Interview: Layton Williams Talks About Earning a Tony Nomination for Playing an Iceberg

Layton Williams made his West End debut at the age of 12 as the lead in Billy Elliot. He has worked steadily since, and he earned an Olivier Award last year for his performance in Titaníque. Now, almost 20 years after his West End debut, he’s making his Broadway debut, reprising his Titaníque roles as the Iceberg and others, including Seaman, the tour guide, and Peabo Bryson.

He is up for a Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, but whatever happens on Sunday, he’s grateful for his warm welcome to the Broadway community. “I’m not going in there expecting to be lifting a trophy like I did at the Oliviers. I feel like it is such an honor to have the nomination period,” he says.

Williams spoke to TheaterMania before a matinee on a two-show day about all the roles he plays in the show, meeting RuPaul, and more.

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Congrats on your Tony nomination! Has the lead up to the Tonys been similar to the Oliviers?
No. It is very different, not in a bad way or a good way. It’s a lot more intense. We opened the show very close to the awards season, so it’s been overwhelming, first moving across the Atlantic, then going into previews for a Broadway show, then opening, and then straight into awards season. It’s like a baptism of fire. But it’s the perfect experience that I wanted.

What is your favorite role to play in the show?
My favorite role has to be Miss Iceberg Bitch. I love my other little roles. I love my Seaman and the tour guide, but it’s gearing up to the ultimate moment, the sinking of the ship, so I feel like the iceberg is the icing on the cake, dare I say.

Did you ever think that you would be playing an iceberg, and that you would get so much awards recognition for it?
No. I’ve been lucky enough to play some really incredible parts in my 20 years almost in this business and for this to be the thing that introduced me to a whole new audience in New York and Broadway and the world I guess now, it’s quite silly, but you never know what gig it’s going to be. It wasn’t Cabaret. It wasn’t Billy [Elliot]. It wasn’t Jamie [from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie]. It’s the iceberg bitch, and I love it.

How does it feel to be channeling Tina Turner?
In my eyes, the Iceberg is a combination of Tina Turner, Céline Dion, and RuPaul. It’s an honor. They’re absolute icons. So, to step into them glittery heels and put my fishnets on, and my sparkly hot pants, and transform into this personified being is pretty incredible. And we got the stamp of approval from RuPaul. In London, RuPaul came to see the show and absolutely loved it. I have lots of photos and videos of him backstage, so I was very fortunate to be able to do that in front of the queen herself.

Since this is such a fast-paced show, have you ever had any onstage mishaps?
I did accidentally wear my Peabo Bryson shoes in the wrong scene. I was dressed as Seamus, an Irish lad, and I had these purple slip-on shoes. Me and Deborah Cox were dying. We were in a freeze frame and I was like, “Deborah, look at my shoes.”

But apart from silly things like that, there’s the odd vocal crack. This week we’re doing 10 shows without a day off because of Tony rehearsals. Sometimes the voice is sleepy, and I have learned quite early on in my career to not take it too seriously, laugh at myself before they can laugh at me. No one ever knows anyway, but we have such a giggle. We just have fun on the stage, and I think that’s why everyone is having fun with us.

If you could sing any song in the show that you don’t sing, what would it be?
“Seduces Me” I think. John Riddle does it very well, so I’m not saying I would come for his crown. However, I feel like I could give that a real cute go. I like to play the villain. It’s fun. I guess I am low-key the villain, but just dressed in drag.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Usually Frankie Grande blasts music on his huge beat box sound system. You can hear it two floors down, so usually I’m just vibing out to that music because I have no other choice, but I love it and he’s got good taste. Probably having a nap. I’ll have a shave, start my makeup, I facetime my family from home. I’m not a ritual person because I’m spontaneous.

You’ve been doing theater since you were a kid. Did you ever want to do anything else besides act?
Obviously as a kid I wanted to be a firefighter, a dentist, everything that you go through as a kid, normal things to be. But luckily for me, I found the thing that I loved, and I ran with it and we’re still doing it and we’re not getting bored anytime soon. If anything, I would like to broaden my horizons and go into some more creative roles, which I’ve done before, but honestly it would have to be something in the arts. If I was to do anything else, I would work in fashion.

Speaking of fashion, do you know what you’re going to wear to the Tonys?
Don’t get me started because I’m actually stressed. It’s a week away and I haven’t even locked in my look yet.