Just call Tyriq Withers the internet’s new boyfriend.
“I never signed up for that,” the actor joked during a March 2026 interview with People. “I think the beautiful thing about it is I just show up to these interviews and just bring myself, and I’m just glad people resonate with that. It is validating that you don’t have to be anybody else but yourself.”
While some consider the actor’s breakout role to be his one-episode stint as Aaron in a 2022 episode of Atlanta, Withers also made waves for starring as Cameron Cade in the 2025 horror film Him.
Fans — especially those on TikTok — have continuously praised Withers’ unfiltered nature throughout his rise to stardom.
“I mean, if y’all have me, I’ll be grateful and thankful,” he told People, referring to his new viral internet success. “I don’t know why you’d pick me, but I’m here. I’m here.”
Aside from appearing as Teddy Spencer in the 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot, Withers has cemented himself as a leading man with his role as Ledger Ward in the 2026 Reminders of Him movie adaptation.
“I think this still is a challenge because you are living in the quiet softness of vulnerability,” Withers told Marie Claire about the film. “That change of pace is always nice. And I think we’re not defined by the type of movie — it’s a testament to both of our abilities to showcase the range.”
Keep scrolling for everything to know:
Where Is Tyriq Withers From?Withers grew up in Jacksonville, Florida.
Where Did Tyriq Withers Go to College?Before becoming an actor, Withers attended Florida State University. He was a walk-on wide receiver for the 2017 Florida State Seminoles football team. Withers graduated in May 2020 with bachelor’s degrees in business and marketing. While in college, he was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Withers’ father is Leon Withers Jr. and mom is Kimberly Hart. He has a sister named Cayla. His brother, Kionte, died in an April 2021 car accident.
“I’d experienced grief before, but not like this,” he told GQ in a September 2025 interview. “It was just like, ‘F***, take me instead.’ My brother had a son. He was a beautiful father, so soft and sensitive to my nephew. And what am I doing?”
He added, “My partner at the time asked me, ‘What would Kionte want?’ And I came to the conclusion that the best way to serve my family is to continue on this path of chasing my dreams. That gave me purpose. I started looking for him in every script.”
Yes, Withers appeared as Tim in the first season of Tell Me Lies, which aired in 2022.
What Is Tyriq Withers’ Connection to ‘Scandal’?Aside from fans wanting him to play the son of Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and President Fitz (Tony Goldwyn), the actor has no connection to the show.
“I watched Scandal when I was in college, so I think it’s iconic that people relate me to that world,” Withers said in March 2026.
