TYRIQ WITHERS is officially in his leading-man era — and yes, we’re watching closely. In Reminders of Him, the actor plays Ledger, a former athlete navigating grief, loyalty, and the uncomfortable reality of loving through loss. It’s a role rooted in tenderness rather than bravado, and one that hits close to home for Withers, who speaks openly about how the story mirrors his own experiences with mourning. But don’t get it twisted — beneath the heavy themes is still the guy who laughs at brain rot, geeks out over tailoring, and charmingly wonders if he’s “giving” on the red carpet (in our opinion, he always is!). We caught up with Tyriq to talk chosen family, emotional growth, and why sitting with grief might be the bravest performance of all.

Left Vintage steal body armer, boxers **Fruit of the loom**, sweatpants **Skims**
Right Coat and shorts **Lanvin**, socks and shoes **Prada**, jewellery **Cartier**

Hi Tyriq! How’s it going?

It’s going! It’s a nice way to close out the year. I’m heading out of LA for a bit. A nice little reset with the fam.

A few months ago, I interviewed Nicholas Duvernay, who said you guys lived together. Are you still roommates?

No, we’re not. But we’re still homies. Honestly, I think it works better now — you have to drive 25 minutes to hang out, so it’s more intentional. Living together, it’s easy to just see someone every day and not really hang. Now, when we meet, it’s deliberate, like, “I’m showing up for you.” It makes those connections feel more meaningful.

Shirt, tie and pants **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**, watch Cartier

Back then, you guys were both struggling actors, right?

Yeah, that was a few years ago. I was living in Atlanta and came to LA to flirt with the idea of moving there. Nicholas had this one-bedroom apartment and said I could crash with him. We had this amazing summer just figuring things out together. It was daunting — LA is massive, and you don’t really know where to go or who to connect with at first. But having someone in it with you, someone navigating the same uncertainties, made it feel possible. That shared experience makes the light at the end of the tunnel brighter.

Left Full look **Emporio Armani**, boots **Ann Demeulemeester**, jewellery **Cartier**
Right Jacket **Giorgio Armani**, jewellery **Cartier**

Well, it seems like the struggle is definitely over as both of you have successful projects under your belt! Let’s talk about your latest film, Reminders of Him. When the role of Ledger came your way, what initially drew you to the story?

I read the script before a director was attached and immediately fell in love. Ledger is someone seeking stability when nothing else in his life feels stable. He’s a former athlete grappling with loss, grief, and loyalty. What really resonated with me was his quiet yearning — this internal conflict about who he is when life punches you in the mouth. He’s processing grief over losing his best friend, which hits close to home. I’ve lost my brother, I’ve lost a best friend, so I connected deeply to that emotional core. Reading the book, I felt nostalgic about the relationship he had with his best friend.

Ledger takes on a very protective role in the story.

Yeah. He steps into an almost fatherly role for his “niece” — not because blood makes him an uncle, but because he chooses to. That sense of responsibility, loyalty, and love is heavy, but it’s also incredibly human. Ledger’s initial interactions with Kenna challenge him. At first, he reacts from a place of toxic masculinity, thinking, “Oh, she did this, she did that.” But then Roman, Nick’s character, pushes him to think differently — to see the value in giving someone a second chance. It was one of the beautiful scenes in the movie, the moment when Roman calls him out. That process of ego death was so rich to explore, when Ledger’s like, “Oh, I know you were with my best friend at one point, but I feel these certain earthly, fleshly desires, and want to love and protect.” And I think he follows that. And a lot of it blossoms from living in that spiritual realm.

Left Coat, shirt, shoes and pants **Lacoste**, jewellery **Cartier**
Right Shirt **Acne Studios**, tank top **Calvin Klein**, socks **Prada**

How did exploring Ledger’s grief affect how you view your own experiences with loss?

It made me think of grief as a universal concept where I'm not alone in it. And I think that's helpful to know. I’m grieving my brother, yes, but my mom is grieving too, my nephew is grieving his father. Ledger’s journey reminded me that I don’t have to live in sadness. It’s a bit ironic that the time when I feel the most joy is when I can hear my brother’s laugh come through me. My brother always valued the importance of celebrating. And so after his death, it became important to me to be more present in a physical way. My nephew just had a really fun birthday party, and he made sure I was there. You know, he doesn’t care if I make 3000 movies. He just wants his uncle. So yeah, the film helped me a lot and pushed me into a place of healing. And I want to keep doing that with all my work. If I don’t feel like a project is going to make me a better version of me, no matter what genre or story it is, then I don’t think I can do it.

You worked closely with Maika Monroe on the film. What was your dynamic like?

Maika really held the fire of what the movie was truly about. I felt really protective of her because it’s such a raw and emotional character to bring on screen. We met before filming and just hung out. She invited me to a GIVĒON concert, and we just had the best time. It felt like meeting a lifelong friend. On set, her commitment pushed me to a place of real, raw emotional vulnerability. There are scenes where she had to go there, and she went there, take after take after take. It was a healthy partnership — it felt like we were carrying each other’s pain and protecting each other. Working with her was inspiring because she brings so much thought to every take.

Shirt and tie **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**

To step outside the film, I love seeing your funny side online. What makes you laugh these days?

You’re asking me what my brain rot is?

Yes, exactly! [Laughs]

Anything stupid. Life is stupid, so I love anything that’s a reminder of that. I love things that aren’t trying to be funny. I also love self-deprecating humour. Honestly, the older I get, and the more I heal, the more I feel like my younger self, and I ask, “What does little Tyriq want to do?” And I just allow him to come forth in moments of excitement.

Vintage steal body armer, boxers **Fruit of the loom**, sweatpants **Skims**

Fashion seems like another playful outlet for you. What thrills you about dressing up?

Fashion is everything — you can’t take it too seriously, but it’s serious, in a way. My mom always made sure I looked put together at school, and that stuck with me. But as I got older, I realised how expressive it can be.

At my first premiere, I wore a skirt, and I just felt so powerful. I was like, “This is what I want to wear. And it looks great. I look great in my Thom Browne boots.” [Laughs] You know, who doesn't love putting on clothes that make you feel good? That said, I only recently figured out that none of my shit until now was properly tailored. There’s nothing like well-tailored clothes. And yeah, it’s just a fun way to be like, this is who I am, and Imma serve. [Laughs] Serve as best as I know how. I always get scared taking photos on the red carpet, because you're just asking yourself, “Am I giving?”

You always are, trust me! Anything you’re still building the courage to wear?

Showing more skin. I even hate it when my chest is showing. I’m trying to get comfortable with my body. Maybe a little open back moment? Who knows?