Conversations with Nathan Hale Williams

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Hale Williams.

Hi Nathan Hale, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m originally from the South Side of Chicago; and as Michelle Obama says in her book “Becoming”, that tells you everything you need to know about me. I love being from Chicago, and I carry the sensibilities of my upbringing into everything I do. We were firmly middle class: my mom was a social worker who eventually became one of the few Black women to serve as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. My dad was a teacher who became a Baptist preacher when I was about twelve.

I was always drawn to the arts, but never seriously considered them as a career. I remember watching “The Color Purple” (1985) and dissecting every directorial choice — the score, costumes, script, locations, color palette. In hindsight, that’s when the directing bug bit me (and Spielberg, along with Gina Prince Bythewood, is still my favorite director). But in the 1980s, there was no clear path or role model for a young Black boy from Chicago to say, “I want to be a director.” So I acted, modeled, and danced to scratch the creative itch, but still planned for a “practical” career.

I excelled in science and math, so becoming a doctor made sense — at least on paper. My first major at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was biomedical engineering, one of the most competitive programs there. But early in my first semester, I looked around the classroom and thought, One of these kids is not like the others — and that’s me. Beyond standing out, there was one major problem with my plan to be a neurosurgeon (which admittedly sounded impressive): I don’t like sick people, hospitals, or the sight of blood.

I quietly changed my major to dance. My mother — ever observant — noticed the new code on my report card. She told me I could absolutely major in dance, just not at Illinois, because it would likely lead to teaching rather than the world-touring career I envisioned. She made fair points, so we compromised on Communications with a concentration in performance studies.

The turning point came the summer between my junior and senior years, when I took an unpaid internship at a Los Angeles public relations firm. My mom wasn’t thrilled (no pay, far from home) but she let me go and, more importantly, let me fail. That summer was rough. In addition to interning, I auditioned for acting roles and worked nights as a telemarketer. I lived on chicken wings and ramen, bombed every audition, and developed lifelong empathy for telemarketers.

The summer would have been a total bust if not for discovering Debra Martin Chase. Whitney Houston was (and is) my favorite entertainer, and Debra was running BrownHouse Productions, preparing to produce Cinderella with Brandy. I read an article about her and had a eureka moment — everything she described about her job as an executive producer was everything I loved. The “pick me” grind of auditioning wasn’t for me, and I didn’t love being in front of the camera enough to endure the starving-artist lifestyle. (I like steak, not pork and beans.)

Debra mentioned going to Harvard Law School and how much it helped her career. That was my blueprint. I called my mom, waved the white flag, and asked for a plane ticket home (my car had been stolen by then anyway). I left LA determined to become a top producer; and, vowed never to return.

Fast forward: I was working as a corporate lawyer in New York when I met Richard E. Pelzer II. I was representing small entertainment companies on the side, and he ran a modeling/talent agency. He challenged me to audition, with a deal: if I booked nothing, I’d stick to being his lawyer; if I booked something, I’d be both his lawyer and his client. My first audition was for Harlem Fashion Week — and I booked it.

Soon after, I landed a role in the indie film The Ski Trip, written and directed by Maurice Jamal, fresh off The Chappelle Show. In rehearsals, I noticed we had no contracts, so I offered to handle the legal work if he’d credit me as an associate producer. I eventually rose to lead producer alongside Maurice. The Ski Trip became MTV’s LOGO Network’s first original film in 2005.

Maurice and I went on to make Dirty Laundry with Rockmond Dunbar, Loretta Devine, and Jenifer Lewis. Then I partnered with Sean Joell Johnson and Crystal McCrary to produce TV series. When the market slowed, I pivoted, writing the “Girl’s Best Friend” column for Essence, which led to my first novel, Ladies Who Lunch & Love, and a coffee table book, Inspiration: Profiles of Black Women Changing Our World.

Film was still my dream. In 2015, the same year my novel came out, I wrote and directed my first short, Love for Passion, about a dancer reconciling with his estranged father.

