Tyriq Withers has quickly become one of the more recognizable young faces in Hollywood, with roles in Atlanta, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Him, and Reminders of Him. Yet behind his growing acting career is a family story that has shaped much of who he is.
Tyriq was raised primarily by his mother, Kimberly Hart-Johnson, after she and his father, Leon Withers Jr., separated. Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, Tyriq and his older brother Kionte were encouraged to explore both athletics and creative pursuits. His mother, in particular, played an early role in nurturing his interests in sports, filmmaking, and eventually acting.
His relationship with his father has been more complicated. Tyriq has spoken candidly about the difficulties of their relationship during his childhood, while more recent public interactions show Leon supporting his son’s career. Together, those experiences have contributed to Tyriq’s understanding of family, identity, ambition, and resilience.
Quick Bio Information
Full Name: Tyriq Leshon Withers
Date of Birth: July 15, 1998
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida
Mother: Kimberly Hart-Johnson
Father: Leon Withers Jr.
Older Brother: Kionte Withers
Sister: Cayla
Education: Florida State University
College Football Position: Wide Receiver
Career: Actor
Known For: Atlanta, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Him, and Reminders of Him
Current Acting Base: Atlanta, Georgia
Tyriq’s public profile has grown considerably since his early television work, but his path to Hollywood wasn’t a straightforward one. Before acting became his profession, he spent years involved in sports and experimented with creating videos alongside his brother.
Who Are Tyriq Withers’ Parents?
Tyriq Withers’ parents are Kimberly Hart-Johnson and Leon Withers Jr. Kimberly is a white woman from Maine, while Tyriq has described his father as a Black American from Chicago.
Kimberly and Leon welcomed their first son, Kionte, on Jan. 30, 1995, in Brunswick, Maine. Three years later, Tyriq was born on July 15, 1998, in Jacksonville, Florida. After Kimberly and Leon separated, she primarily raised the two boys in Jacksonville.
Their different backgrounds also became an important part of Tyriq’s identity. He has spoken publicly about growing up in the Black experience while also recognizing the privilege associated with being the son of a white mother and having lighter skin.
Kimberly Hart-Johnson: The Mother Who Encouraged His Ambitions
Kimberly Hart-Johnson has played a particularly important role in Tyriq Withers‘ upbringing. After separating from Leon, she primarily raised Tyriq and Kionte in Jacksonville, where the brothers grew up together.
Her support extended well beyond everyday parenting. Kimberly encouraged Tyriq’s interests in athletics while also paying attention to his creative side. That encouragement became especially significant as he began experimenting with videos during his middle-school years.
Tyriq has repeatedly spoken about the influence his mother had on him. In an October 2025 interview with Moviefone, he explained that his pursuit of sports was rooted in love and family and that he was largely doing it to make his mother proud.
How Kimberly Supported Tyriq’s Artistic and Athletic Interests
Tyriq’s creative interests appeared early. During middle school, he and Kionte made Vines and YouTube videos together, giving the brothers an outlet for their humor and creativity.
Kimberly noticed that Tyriq had a natural interest in performing. According to Tyriq’s recollection to Empire in July 2025, she took him to casting calls and helped connect him with agents. That support came long before acting became a realistic career option for him.
At the same time, Tyriq was developing as an athlete. He played competitive soccer throughout childhood before moving into football during high school. He eventually joined the Florida State Seminoles football program as a walk-on wide receiver.
Looking back, however, Tyriq realized that his relationship with sports was more complicated than he had initially understood. Speaking to Interview Magazine in July 2025, he explained that he had to ask himself who he was playing for and ultimately recognized that much of his motivation had been about making his mother proud.
Leon Withers Jr.: A Complicated Father-Son Relationship
Leon Withers Jr. has had a different kind of influence on Tyriq’s life. Tyriq has described his father as a Black American from Chicago, and Leon’s background is an important part of the actor’s family heritage.
At the same time, Tyriq has been open about the difficulties between them during his childhood. On The Pivot Podcast in January 2026, he described his childhood as tough and said his father was “present, but wasn’t there.” He also described the relationship he and Kionte had with their father as specific and difficult.
Those comments provide important context when discussing Tyriq Withers’ family. Rather than portraying the relationship as either completely absent or entirely close, Tyriq’s own description suggests that it was complicated and emotionally difficult during his younger years.
Leon also has at least two other children from a different relationship, according to information reported from his Facebook account. Details about those relationships, however, remain relatively private.
Has Tyriq Withers’ Relationship With His Father Improved?
Publicly available information suggests that Leon and Tyriq’s relationship has become more supportive in recent years.
Leon has used social media to celebrate his son’s achievements and encourage him as his acting career has developed. In July 2025, for example, Leon shared a birthday message for Tyriq, encouraging him to make a difference and continue to shine.
