It was a full-circle moment for Beauty in Black star Taylor Polidore Williams, who recently reunited with comedy legend Cedric the Entertainer.
The reunion is especially meaningful because the two actors share a connection that goes back nearly two decades. Before Taylor became known for playing Kimmie in Tyler Perry’s hit Netflix drama Beauty in Black, she made her feature-film debut in the 2008 comedy Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, which starred Cedric the Entertainer alongside Martin Lawrence, Mo’Nique, James Earl Jones, Mike Epps and Nicole Ari Parker. (iHeart)
Taylor was just a teenager when she landed her role as the “Homely Girl” in the film. In a 2025 interview with The Breakfast Club, she reflected on the experience and explained that working on Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins helped inspire her decision to pursue acting as a career.
“I got a part, and I loved acting,” Taylor recalled, explaining that seeing the production’s sound stages, crew and filmmaking process made her realize she wanted to continue acting. (iHeart)
Now, years later, Taylor has returned to the spotlight as the leading star of Beauty in Black, giving the reunion with Cedric an even more special full-circle feeling.
From a Teenager on Set to Netflix Leading Lady
Taylor has come a long way since her first film role.
The Houston native went on to build an impressive résumé, appearing in projects including Black Lightning, The Resident, Snowfall and All American: Homecoming. She eventually landed the role of Kimmie in Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black, which became her breakout role. (Yahoo)
As Kimmie, Taylor leads the Netflix drama alongside Crystle Stewart and Amber Reign Smith. The series follows Kimmie as her life becomes intertwined with a wealthy family behind a cosmetics empire and a dangerous trafficking operation. (Tyler Perry)
The success of the series has also brought Taylor a new level of recognition. During her Breakfast Club interview, she discussed how fans increasingly recognize her as Kimmie rather than simply recognizing her from previous projects. (PodScripts)
Cedric Has Been Part of Taylor’s Journey From the Beginning
Cedric’s connection to Taylor makes their latest reunion particularly noteworthy.
In Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Cedric played Clyde, one of the central members of the Jenkins family. Taylor was among the young performers appearing in the film, marking one of her earliest professional acting experiences. (101 Soundboards)
Nearly 20 years later, Taylor is now an established leading actress with a hit Netflix series of her own.
The reunion gives fans a chance to see just how far Taylor has come since her first major film experience — from a young actress discovering her passion on a movie set to becoming the face of one of Netflix’s popular Tyler Perry dramas.
And with Beauty in Black continuing to grow, Taylor’s journey from Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins to Kimmie is proving to be quite the full-circle Hollywood story.
Leave a Reply