Why Tyler James Willians Isn’t Returning For Everybody Hates Chris’ New Show

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Why Tyler James Willians Isn’t Returning For Everybody Hates Chris’ New Show
Everybody Hates Chris (2005)
4
By
Alisha Grauso
Jun 19, 2024
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Tyler James Williams clasps his hands in Everybody Hates Chris
SUMMARY
Everybody Hates Chris animated reboot recasts young characters, including titular role; original actors grown up.
Age-appropriate voice actors cast for animated series Everybody Still Hates Chris; original adult actors returning.
Tyler James Williams not returning, but successful post-EHC career with awards; new actor Tim Johnson Jr. takes on young Chris.
The beloved 2000s sitcom Everybody Hates Chris is getting an animated reboot, but star Tyler James Williams won’t return for it as his role of the titular Chris has been recast. Comedian and actor Chris Rock co-created and narrated Everybody Hates Chris, which ran for four seasons from 2005-2009 and was loosely based on his experiences growing up in Brooklyn. Tyler James Williams played the young version of Chris, the oldest of three kids, who hopes to be the cool kid at his all-white school but finds it harder than he thought it would be.

The original Everybody Hates Chris was well-received by critics and well-loved by audiences thanks to its snappy writing and heartfelt comedy. The cast of Everybody Loves Chris also received high praise for their performances, both the adult cast and child actors. Central to that cast was Williams, whose breakout role showcased his comedic timing and humor, but also his ability to inject scenes with earnestness when the scene called for it. His integral role in the original show is why some may be surprised to learn he’s been recast for the animated reboot Everybody Still Hates Chris.

While Tyler James Williams isn’t returning for Everybody Still Hates Chris, he’s not the only one who has been recast: the entire cast who previously played the young characters have been swapped out. It makes sense as Everybody Hates Chris ended in 2009. It’s now 15 years later; all the actors have long since grown up. For an animated series still focusing on the younger versions of the characters, it’s easier to recast with age-appropriate voice actors than to bring back the original, now adult live-action cast to voice kids.

For an animated series still focusing on the younger versions of the characters, it’s easier to recast with age-appropriate voice actors than to bring back the original, now adult live-action cast to voice kids.

This is especially true as the original actors now have other projects on their plates. Tyler James Williams, in particular, has found big success after Everybody Hates Chris – more on that below. Original Tonya actor Imani Hakim has had steady work, including her current role as Dana in Mythic Quest. Original Drew actor Tequan Richmond has been a series regular on several shows in recent years. Meanwhile, Greg actor Vincent Martella has gone on to have an impressive voice acting career across TV and video games.

However, half the original Everybody Hates Chris cast will return to voice their animated counterparts; all the adult actors are returning. Chris Rock will be back to produce and narrate the animated series just as he did for the original live-action show. Likewise, Everybody Hates Chris actors Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold will reprise their roles of Julius and Rochelle, Chris’ parents. It’s entirely possible, even likely, that some of the other original actors may return in cameo roles voicing other characters depending on how the first season of Everybody Still Hates Chris unfolds.

Instead, Tim Johnson Jr. will be voicing the role of young Chris in Everybody Still Hates Chris. Born in 1999, the actor and singer is currently 24 years old. This is far older than Tyler James Williams’ age of 13-17 in the original show, but it won’t be an issue. With Everybody Still Hates Chris being animated, there’s a lot of leeway with the actors chosen to voice various roles. As long as they can sound relatively age-appropriate, they’re just fine to voice a younger character. This will b

As for the other actors cast as the younger characters, Ozioma Akagha will voice Tonya, Terrence Little Gardenhigh will voice Drew, and Gunnar Sizemore will voice Greg. All four newcomers to the Everybody Hates Chris world have a background in voice acting and other work, so they’re well-suited to voice the characters in the animated series. More pertinently, all the actors have experience voicing young characters and kids in their various animated projects, which will serve them well for Everybody Still Hates Chris.

What Tyler James Williams Has Done Since Everybody Hates Chris
Tyler James Williams Will Be Just Fine Without Everybody Still Hates Chris

After Everybody Hates Chris, Williams’ next significant role was two seasons of the Matthew Perry-led comedy Go On. He then went on to play Lionel in the subversive movie Dear White People, before appearing as Noah in The Walking Dead. A string of TV sitcoms and procedurals after that landed him his biggest role to date as teacher Gregory Eddie in Abbott Elementary, which has already been renewed for a fourth season. For his work in that series, Williams has won a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, and has been nominated for two Emmys. Even if he’s not returning for Everybody Still Hates Chris, Tyler James Williams is clearly doing just fine.