Brian Tyree Henry

Brian Tyree Henry (born March 31, 1982) 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.

Henry made his film breakthrough in 2018, with starring roles in 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 starred in the thriller film Don't Let Go and the horror film Child's Play.

Henry has also appeared on stage, with starring roles in Romeo and Juliet (2007), The Book of Mormon (2011), and The Fortress of Solitude (2014). For his performance in the 2018 Broadway revival of Lobby Hero, he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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 and Don't Let Go as well as the horror film Child's Play, the latter being a remake of the 1988 film.

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