Where some actors carry their history quietly, Peter Williams wears his across borders.
Born in Jamaica and shaped by a life largely lived in Canada, Williams embodies the very tensions Garvey’s Ghost seeks to explore: movement and memory, belonging and displacement, roots that travel and identities that refuse to stay still.
“I spent my formative years in Jamaica,” he reflects, “but I’ve actually spent the greater part of my life in Canada. That ratio suits the character of Harry, even if it gives him more of a Caribbean vibe than he actually had.”
For Williams, though, accuracy isn’t about surface detail. It’s about intention.
“The details are less important than the intent,” he says. “This is about highlighting the societal forces that shaped individual lives, within the ongoing struggle, and the dynamics of cultural displacement.”
That understanding made his connection to Garvey’s Ghost instinctive.
And sometimes, that contribution comes with a chuckle.
A Character Shaped by Forces Larger Than Himself
In portraying labour leader and activist Harry Gairey, Williams wasn’t simply stepping into a historical role. He was stepping into a lineage, one defined by resistance, migration, and the quiet endurance of Caribbean people carving space for themselves in Canada.
Harry’s story, much like Peter’s own, exists in the in-between.
It is the story of a man shaped by colonial histories and diasporic realities. A man navigating systems not designed for him, yet refusing to be erased by them. For Williams, that resonance mattered more than mimicry.
“The intent remains the same,” he explains. “To show how lives are shaped by the societies they’re forced to navigate.”
Collaboration as Cultural Conversation
At the heart of Garvey’s Ghost is collaboration, and for Williams, working once again with Frances-Anne Solomon was both grounding and galvanizing.
“This is the first time I’ve really been able to dive into my culture through a character,” he says. “That’s a big deal. In film, that chance doesn’t come around often.”
Their shared history, mutual trust, and cultural fluency created space for honesty on set, space to confront difficult truths while still leaving room for joy.
“We understand the obstacles,” Williams notes. “The realities of exploring our truth as Caribbeans in Canada, and in the wider diaspora.”
That understanding, he says, allows the work to go deeper, and land truer. At its core, Garvey’s Ghost is reverent, but it is never rigid.
“It’s our hope that this effort communicates the fun we had,” Williams says, “as we tried to enhance Garvey’s name-recognition and impetus. While honouring the cultures we were born into,” he continues, “we’re also trying to positively contribute to the one we find ourselves living in.”
And sometimes, that contribution comes with a chuckle.
A Legacy Carried Forward
Peter Williams is no stranger to iconic roles. From his unforgettable portrayal of Apophis on Stargate SG-1, to performances in The Chronicles of Riddick, Catwoman, A Winter Tale, and HERO: The Extraordinary Life of Ulric Cross, his career has spanned genres, continents, and decades.
But Garvey’s Ghost offered something different.
It offered a chance to sit inside the questions, rather than simply answer them.
Who are we, when we move?
What do we carry with us?
And how do we honour where we come from, while shaping where we are?
Through Harry Gairey, Peter Williams doesn’t just perform history. He converses with it.
And in doing so, he reminds us that diaspora is not loss alone, it is also legacy, resilience, and the ongoing act of becoming.
Latest Garvey’s Ghost News
- Garvey’s Ghost was screened at Skylark Film Festivalto an enthusiastic audience.
- Star of Garvey’s Ghost, Owen “Blakka” Ellis, appeared on CVM Sunrise to discuss the film and its cultural impact.
- Garvey’s Ghost was also featured in The Gleaner, in an interview with director Frances-Anne Solomon and actor Owen “Blakka” Ellis.
- The 2025 Rex Nettleford Arts Conferencefeatured a special screening of Garvey’s Ghost for a packed international audience of Caribbean artists and academics.
- Garvey’s Ghost was featured on Jamaicans.com: 7 Things to Know About the TV Series Garvey’s Ghost
| Stay tuned for more details and follow our Linktree to keep up with all the happenings across platforms and around the globe. |
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A Glimpse Into Garvey’s Ghost
About Garvey’s Ghost
Garvey’s Ghost is a groundbreaking dramatic series inspired by the ideas and legacy of Pan-African leader Marcus Garvey. Blending history with contemporary narratives, the series asks bold questions about freedom, self-determination, and diaspora unity, while offering entertaining, thought-provoking stories that resonate across cultures and generations.
Starring Owen “Blakka” Ellis as The Ghost, Melanie Nicholls Kingas Miss Violet, Peter Williams as Harry Gairey, Tymika Tafari as Elouise,and Richard Walters as Young Denny.
About Frances-Anne Solomon
Frances-Anne Solomon is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and curator whose work spans film, television, theatre, and online platforms. Founder of CaribbeanTales Media Group, she has dedicated her career to telling stories from the African and Caribbean diasporas that have shaped the global cultural landscape.
