Brian Tyree Henry

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Brian Tyree Henry
Brian Tyree Henry by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Henry at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1982-03-31) March 31, 1982 (age 39)
Education
OccupationActor
Years active2007–present

Brian Tyree Henry (born March 31, 1982)[1][2][3] is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles in the FX comedy-drama series Atlanta (2016–present), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He is also known for his performances in Boardwalk Empire, How to Get Away with Murder, and This is Us.

Henry made his film breakthrough in 2018, with starring roles in Steve McQueen's heist film Widows, Barry Jenkins' romantic drama film If Beale Street Could Talk, and the animated superhero film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. He also appeared in Todd Phillips' Joker (2019), Adam Wingard's Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Joe Wright's The Woman in the Window (2021), and Chloé Zhao's Eternals (2021).

Henry has also appeared on stage, making his debut performance in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Romeo and Juliet (2007), and acting in various plays at the Public Theatre, before appearing in the original Broadway cast of The Book of Mormon (2011). In 2014 he appeared in the off-Broadway musical The Fortress of Solitude. For his performance in the 2018 Broadway revival of Kenneth Lonergan's play Lobby Hero, he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

Early life[]

Henry was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina and raised partly in Washington, D.C. His father was in the military, and his mother, Willow Dean Kearse, was an educator.[1][4] Henry attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia as a business major-turned-actor in the early 2000s, and received his master's degree from Yale School of Drama.[5]

Career[]

2007–2015: Early career[]

Henry began his career on stage, with roles in numerous plays and musicals. In 2007, he starred as Tybalt in Shakespeare in the Park's production of Romeo and Juliet. Henry also appeared in Tarell Alvin McCraney's trilogy of plays, titled The Brother/Sister Plays. In 2011, he received further success as a part of the original cast of the musical The Book of Mormon.[6]

Henry made guest appearances in the television series Law & Order, The Good Wife, and Boardwalk Empire. He made his feature film debut in the 2015 comedy film Puerto Ricans in Paris.

2016–present: Breakthrough[]

In 2016, Henry received critical acclaim and recognition for his starring role as Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles in the FX comedy-drama series Atlanta. For his performance in the series, he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. From 2016 to 2017, he appeared as Tavis Brown in the HBO comedy series Vice Principals. In 2017, Henry guest starred as Ricky in the NBC drama series This is Us, for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

In 2018, he starred in the Broadway revival of Lobby Hero, which earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.[7]

Also in 2018, Henry made his film breakthrough, with starring roles in the dystopian thriller film Hotel Artemis, the heist film Widows, the romantic drama film If Beale Street Could Talk, and the animated superhero film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

In 2019, he co-starred in the psychological thriller films Joker[8] and Don't Let Go as well as the horror film Child's Play, the latter being a remake of the 1988 film.[9]

In 2021, he starred as Bernie Hayes in Godzilla vs. Kong alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Julian Dennison. He will also star in the 2021 Marvel Studios film Eternals as Phastos.

Personal life[]

Henry's mother, Willow Deane Kearse, died in early 2016. The Atlanta episode "Woods" was dedicated to Kearse.[10]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Puerto Ricans in Paris Spencer
2017 Person to Person Mike
Crown Heights Massup
2018 Irreplaceable You Benji
Family Pete
Hotel Artemis Honolulu/Lev
White Boy Rick Officer Mel "Roach" Jackson
Widows Jamal Manning
If Beale Street Could Talk Daniel Carty
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Jefferson Davis (voice)
2019 Don't Let Go Garret Radcliff
Child's Play Detective Mike Norris
Joker Carl
2020 The Outside Story Charles Young
Superintelligence Dennis Caruso
2021 Godzilla vs. Kong Bernie Hayes
The Woman in the Window Detective Little
Vivo Dancarino (voice)
Eternals Phastos Post-production
2022 Bullet Train Post-production
Untitled Lila Neugebauer project Post-production
2023 The Magician's Elephant (voice)

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Law & Order Ben Episode: "Dignity"
2010 The Good Wife Randall Simmons Episode: "Double Jeopardy"
2013 Boardwalk Empire Winston aka Scrapper 2 episodes
2014 The Knick Larkin Episode: "The Busy Flea"
2016–present Atlanta Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles 21 episodes
2016–17 Vice Principals Dascius Brown 3 episodes
2017 How to Get Away with Murder Public Defender Episode: "Go Cry Somewhere Else"
This Is Us Ricky Episode: "Memphis"
Drop the Mic Himself Season 1: Episode 9
2018 BoJack Horseman Cooper Wallace, Jr./Strib (voice) Episode: "The Amelia Earhart Story"
Room 104 Arnold Episode: "Arnold"
2018–19 Drunk History Himself / Berry Gordy 2 episodes
2021-present HouseBroken Armando (voice) 9 episodes

Theatre[]

Year Title Role Venue Notes
2007 Romeo and Juliet Tybalt Shakespeare in the Park
The Brothers Size Oshoosi The Public Theatre
2009 In The Red and Brown Water The Egungun The Public Theatre
Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet Oshoosi Size / Terrell The Public Theatre
2011 The Book of Mormon General Eugene O'Neill Theatre
2014 The Fortress of Solitude Robert Woolfolk The Public Theatre
2018 Lobby Hero William Helen Hayes Theatre

Awards and nominations[]

Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
2017 MTV Movie & TV Award Best Duo (shared with Lakeith Stanfield) Atlanta Nominated [11]
Gold Derby Award Breakthrough Performer of the Year Nominated
Best Comedy Supporting Actor Nominated
Best Drama Guest Actor This Is Us Nominated
Guild of Music Supervisors Award Best Song/Recording Created for Television Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
2018 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Lobby Hero Nominated [12]
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Atlanta Nominated [11]
Gold Derby Award Best Comedy Supporting Actor Nominated
2019 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture If Beale Street Could Talk Nominated
Gold Derby Award Best Ensemble Cast Widows Nominated

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Brown, Emma (September 7, 2016). "Discovery: Brian Tyree Henry". Interview. Brant Publications. Archived from the original on September 8, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  2. ^ Fitz-Gerald, Sean (September 6, 2016). "Who Plays Paper Boi The Rapper on 'Atlanta'?". Thrillist. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  3. ^ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ2F-LBTS
  4. ^ Blagrove, Kadia (20 April 2018). "Atlanta and the Unfolding of Paper Boi's Depression".
  5. ^ "How Brian Tyree Henry Became Paper Boi, Atlanta's Rising Rap Star". Vulture. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
  6. ^ "Brian Tyree Henry". Playbill. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  7. ^ "The Tony Award Nominees - Artists - Brian Tyree Henry". TonyAwards.com. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
  8. ^ Brian Tyree Henry Teases Joker by Zack Scharf, IndieWire.com, June 12, 2019.
  9. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (20 September 2018). "Gabriel Bateman To Star As Andy In MGM's 'Child's Play' Remake, Joining Aubrey Plaza & Brian Tyree Henry".
  10. ^ Nguyen, Hanh (April 20, 2018). "'Atlanta' Writer on Paper Boi's Heartbreaking Loss, 'Teddy Perkins,' and Life After 'Deadpool'". IndieWire. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b "Brian Tyree Henry - Awards - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  12. ^ "Brian Tyree Henry - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved August 9, 2019.

External links[]

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