30 Brilliant Facts About Brian Tyree Henry You Might Have Missed Before

Brian Tyree Henry, one of the most celebrated African-American actors in the Hollywood industry, has been in the limelight for more than a decade now. Especially, since his rise to fame in 2017, he has becoming more like a household name, earning nominations for numerous awards such as five Gold Derby Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a NAACP Image Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics Choice Television Award. Still, there are many things about the actor that even fans are not aware of. Here are some really interesting facts about the actor that will make you love him more:

"Brian Tyree Henry" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

1.  Henry was nominated for the 2018 Emmy Award in the Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category for his role as Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles in “Atlanta.”
2.  He was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in "Lobby Hero" in the year 2018.
3.  Brian is known for his singing ability, and has even sung in the original music of the 2017 TV series “This Is Us,” in which he played the role of Ricky.
4.  However, in the 2016 TV series “Atlanta,” despite being a major character, his voice was never used for the show’s original music.
5.  His guest appearance as Ricky in the series “This Is Us,” earned him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in the year 2017.
6.  Brian Tyree Henry was born on March 31, 1982 to tony Henry and Willow Dean Kearse in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
7.  His father was in the military, while his mother was an educator. He was raised partly in Washington D. C.
8.  He is the youngest of five children in the family. He has four elder sisters. It is said that one of his sister’s name is Peaches.
9.  He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, from where he graduated with a major in business in the year 2004.
10.  Following this, he attended Yale School of Drama, and graduated with a master’s degree in the year 2007.

"153081_TH02_0716" by Walt Disney Television is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

11.  With this master’s degree, he started his career on stage, appearing in several roles in various plays and musicals.
12.  However, he never did have any aspirations of becoming an actor, and has always thought it to be fun and cool. He mostly felt it as an escape.
13.  He has often claimed in interviews that he never ever thought of acting as a profession or in particular as his career that would pay off.
14.  In the year 2007, he starred in the character of Tybalt in the Shakespeare in the Park's production of “Romeo and Juliet.”
15.  Around the same year, he also appeared in Tarell Alvin McCraney's trilogy of plays, titled “The Brother/Sister Plays.”
16.  However, he garnered much success with his role as "The General" in the critically acclaimed Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon," in the year 2011.
17.  His performance in the role was well received by the audience as well as the critics, earning him rave reviews and further minor acting roles.
18.  These roles include guest appearances in most popular TV series such as “Law & Order,” “The Good Wife,” and “Boardwalk Empire.”
19.  It was in the year 2015 that Henry made his film debut with his role as Larry Labels in the movie “Puerto Ricans in Paris.” His performance was praised by many critics.
20.  In the 2018 episode “The Amelia Earhart Story,” from the TV series “BoJack Horseman,” he provided the voice for both Cooper Wallace, Jr. and Sadie's baby daddy Strib.

"Brian Tyree Henry and Zazie Beetz - ATLANTA" by Peabody Awards is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

21.  He was cast in the role of Bernie Hayes in the 2021 movie “Godzilla Vs King Kong.” He has often jokingly likened the character of Bernie to Brienne of Tarth, due to his protective nature of Madison and Josh.
22.  He once claimed in an interview that he accepted the role of Bernie, as he feels the character to be a “crackpot,” with a level of “heart” and “loyalty.”
23.  He got his much needed film breakthrough with his starring role as Honolulu in the 2018 dystopian thriller film “Hotel Artemis.”
24.  Henry's mother, Willow Deane Kearse, died in early 2016. It was said that she was killed in a car accident in May 2016.
25.  In the year 2018, he also starred as Jamal Manning in “Widows,” Benji in “Irreplaceable You,” Pete in “Family,” Detective Jackson in “White Boy Rick,” and Daniel Carty in “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
26.  Brian voiced the character of Jefferson Davis, father of Miles Morales, in the 2018 animated movie “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
27.  Talking to "Essence" about the character, he claimed that he tried to bring a well of empathy and compassion, as he wanted the character to stay with the audience in their heart.
28.  He co-starred in the 2019 psychological thriller films “Joker” and “Don't Let Go,” as Carl (Arkham Clerk) and Garret Radcliff, respectively.
29.  Henry also played the role of Mike in the slasher film, which was the remake of the 1988 film of the same name.
30.  In the year 2021, he made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with his role as Phastos, the gay superhero in the movie “Eternals.”
31.  Brian Tyree Henry Net Worth: $1.6 Million