IN CONVERSATION WITH TYRIQ WITHERS
interview by JANA LETONJA
TYRIQ WITHERS is fast becoming one of film and television’s most arresting new leading men. A former Division I athlete at Florida State University, he channels his physical discipline into performances marked by intensity, precision, and emotional gravity. After his breakout turn in Donald Glover’s Emmy-winning ATLANTA, he vaulted into the spotlight with standout roles in Sony’s I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, Jordan Peele’s psychological thriller HIM, and the highly anticipated screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s global bestseller REMINDERS OF HIM, which premiered this March. With critical acclaim mounting and a slate of high-profile projects ahead, TYRIQ’s rise isn’t just happening—it’s commanding attention.
Looking back, was there a moment when you realised acting wasn’t just a passion, but your purpose?
I think that happened for me in 2021. I was starting to pursue my career while in grad school online, and then my brother passed away tragically. I found myself at a crossroads, do I go into the corporate world, or do I continue to pursue acting in whatever capacity I can?
One day, I had an epiphany. I drove back to acting class, sat there, and just bawled my eyes out, surrounded by a community of people all chasing the same goal. In that moment, I realised that the art of acting is the art of healing for me. Through acting, I can heal. And in that process, I can hopefully help others heal too.
That’s when I understood that my purpose in this field is bigger than me. It sounds strange to say I “get to use my suffering,” but I do. I get to face it head-on, and through that, hopefully help others suffer a little less. That connection really solidified for me around 2021.
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER carries huge cultural weight. What was it like stepping into a franchise with such a devoted legacy?
With any franchise of that legacy, especially one of the first of its kind, there’s a lot of reverence and respect. I had deep appreciation for the actors and the previous films. At first, it was definitely nerve-wracking. But FREDDIE PRINZE JR. and JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT were incredibly welcoming and genuine. Their warmth shifted things for me pretty quickly. And in a way, we get to add our own touch to the legacy. There are also people seeing this story for the first time who don’t even realise the original films came out in ’97 and ’98. I was born in ’98. I still watched them growing up, though.
It’s been a surreal experience, and I’m forever grateful to have that on my résumé.
all clothing and accessories LOUIS VUITTON
REMINDERS OF HIM is beloved by millions of readers. How did you approach honouring such an emotionally resonant story?
I’m not a one-to-one version of the guy in the book. People imagine him as this macho, ripped, deep-voiced guy, and then there’s me. But what really guided me were the words “handle with care.”
It starts with COLLEEN HOOVER, who wrote the book, and VAESSA CASWILL, our director. Whatever prompted Colleen to write this story was a gift, and it hit close to home for me. Vanessa approached casting with care, looking for people who genuinely connected to the story.
In my first audition, I explained why the script meant so much to me and how much I wanted to honour it. With my co-star MAIKA MONROE, there was also a sense of protectiveness. I don’t know her full life journey, but I know she’s been through things. I wanted to protect her, protect myself, and protect the director’s vision. And wanting to make sure we got to this movie as sane as possible, really reflecting about what I've been through and how this story pushed me to look at situations differently, learn to empathise, learn to sympathise.
There were a lot of night shoots and emotionally heavy moments. You have to keep a lifeline, know you can’t go too far. You need a good village, therapy, and the ability to detach when necessary, but not too much. It’s about finding that balance.
Your character exists in a world shaped by grief, forgiveness, and second chances. Which of those themes resonated most with you personally?
I think they’re all interconnected, but grief resonates most with me. Grief is profound because it’s a privilege; it means there was love. To feel grief means you experienced something meaningful.
Grief shows up everywhere. You go on vacation and then have to leave, you grieve that time. As kids, when friends left after a sleepover, I felt sad. That’s grief. Life is a perpetual cycle of letting go.
Of course, there’s also the grief of losing someone. To love knowing that one day you might lose that person, that’s such a human experience. You grieve the person you once were, the dreams you had. It's like, I'm afraid to adopt a dog because I would outlive this dog and know that your heart's going to be ripped out of your chest.
I think grief is woven into everything, and I have a love-hate relationship with it.
The adaptation stayed close to the novel’s emotional core. How did you balance honouring the source material while making the role feel lived-in and real?
A lot of acting happens subconsciously, through environment and osmosis. I gave myself the freedom to just be and trusted Vanessa completely. As the director, she placed everyone in the right position to build this world.
So much of it was unsaid. When you walk into a set and see the bar, the house, the truck, the mugs. It all informs you. The mugs my character gives Roman for sobriety, for example, someone thoughtfully chose those. Everyone brought their own genius and experience to the project.
I read the book and revisited it when preparing scenes, but if I got too cerebral, I let it go. I tracked what mattered, but I also trusted the moment and the environment to guide me.
You’re also starring in FAMILY SECRETS, another thriller. Do you see a through-line in the kinds of roles you’re being drawn to?
Yes, there’s definitely a through-line. Many of my roles deal with pain, longing, or unresolved relationships. In I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, Teddy has experienced neglect and is yearning for love and friendship. In REMINDERS OF HIM, grief is front and centre, grieving a best friend, lost time, even a former NFL career.
