Layton Williams on Titanique: ‘This was not the show I thought I’d be getting my Olivier for’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Williams also reflected on his motivations for taking part in Strictly: "I was like, I'm from the streets, I'm gonna get some cash"
By Gary Grimes
Layton Williams has spoken out about his recent Olivier win for his role in the musical comedy Titanique.
The Strictly Come Dancing star recently won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical at the award show for his role as a singing iceberg in the show which tells the story of the Titanic but from the perspective of Celine Dion.
In a recent episode of The Savoy Originals podcast, which Attitude has had an exclusive early listen to, Williams spoke to host Alex Zane about his surprise that it would be this performance for which he is first recognised by the Olivier Awards. “This was not the show I thought I’d be getting my Olivier, I tell you that much,” he said with a laugh.
“Like even just announcing that you’re playing an iceberg, first of all it’s like, pardon? But this iceberg, she sings and she dances and she throws it down,” Williams went on. “My agent kind of put it to me and was like, listen, of course this role’s epic, but it’s kind of a nod to everything that you’ve done in your career.
“The stepping stones to this moment. And this is the first time I’ve ever been eligible to have a nomination, ’cause I’ve never been an original.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Williams reflected on his time on Strictly, admitting to Zane that his decision to participate in the show was driven by a desire for more exposure and the sizeable pay cheque.
“I just thought, let me just rise the profile a tiny bit. And I’m not afraid to say that because that’s literally why people go on there,” the former Billy Elliot star admitted.
“And obviously they didn’t exactly pay me a tenner,” Williams went on. “So I was like, I’m from the streets, I’m gonna get some cash. And it doesn’t matter if you get kicked out first or second, you still get your check. So Les Dennis, you ate that – I always say Les Dennis was the true winner ’cause he said deuces and he probably got paid more than all of us!”
Later in the interview, Williams says: “I love money. I want money. I wanted to, you know, pay my mortgage. I very much so find it hard to say no to things, but I know that the stepping stones for where I wanted to go.”
Williams’ episode of The Savoy Originals will be available to listen to in full this Friday.