Blavity/Shadow and Act’s latest In Conversation is with Tyriq Withers, the breakout star of the new movie Him, and the star of this summer’s I Know What You Did Last Summer, and the actor known for television stints on Atlanta, Tell Me Lies and more.
Withers and Blavity/S&A Managing Editor, Trey Mangum, discuss the recent film, his identity, and the projects that he’s interested in.
He can currently be seen in Universal’s Him, produced by Jordan Peele, alongside Marlon Wayans.
I wanted to go deeper into our last conversation around identity. What does it mean for your first big film role to be so deeply cultural and unapologetically Black?
My whole life has been an identity crisis—never feeling white enough or Black enough. Identifying with my Black side is really important to me, and it shows in my work. My first play was [a] Black Student Union play at Florida State. That was intentional. I’d be remiss not to acknowledge my white-passing privilege. I walk that line carefully, but I want to amplify messages for my community and culture through art.
This film uses football as a vehicle, but it’s really about so much more. It’s about being more than just an athlete. It’s about Black men chasing greatness. I’m grateful to be part of it, especially working with Universal and Jordan Peele.
Many people remember you from your episode of Atlanta. You once said that moment felt like, “I made it.” Do you see parallels between that breakout moment and this one?
Absolutely. Working with Donald Glover back then felt huge. Now, being in a Jordan Peele-produced film—these are pinch-me moments. I was a lead in that episode of Atlanta, and now I’m the lead in a studio film. This is all stuff that was on my vision board.
This film leans into body horror, and you’ve played football before. Football itself can feel like body horror sometimes. Did your athletic past influence your connection to this role?
Definitely. All sports can have an element of body horror. You learn to protect your body, your vessel. But it’s not just physical—it’s mental, too. If the mind fails, the body fails. You have to know what you’re willing to sacrifice and what you’re not. And sometimes, it’s OK to say, “I’m injured,” and take the time to heal. That mindset allows you to perform long-term. I’ve built a good relationship with my body—mentally and physically.
From I Know What You Did Last Summer, to this psychological thriller, and now the upcoming Colleen Hoover adaptation—your projects are all very different. Is that range something you’re actively pursuing this early in your career?
Very much so. I’m intentional with the art I put out. With I Know What You Did Last Summer, I was paying homage to ‘90s slasher horror. But I also see myself as a vessel for stories that need to be told. So whether it’s slasher horror, psychological thrillers or romantic drama, I want to challenge myself.
Honestly, the Colleen Hoover movie scared me the most—not because of stunts or gore—but because I had to sit in that softness. As a man, I was raised to be tough. But I’ve learned that the coolest part of masculinity is being gentle. That role taught me a lot about myself. This spectrum of roles helps me grow as a person, not just an actor.
Him is in theaters now.