In FAMILY SECRETS, without giving too much away, the character is rediscovering his relationship with a father who chose not to raise him.
There’s a common thread of yearning, wanting connection, redemption, or understanding.
Your performances often balance restraint with intensity. How do you find that emotional equilibrium?
I think emotional equilibrium comes from actively listening. My approach is simple: don’t act, react. I focus on listening to what’s happening in the scene and staying grounded in my character’s circumstances.
One of the beautiful things about film is that the camera is always there, watching. It captures the subtle nuances, and those nuances carry the most weight. Because of that, I try to serve as a vessel for the audience, to give them space to place themselves into the moment. When you study the great actors, the ones I look up to, they’ve mastered what I call “the art of nothing.” There’s a restraint there.
For me, that means allowing real emotions to surface. If I’m in an intense scene and I genuinely feel anger, I don’t hide from it. Acting is about learning to be seen, and that can be the scariest part. I’m still on that journey, allowing myself to be seen not just by the director and my co-stars, but knowing I’m being perceived by millions.
Less is often more. Some of the most powerful moments live in restraint. When I hold back, I give the audience space to project their own experiences and emotions onto the character. That’s when they feel more deeply connected to the journey. If I go too big at the wrong moment, it can pull people out of the story.
I remember reading a book, I think it was ACTING FOR THE CAMERA, that described a scene where a character experiences a profound loss. She’s on a boat, looking at the sunset. There’s no forced crying, no dramatic display of emotion. She simply stares into the horizon. Because we’ve been with her throughout her journey, that stillness becomes devastating. It’s one of the saddest things we could witness. I carry that with me into every project. I don’t force emotion. I trust that if the story has been built truthfully, the simplest moment can say everything.
Transitioning from soccer to acting is a major pivot. What skills carried over, and what did you have to relearn entirely? And, has acting taught you anything about yourself that surprised you?
Soccer was my first love. From athletics, I carried over discipline and the drive for perfection, doing something over and over until you get it right. What I had to relearn was the “art of nothing.” In acting, you can’t just push harder like you might in sports. You have to let things happen naturally.
Acting has taught me a lot about myself. I used to think I was tough and solid. Then I realised I’m actually warm, soft, and want to be handled with care. I’ve learned that true masculinity includes exploring your emotions and confronting past trauma. Acting helped me embrace love—romantic, platonic, familial—and express that more openly. And I think that's a testament to acting.
As LOVE is the theme of this issue, what role does LOVE play in your life?
Love is everything. It’s why we exist. It’s connection, freedom, forgiveness, setting boundaries, and sometimes release.
Sometimes loving someone means letting them go and loving them differently. Love is tangible. It’s like an ingredient you put into food. When someone makes you a homemade meal, you feel it.
Love is why I keep going, why I keep making movies. It’s what carries me through. Love is omnipresent and universal. It’s the foundation of everything.
When you’re preparing for a role, what part of the process excites you most—physical transformation, character psychology, or collaboration?
It’s all interconnected. For REMINDERS OF HIM, I loved exploring the physicality—hair, facial hair, tattoos. I created decks imagining his tattoos, Roman numerals, clocks, compasses, symbols of time and feeling lost but knowing where home is.
That physical work ties into psychology. I love collaborating with hair, makeup, wardrobe, and even trainers to shape who the character is physically and emotionally.
The most exciting moment is getting the role. There’s excitement, and then two minutes later, fear. It becomes this incredible research project, how do I discover this character in the most organic, authentic way?
How do you protect your sense of self while navigating increased visibility and momentum?
Love and self-love. I have a therapist. I prioritise my mind, body, and spirit. I surround myself with a trusted village of people and built a team that wants to protect me first.
I remind myself not to take everything too seriously. It comes with the territory. I try to tread lightly, enjoy the ride, and remember that at the end of the day, we’re all just human.
As you head into 2026 with multiple major releases, what kind of stories do you hope to tell next?
I want to continue telling stories that feel lived-in and authentic, stories that are specific but universally relatable. I’m drawn to underdog stories, redemption arcs, and explorations of masculinity and grief.
I’m open to everything—drama, comedy, romance. As long as I’m coming from a genuine place, I can’t go wrong. I just want to keep exploring the human condition and show up as fully as I can.
TEAM CREDITS:
talent TYRIQ WITHERS
photography DANIELLE LEVITT
styling CHRISTIAN STROBLE at OPUS BEAUTY
grooming JAMIE RICHMOND for EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS using DANESSA MYRICKS
set design ROMAIN GOUDINOUX at 11TH HOUSE AGENCY
producer LAURA BRUNISHOLZ
retouching KUSHTRIM KUNUSCHEVCI
photography assistance KENDALL CONNOR PACK, CHRISTIAN SCUTT and MARK SPELLMAN
styling assistance LINN TABUDLONG
set design assistance RENO BENEDETTI & TIAGO CORREIA
editor TIMI LETONJA
casting TIMI LETONJA and JANA LETONJA
interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN
