Tyler James Williams talks tense thriller 'Amber Alert'

Fresh off his third consecutive Emmy nomination for the ABC hit "Abbott Elementary," Tyler James Williams is taking on a very different kind of role.

The actor both stars in and executive produced the new thriller "Amber Alert," in which he plays a rideshare driver on the trail of a kidnapper.

"From the very beginning, I wanted to kind of be able to voice my opinions," the actor says about executive producing the film. "I think at this point in my career, you know, I'm looking to have input on things and not just show up in an actor's capacity."

Hayden Panettiere co-stars in "Amber Alert," and she and Williams spent the majority of the film in a car. So, we had to ask: was Williams actually doing all the driving on-camera, or is what viewers see all the result of a stunt driver? 

"The initial car chase that starts [the movie], I definitely, you know, leaned on my stunt coordinator and was like, 'I'm gonna do this. I feel like I trained enough for it. Let's go for it!"

And speaking of speeding ahead, here’s some good news: "Abbott Elementary" is returning soon for a fourth season, which Williams says is the show’s funniest yet.

"I'm not blowing smoke," the actor says. "I sat down with Quinta the other day and was like, 'How are we still finding mountains to climb here?' Be ready to pause the TV because you're gonna miss stuff. There's so many jokes in here…you're gonna have to watch it more than one time."

"Amber Alert" is playing now in select theaters and on demand.