It’s 3pm and 28 degrees in Miami, where Kiwi entertainer Josh Williams is juggling meal prep with telling Woman’s Day how excited he is to reunite with pregnant wife Diana Williams. “Six more days and she’s here!” he enthuses, scrambling to switch the oven off.
As they near their first wedding anniversary, the couple is navigating long-distance love while R&B chart-topper, actor and dancer Josh struts his stuff in Channing Tatum Presents: Magic Mike Live The Tour, a live adaptation of Channing’s Magic Mike movies.
Looking back on his journey from Manurewa to Miami, Josh, 36, says, “It’s exciting – bright lights, loud music and lots of love and attention. I almost go into an alter ego on stage.”
Josh couldn’t wait to start married life with Diana.
Stripteases are a contrast to Josh’s first time capturing a live audience, around age 10, after his father, Harry Williams, taught him to preach to 500 people in the Auckland church where he carved out his performance skills.
“We didn’t have much, but we had a strict father who instilled our singing and dancing talents. It made me the musician and man I am today. But it was a poor upbringing and us kids stuck together because my parents broke up when I was 12.”
Harry, who’s Samoan, became less involved with his son’s upbringing after splitting with Josh’s Fijian-Welsh-German mother Yvonne Miller. However, his four sisters continued nurturing his musical talents. “All the bros were playing rugby, but guitar, singing and dancing were my sport.”
By his early twenties, Josh had topped the charts with Blow Your Mind and You Got Me, and opened for the Backstreet Boys and Pitbull. “That was mind-blowing.”
But behind the pop-star glam, he struggled. “I was a lost kid. I didn’t have a father figure or good male figures in my life, so I had to become my own.”
Shortly before becoming a dad himself, Josh’s problems escalated. He and his ex, Larissa Brown, split before welcoming their son Ryder, now 11. Larissa alleged Josh had been abusive and her police complaint reportedly led to an out-of-court settlement.
Josh later told NZ Woman’s Weekly that alcohol and anger issues had contributed to his behaviour, and that he was undergoing counselling. Amid the allegations, he stepped down as a Rugby World Cup ambassador, faced backlash and was afraid to leave home.
“There was a time when it got dark – really dark,” he recalls. “I had to look in the mirror with an honest lens, and fix the trauma and problems. It’s hard, but over time you get stronger. It’s about trying to become a better man every day – a better husband, father, brother, son – taking small steps at a time.”
Josh, meanwhile, wanted to challenge himself professionally by pursuing theatre. Joining Disney’s production of The Lion King, he relocated to Melbourne and found love with dancer castmate Diana in 2013. “There was this definite connection, then we fell in love.”
They casually got engaged during 2020 lockdowns.
“I went, ‘Should we just get married?’ and she went, ‘Yeah!’ It was a massive wedding in Melbourne. We did a siva [Samoan dance] and it was very traditional.”
Having formed a band and gigged around Melbourne after The Lion King, Josh was gutted about missing out on a role in Hamilton, but then Magic Mike Live came up.
Watching Channing’s films, he thought, “I can do this!” then nabbed a part by belting out Boyz II Men’s I’ll Make Love To You. Following a Sydney run, the show moved to Melbourne, where Josh met Channing.
“He’s a cool dude, man. We had a quick chat. The energy I got was a down-to-earth, humble dude.”
The cast with “humble dude” Channing.
After the pandemic halted the show, Josh spent lockdowns training, reading and meditating, before Magic Mike Live producers, who describe him as “spectacular”, invited him to the US.
While long-distance marriage is “really hard”, Diana’s busy working at dance school Ministry of Dance in Melbourne. Josh also doesn’t see Aotearoa-based Ryder as much as he’d like, but he says fatherhood helped him grow “from boy to man”. He’s now thrilled to continue his parenting journey when he and Diana, 31, welcome their first child together in June.
“Although I’m on the other side of the world, it’s all falling into place as planned. We’re happy, excited and can’t wait to introduce everyone to our baby boy.”
The newlyweds will welcome a son in June.
Diana and their son will join Josh, who’s also hoping to release new music, wherever Magic Mike Live takes him.
“I’m strong, healthy and still chasing my dreams,” he reflects. “Music has been my life, so to come to Miami and do what I love, I’m very lucky. Kiwis gotta come see the show. I’ll be your tour guide!”