My relationship with LA, however, was rocky. My best friend Andrea used to hold prayer vigils when I visited because something always went wrong. So when I decided to move here to pursue writing and directing, everyone — including me — was shocked. The first year was brutal, but I pushed through. Then came 90 DAYS, which established me as a writer/director. Friends from Chicago and New York began moving here, and I fell in love with LA’s lifestyle. Now, it’s my forever home — especially since I’ve found my own Shangri-La in Pasadena.

Of course, there’s so much more between those milestones, but those are the highlights of my voyage to LA.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Hell no, it hasn’t been smooth. It’s been a rollercoaster, but I can’t imagine doing anything else. Definitely not being a neurosurgeon or “just” a lawyer. I’ve had moments of incredible external success, both financially and in terms of achievement. And I’ve had periods where the only thing I could hold onto was the deep knowing that this is my divine calling.

As you probably know, the entire industry is going through a massive contraction and shift. First COVID, then the strike — both made it increasingly difficult to thrive and get anything greenlit. As tough as it is, I honestly believe this period is weeding out people who aren’t in it for the right reasons. It’s also forced me to pivot, which is how my company became two distinct divisions: iN-Hale Entertainment, my production arm for films, television, and books; and iN-Hale Media, a creative services agency specializing in campaigns, events, and more.

As challenging as it can be to tell the kinds of stories I’m passionate about, I refuse to focus on the obstacles. I’ll always find a way forward. That’s just the kind of person my mother – Marcia “Momma J” – raised me to be.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an Emmy-nominated director, writer, producer, and entertainment attorney, and everything I do comes back to one thing: storytelling with impact. Through my production company, iN-Hale Entertainment, I’ve created award-winning films and television that have been screened and celebrated around the world. I create work that entertains, but also has the power to spark conversation, shift perspectives, and, in the best cases, change lives.

My work includes All Boys Aren’t Blue, the critically acclaimed short film adaptation of George M. Johnson’s bestselling memoir; 90 DAYS, an African Movie Academy Award–winning short about love, secrets, and HIV; Dirty Laundry, a groundbreaking dramedy starring Loretta Devine, Rockmond Dunbar, and Jenifer Lewis; and The Ski Trip, which made history as the first original film for MTV’s LOGO Network. My current documentary, Come Together: Art’s Power for Change, examines how art fuels cultural and social progress and premiered at this year’s American Black Film Festival in a spotlight screening.

Beyond film, I’m the author of several books, including the novel Ladies Who Lunch & Love and the coffee table book Inspiration: Profiles of Black Women Changing Our World, co-authored with Crystal McCrary, featuring icons like Michelle Obama, Shonda Rhimes, and Venus Williams.

Along the way, I’ve been honored with numerous awards and recognitions — from the NAACP Image Awards, Black Enterprise Modern Man of Distinction, and African Movie Academy Award to the Cannes Diversity Showcase. These acknowledgments mean a lot, but what I’m most proud of are the personal messages from people who say my work made them feel seen, inspired, or more hopeful.

What sets me apart is that I bring the creativity of a filmmaker, the precision of a lawyer, and the strategic instinct of a producer to every project. I understand the art, the business, and the cultural context — and I know how to connect all three to tell authentic, elevated stories about underrepresented people and communities in ways that resonate universally.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My mother, is my biggest supporter, fan and cheerleader. She is my first role model of excellence and she holds me down every day along this journey.

My two lifelong best friends, Andrea & Antonious, have supported me in ways that have made my commitment to this pathway possible.

Keith Boykin, my former partner, has consistently supported me at every stage of my life and career. He truly is the embodiment of excellence and there’s so much that I could not have done without him.

Mara Brock Akil is one of my biggest inspirations and mentors. She has helped me shape my writing in a way that has elevated it leaps and bounds.

Emil Wilbekin provides the kind of spiritual support that you need on this journey. He gave me my first adult job as a writer when he made me a columnist for Essence Magazine, which changed the trajectory of my life leading to where I am now.

Lee Daniels is a mentor and a friend who inspires me that it’s never too late to become what you’re supposed to become.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.inhalemedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanhwilliams/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NathanHaleWilliams
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhalewilliams/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NHW-CreativeTrippin

Image Credits
Terrell Mullin