There was also a personal moment during the production of Him. Tyriq arranged a FaceTime conversation between his father and co-star Marlon Wayans after Leon expressed interest in speaking with the actor. While public moments like these don’t provide a complete picture of a private family relationship, they do show a more supportive side of the father-son connection.
Tyriq Withers’ Parents and His Mixed Heritage
Kimberly and Leon come from different racial and geographic backgrounds, and Tyriq has spoken extensively about how that shaped his identity.
His mother is white and from Maine, while his father is a Black American from Chicago. On the Higher Learning podcast in September 2025, Tyriq explained that he grew up in the Black experience and identifies as a Black man, while also recognizing the privilege he experiences because of the way he looks.
That perspective has become relevant to his acting work as well. One of his early notable roles came on Donald Glover’s Atlanta, where he portrayed a mixed-race high-school student applying for a Black scholarship. The storyline touched on questions of race, identity, and belonging that Tyriq could relate to personally.
His comments about heritage show that he doesn’t view identity as a simple matter of checking one box. Instead, his experiences with both sides of his family have helped shape how he understands race and his place in the world.
The Role His Parents Played in His Football Journey
Before Hollywood became his main focus, football was a major part of Tyriq’s life.
His athletic background began with competitive soccer before he transitioned to football in high school. At Florida State University, he joined the Seminoles football program as a walk-on wide receiver. His time in college athletics gave him an opportunity to continue pursuing a sport that had been an important part of his childhood.
Yet his motivation eventually shifted. Tyriq told Interview Magazine that he had a complicated relationship with sports and had to confront the question of why he was playing. He realized that making his mother proud had become a major reason he continued competing.
That realization helped him understand that acting, rather than football, was where he wanted to take his life.
Why Tyriq Withers Chose Acting Over Football
Tyriq’s transition from football to acting wasn’t simply a career change. It was also a personal decision about what he wanted his future to look like.
After graduating from Florida State University in 2020 with degrees in Business and Marketing, Tyriq moved to Atlanta to pursue acting more seriously. His earlier experiences making videos and attending casting calls had already given him a connection to performance, but this was the point when he began treating acting as a professional path.
His mother’s early encouragement was an important part of that journey. Kimberly had recognized his creative side years earlier and supported him when he was still experimenting with videos and auditions.
Tyriq’s decision to leave football also reflected a growing understanding of what he wanted for himself rather than simply what he thought he was expected to do.
Kionte Withers: The Older Brother Who Shaped His Life
Tyriq grew up with his older brother, Kionte Withers, and the two shared a particularly close relationship.
Kionte was born on Jan. 30, 1995, in Brunswick, Maine, and was three years older than Tyriq. The brothers grew up together in Jacksonville after their parents separated. They made videos together as teenagers and remained important figures in each other’s lives.
Tyriq has described Kionte as much more than an older sibling. He has spoken of him as a father figure, teacher, superhero, and constant source of support. That bond became even more significant after the family suffered a devastating loss.
What Happened to Tyriq Withers’ Brother Kionte?
Kionte Withers died in a car accident on April 30, 2021, at the age of 26.
His death deeply affected the entire family. Kionte left behind his fiancée and a young son, Royce. For Tyriq, the loss was especially difficult because of the role his older brother had played throughout his life.
After Kionte’s death, Tyriq considered stepping away from acting. He contemplated returning home to help support his nephew, but eventually decided that continuing his career could also be a way of honoring his brother.
Tyriq has since spoken about looking for Kionte in the scripts and characters he encounters. His brother’s memory remains an important source of motivation.
How Kionte’s Death Changed Tyriq’s Career
The loss of Kionte changed the way Tyriq viewed his career and his purpose.
Rather than seeing acting only as a personal ambition, he began connecting his work with the memory of his brother. He has explained that Kionte continues to inspire him and that he searches for him in the characters and stories he takes on.
Tyriq once described the significance of having an older brother by saying that an older sibling can be a person’s first bully, first superhero, and first teacher. That description offers a glimpse into the depth of their relationship.
The family has also continued to remember Kionte publicly. Kimberly shared a tribute to him on Facebook in January 2026, while Leon previously posted a tribute in January 2025 alongside a photo of Kionte and his son, Royce.
How Kimberly and Leon Remember Kionte
Both of Tyriq’s parents have publicly acknowledged the lasting impact of Kionte’s death.
Kimberly’s tribute reflected the continuing grief of losing her son, while Leon has also used social media to keep Kionte’s memory alive. These public tributes show that Kionte remains an important part of the family’s story years after his death.
For Tyriq, Kionte’s memory is closely connected to his own future. Rather than allowing the loss to end his acting journey, he has tried to carry his brother’s influence with him.
How Tyriq Withers’ Parents Support His Acting Career Today
Although Kimberly and Leon have played different roles in Tyriq’s life, both have publicly supported his acting career.
