such a way that people are tempted to come up with the funniest, harshest or most contradictory statement they can all in pursuit of likes, shares, retweets, etc. That often comes at the expense of another person’s feelings. Seeing strangers tear each other down in order to win the popularity vote from other strangers is such a bizarre concept to me. It’s best I don’t participate in any capacity if I can help it.
Other than acting, what do you feel most passionate about?
I suppose social injustice. I appreciate that’s a broad statement. However, I’m not sure which of the social issues I’m engaged with, I’m most passionate about. I do think one of the most impactful ways we can look to affect social change is by improving our education model. Two organizations I work with that are doing this are The Black Curriculum and Antibullyingpro in association with The Diana Award. Both of these enterprises believe in empowering young people with the knowledge and empathy for other people’s experiences in order to shape their surroundings for the better. It’s the reason I’m especially passionate about their work and they make me feel hopeful for the future.
Source: Contents Man