Brian Tyree Henry has joined the cast of Universal’s untitled Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry musical project.
The Oscar, Emmy and Tony nominee joins Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey and Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph in the coming-of-age musical, set in the summer of 1977 at Virginia Beach and inspired by Atlantis Apartments, Williams’ childhood neighborhood.
Gondry (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “The Science of Sleep”) is set to direct the project based on a script by Martin Hynes (“Toy Story 4,” “The Magician’s Elephant”) and Steven Levenson (“Tick, Tick…Boom!,” “Fosse/Verdon”). Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through the recording company I Am Other and Gil Netter will produce through Gil Netter Productions.
Universal’s senior vice president of production development Ryan Jones and Christine Sun, director of production development, will oversee the project for the studio.
Henry starred on Donald Glover’s acclaimed series “Atlanta” for four seasons as Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles, earning an Emmy nomination for his performance. He also scored a supporting actor Oscar nomination for the 2022 film “Causeway” opposite Jennifer Lawrence. The Yale-trained actor is a stage veteran, nabbing a Tony nomination for his work in the 2018 Broadway revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s play “Lobby Hero.”
He most recently starred in “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” and the FX drama thriller series “Class of ’09” alongside Kate Mara. He is next set to lend his voice to the animated prequel “Transformers One” and feature in the sports drama “The Fire Inside.”
Henry is repped by JWS Entertainment, CAA, Jill Fritzo PR and Jackoway Austen et al.