Hugh Jackman pleads for help in search for missing Broadway star
Hugh Jackman is using his influence and wide reach to assist in the search for his former Broadway co-star, Zelig Williams, who has been missing since early October.
Williams, a 28-year-old performer known for his roles in MJ The Musical and Hamilton, was last seen on October 3 at his home in Columbia, South Carolina. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts and brown slides.
The non-profit organisation Black and Missing has released a missing person poster, stating that authorities believe Williams was last spotted driving in the Congaree National Park area, where his vehicle was later found abandoned.
Jackman, who performed with Williams during the 2019 concert tour The Man. The Music. The Show, has taken to social media to amplify the call for information. On his 56th birthday, the Australian actor shared a photo of Williams and his mother with a link to a news report from Good Morning America, urging his 34.5 million Instagram followers to report any information to local authorities.
"If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of ZELIG WILLIAMS please reach out to your local authorities," Jackman wrote in his post. He has continued to spread the message, using Instagram stories to ask followers to contact the Richland County Sheriff's Office with any potential leads.
"Zelig, we love you and are praying for your safe return. Please pass this message on!!!" Jackman added.
Williams' disappearance has left his family in anguish. His aunt, Christine McLaughlin Barber, initially believed he might have been involved in a car accident after receiving an SOS signal from his phone around 9:50am on October 3, shortly after he left home. However, authorities have since ruled out this possibility.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott revealed to local news outlet WISTV that an extensive search operation has been underway, utilising helicopters, boats and drones to cover vast areas. "We've searched on foot, in the air, at various locations," Lott said. "We are also using other investigative techniques involving cell phones and other means, which I cannot disclose at this time."
Lott also said that Williams is in need of prescription medication, adding urgency to the search.
Williams' cousin, Mieoki Corbin-Jacobs, expressed the family's heartbreak, telling WISTV: "It's devastation. It's devastation for someone who is so close to his family to just disappear like that... there's no way to describe it."
The Broadway community, along with Jackman, continues to rally in hopes of locating Williams and bringing him home safely.
Images: Instagram