Leon has shared encouraging messages about his son’s work, including a birthday tribute in July 2025. Kimberly has also celebrated Tyriq’s accomplishments, from his high-school Honor Society induction in 2015 to his more recent film projects.
Kimberly has appeared alongside Tyriq at important career events, including the premiere of Him in September 2025 and a red-carpet event connected to Reminders of Him in March 2026. The mother-son appearances have offered fans a glimpse of their close bond.
For Tyriq, that support comes after years of his mother encouraging both his athletic and creative interests.
Tyriq Withers’ Education and Move to Atlanta
Tyriq attended Paxon School for Advanced Studies in Jacksonville before going on to Florida State University.
At Florida State, he continued playing football while completing his education. He graduated in 2020 with degrees in Business and Marketing and later moved to Atlanta to pursue acting full time.
The move marked an important turning point. Instead of continuing to build a career around athletics, Tyriq committed himself to the creative path his mother had encouraged since he was young.
Atlanta also proved to be an important setting for his professional development, eventually leading to opportunities that brought him wider attention.
Tyriq Withers’ Acting Career and Rise to Fame
Tyriq began building his professional acting résumé with appearances in projects including Legacies, Tell Me Lies, and The Game. His breakout visibility came in 2022 when he appeared in Donald Glover’s Atlanta in the episode “Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga.”
The role was particularly meaningful because it centered on questions of race and identity. Tyriq played a mixed-race high-school student applying for a Black scholarship, a storyline that reflected some of the questions he has discussed about his own background.
His career continued to expand with roles in I Know What You Did Last Summer in 2025, Him in 2025, and Reminders of Him in 2026. As his profile has grown, his earlier experiences in sports, family life, and creative experimentation have remained part of the story behind his career.
Social Media Presence and Audience Engagement
Tyriq Withers maintains an Instagram presence under the handle @tyriqwithers, where he shares career updates, behind-the-scenes moments, fashion appearances, and glimpses of his life.
His growing public profile has included major events such as his Met Gala debut and promotional appearances for his film projects. Even with that increased attention, Tyriq has described himself as fairly measured when it comes to social media.
Speaking to People in March 2026, he explained that he posts on Instagram and then gets off the platform to continue with his life. That approach reflects a desire to remain focused despite the growing attention surrounding his career.
His social media presence has also given fans another way to follow his professional journey and see the people who have supported him along the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who are Tyriq Withers’ parents?
Tyriq Withers’ parents are Kimberly Hart-Johnson and Leon Withers Jr. Tyriq has described his mother as white and from Maine and his father as a Black American from Chicago. After his parents separated, Kimberly primarily raised Tyriq and his older brother in Jacksonville, Florida.
2. Does Tyriq Withers have any siblings?
Yes. Tyriq has an older brother, Kionte Withers, who died in a car accident in 2021 at age 26, and a sister named Cayla. Kionte was an important influence in Tyriq’s life and was described by Tyriq as a father figure and mentor.
3. Where was Tyriq Withers born?
Tyriq Withers was born on July 15, 1998, in Jacksonville, Florida. His older brother Kionte was born in Brunswick, Maine, in January 1995.
4. What is Tyriq Withers’ racial background?
Tyriq Withers is biracial. He has described his father as a Black American from Chicago and his mother as white and from Maine. Tyriq has said that he grew up in the Black experience and identifies as a Black man while also recognizing the privilege associated with his appearance.
5. How did Tyriq Withers’ parents influence his career?
Kimberly encouraged Tyriq’s creative interests from an early age and took him to casting calls after recognizing his talent. She also supported his athletic pursuits. Leon’s background and Tyriq’s complicated relationship with him have contributed to the actor’s understanding of family, race, and identity.
6. Did Tyriq Withers play football?
Yes. Tyriq played competitive soccer as a child before moving into football in high school. He later joined the Florida State Seminoles football program as a walk-on wide receiver before eventually leaving athletics to focus on acting.
7. What is Tyriq Withers’ Instagram handle?
Tyriq Withers’ Instagram handle is @tyriqwithers.
8. Is Tyriq Withers in a relationship?
Tyriq Withers has not publicly confirmed a current relationship status in the available reporting. He has previously been linked to fellow YouTube creator Beauty In Distress, with whom he also collaborated.
9. What movies has Tyriq Withers starred in?
Tyriq Withers has appeared in ** I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025), Him (2025), and Reminders of Him (2026)**, along with television projects and other acting work.
10. How did Tyriq Withers start his career?
Before becoming a professional actor, Tyriq experimented with YouTube content, comedic sketches, and videos with his brother Kionte. His early creative interests eventually led to casting opportunities, and after graduating from Florida State in 2020, he moved to Atlanta to pursue acting more seriously.
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