People: Bruce Glikas/WireImage; Richland County Sheriff's Office
Hugh Jackman is using his platform to help locate missing Broadway dancer Zelig Williams. On Thursday, October 10, the Tony Award-winning actor shared PEOPLE‘s story about Williams’ disappearance on his Instagram, urging his followers to assist in the search.
“Please … if anyone has any information as to the whereabouts of Zelig Williams, please reach out to your local authorities,” Jackman, 55, wrote. “Please pass this message on!!!”
The two performers previously worked together on Jackman’s The Greatest Showman’s The Man, The Music, The Show Tour in 2019. Williams, 28, also boasts credits in Spirited, Hamilton, and MJ: The Musical.
“Zelig, we love you and are praying for your safe return,” Jackman added in his heartfelt post.
Williams had recently moved back to his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, to begin a new job as a dance teacher, a source close to him. He was last seen at his home on Thursday, October 3, according to a release from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and was reported missing the following day.
An incident report reviewed by PEOPLE reveals that Williams’ mother informed police he had left his home around 9 a.m. on October 3 and had not been heard from for over 24 hours, which she noted was “out of character” for him. His family also emphasized that he is in need of prescription medication.
Authorities stated that Williams was last seen driving near Congaree National Park, a vast, forested area in central South Carolina. Initially, family members feared he had been involved in a car accident after receiving an SOS alert from his phone, indicating a possible crash. The alert was relayed by a family friend in New York, who noted it was sent within minutes of Williams leaving his home.
However, police later recovered Williams’ car in a parking lot near the Palmetto Trail, a scenic 500-mile stretch that runs across South Carolina. Despite the alarming SOS message, there were no signs of an accident.
Since Williams’ disappearance, local authorities have launched an extensive search effort, employing helicopters, boats, and drones. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told WIS10, “We’ve searched on foot [and] in the air of various locations. Other investigative techniques that we will use involve cell phones and some other things that I don’t want to discuss at this point.”
