From walking away from Florida State football to starring in Jordan Peele’s Him, Tyriq Withers is rewriting what success looks like on his own terms.
Tyriq Withers isn’t afraid to admit that his career started with what he calls “delusional confidence.”
The Jacksonville native once walked onto Florida State’s football team, only to later walk away from the sport entirely, a decision he describes as both painful and liberating.
“I sat in my car for four hours crying, just crying. What am I doing? Am I ruining my life?” Withers recalled in the latest episode of Boardroom Talks. “I wasn’t willing to give my whole life to it anymore because it was just a rigorous schedule, like good God.”
That moment set him on a new path to Him.
The Universal Pictures and Monkeypaw Productions film, produced by Jordan Peele and directed by Justin Tipping, casts Withers as Cameron Cade, a football player chasing greatness at any cost. For the actor, the role struck a deeply personal chord. He described the script as hypnotic and the character as a tribute to his past life as an athlete. When the chance to join Peele’s creative circle came around, he didn’t hesitate.
From Walk-On to Hollywood
Withers’ path from the football field to the screen was anything but linear. Walking away from Division I athletics left him searching for a new identity, and he found it on stage when he auditioned for Florida State’s first Black Student Union play with a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air monologue.
That performance opened the door to more acting opportunities on campus and encouraged him to lean into storytelling as a form of self-discovery. At the same time, he became heavily involved in leadership roles that gave him a deeper understanding of people and their experiences, something he says continues to shape his work as an actor.
When the pandemic hit, he made the leap to Atlanta, hustling his way into auditions and representation despite limited experience. That move quickly paid off with a role on Donald Glover’s Atlanta, where he began to understand both the vulnerability required for authentic performance and the discipline needed to build a sustainable career in Hollywood.
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Stepping Into Him
Joining Him became a defining moment. Preparing for the role meant revisiting the mental and physical intensity of his athletic past while grappling with larger themes of grief, identity, and ambition. For Withers, the story extends beyond football, serving as a meditation on the pursuit of greatness and the importance of defining success on one’s own terms.
Working opposite Marlon Wayans only deepened the experience. Initially intimidated, Withers found a mentor and friend in the comedy legend. Their on-set chemistry translated into a bond so strong that the final day of filming was marked by raw emotion from the cast and crew. Fans now catch glimpses of that same dynamic through the funny behind-the-scenes clips Withers regularly shares on social media.
What’s Next
Withers is already mapping out his next chapter. He’ll appear in Universal Pictures’ upcoming adaptation of Reminders of Him, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, and is beginning to think beyond acting by exploring opportunities in producing. He’s also sharpening his knowledge of the business side of Hollywood, from navigating contracts and fees to building long-term financial stability.
Even with his growing resume, he stays grounded through mentorship and close friends. Those relationships, along with a few rituals that keep him centered, remind Withers not to lose sight of himself as his career accelerates.
As he put it, “At the end of the day, it’s about being authentic. That’s what being him really means.”
Hear more from Tyriq Withers on his career in the latest full episode of Boardroom Talks.
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