After working in New York and regional theatre, writer/director Matt Williams was discovered off-off Broadway by famed television director Jay Sandrich, who recommended him as a writer to producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner. Williams became the writer / producer of The Cosby Show during its first three seasons, earning Emmy nominations and sharing a Peabody Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television. In 1989, after co-creating the Cosby spin-off A Different World, he created and executive produced another hit series, Roseanne. With his partners David McFadzean and Carmen Finestra, he formed Wind Dancer Production Group, under whose banner Williams co-created and executive produced Home Improvement, one of the most successful programs in television history.

Williams made his feature film directing debut with Where the Heart Is (2000) starring Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd. Over the past decade Williams also produced Nancy Meyers comedy What Women Want (2000) starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt; executive produced the critically acclaimed drama Firelight (1997) starring Sophie Marceau and co-wrote and produced Disneys Wild Hearts Cant Be Broken (1991).