'Atlanta' star Brian Tyree Henry to join the cast of 'White Boy Rick'

Image from The Hollywood Reporter

By Darian Scalamoni

            Many talk about Donald Glover when talking about his fantastic new comedy Atlanta on FX, but Brian Tyree Henry is also terrific on the show as Paper Boi and since that role, he’s become a breakout star. He was just seen on last night’s episode of This Is Us and now he’s getting film roles as well. According to Deadline, Henry will join the cast of White Boy Rick.

            White Boy Rick is the story of Richard Wershe Jr. who became an undercover informant at the age of 14 for federal law enforcement before establishing himself as a major drug dealer and eventually being brought down by the powers that brought him up. Henry joins an already terrific ensemble, many of which we’ve covered here on Cinema Wave. I’ve been buying this movie ever since it was first announced and Yann Demange (’71) was brought in to direct. Henry will play a narcotics detective Mel “Roach” Jackson who is being rumored to have just as many scenes as Matthew McConaughey who plays Wershe’s father.

            Henry has been seen mostly on TV since and before Atlanta with appearances on Boardwalk Empire, The Knick and Vice Principals so this will be his first big film role. White Boy Rick stars Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bel Powley, Rory Cochrane, Bruce Dern and Henry. The movie hits theaters on January 12^th, 2018!