Tyriq Withers may now be making a name for himself in television and film, but his story began long before Hollywood. His family, especially his mother Kimberly Hart-Johnson and his late older brother Kionte Withers, played important roles in shaping the person and performer he would eventually become.
Born in July 1998, Tyriq grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, after his parents, Kimberly and Leon Withers, separated. Kimberly raised Tyriq and Kionte and encouraged both boys to explore their interests. For Tyriq, those interests ranged from sports to creating videos and, eventually, acting.
His relationship with his father was more complicated during his childhood. Tyriq has spoken openly about those difficulties, while more recent public interactions indicate that Leon has continued to support his son’s career. Kionte’s influence, meanwhile, remained significant throughout Tyriq’s life, even after his brother died in 2021.
Looking at the story of Tyriq Withers Parents provides a broader understanding of the family experiences behind the actor’s journey, from his childhood in Jacksonville to college football and his eventual decision to pursue acting.
Quick Bio Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tyriq Withers |
| Birth Year | 1998 |
| Birthplace | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Mother | Kimberly Hart-Johnson |
| Father | Leon Withers |
| Older Brother | Kionte Devon Withers |
| Kionte’s Birth Date | January 30, 1995 |
| Kionte’s Birthplace | Brunswick, Maine |
| Childhood Home | Jacksonville, Florida |
| College | Florida State University |
| College Sport | Football |
| Position | Wide Receiver |
| Early Sport | Soccer |
| Acting Career | Film And Television |
| Breakthrough Series | Atlanta |
| Major Film Role | Him |
| Atlanta Move | 2020 |
| Brother’s Death | April 30, 2021 |
| Brother’s Age At Death | 26 |
The family details come from Tyriq’s published interviews, Florida State’s official athletic records, Kionte’s published obituary, and reporting about Tyriq’s parents. Kionte’s obituary also provides details about his family, Jacksonville upbringing, and relationship with his younger brother.
Who Are Tyriq Withers’ Parents?
Tyriq Withers’ parents are Kimberly Hart-Johnson and Leon Withers. They had two sons together: Kionte, who was born in January 1995, and Tyriq, who arrived in July 1998. The family later went through a separation, after which Kimberly raised the boys in Jacksonville, Florida.
Tyriq has often connected his early ambitions with his family. His mother supported him as he explored athletics, but she also recognized his creative side and encouraged him to consider acting. His relationship with his father, meanwhile, was considerably more complicated while he was growing up.
Those different family experiences became part of Tyriq’s personal journey. His eventual move from sports into acting wasn’t an abrupt change. It followed years of exploring different interests, from football and video-making to performance and storytelling.
Who Is Kimberly Hart-Johnson?
Kimberly Hart-Johnson is Tyriq Withers’ mother and one of the most important figures in his early life. After separating from Leon, she raised Tyriq and Kionte in Jacksonville and remained closely involved as her sons grew up.
Tyriq has described his mother as someone who supported both his athletic and artistic interests. She encouraged him when he was playing sports, while also paying attention to his creative abilities. When she noticed his interest in acting, she helped him explore casting opportunities.
That support came years before Tyriq had an established career. He was still a young performer figuring out what he wanted to do, yet Kimberly was willing to help him explore the possibility of acting. Eventually, that childhood interest developed into a professional career.
How Did Kimberly Support Tyriq Growing Up?
Kimberly’s influence can be seen throughout Tyriq’s childhood. He was a committed athlete, but he also had a creative streak that surfaced through the videos he made with Kionte.
During middle school, the brothers made Vines and YouTube videos together. It was an early form of performance and storytelling for Tyriq, even though neither brother could have known where those experiments would eventually lead.
Kimberly noticed her son’s artistic abilities and took him to casting opportunities. One early experience involved a casting situation that ultimately turned out to be a scam involving a demand for thousands of dollars. Even so, the experience reflected Kimberly’s willingness to help Tyriq explore acting at a young age.
She was equally supportive of his athletic pursuits. Tyriq played soccer as a child before eventually moving into football. Years later, he acknowledged that his desire to succeed in sports was closely tied to wanting to make his mother proud.
Who Is Leon Withers?
Leon Withers is Tyriq’s father. Compared with his son’s career, relatively little verified public information is available about Leon’s private life, so his role in Tyriq’s story is best understood through Tyriq’s own comments and documented public interactions.
Tyriq has spoken about having a difficult relationship with his father while growing up. Those experiences are an important part of the family’s history, particularly because Kimberly was the parent who raised Tyriq and Kionte after the separation.
At the same time, Leon has remained connected to Tyriq’s life. In more recent years, he has publicly celebrated his son’s accomplishments and offered encouragement as Tyriq’s acting career has grown.
What Was Tyriq Withers’ Relationship With His Father Like?
Tyriq hasn’t avoided discussing the difficult parts of his childhood. During a January 2026 appearance on The Pivot Podcast, he described his father as “present, but wasn’t there.” He also explained that he and Kionte had a hard relationship with their father.
Those comments provide valuable context, but they aren’t the only part of the story. Tyriq’s relationship with Leon appears to have changed over the years, and recent public interactions show Leon taking an interest in his son’s professional life.
It’s therefore more accurate to describe their relationship as complicated and evolving rather than relying solely on Tyriq’s childhood experiences. The clearest picture comes from Tyriq’s own statements alongside the family’s documented interactions in later years.
How Has Leon Supported Tyriq’s Career?
Leon has publicly supported Tyriq as his son’s profile in entertainment has grown. His social-media posts have included birthday wishes and encouraging messages about Tyriq’s life and career.
One particularly memorable interaction occurred while Tyriq was filming Him. In an interview with Complex, Tyriq explained that he FaceTimed his father from the set because Leon wanted to talk with his costar, Marlon Wayans.
It’s a relatively small moment, but it offers a glimpse into their relationship in more recent years. Leon wasn’t simply watching Tyriq’s career from a distance; he was interested enough in the production to want to connect with the people working alongside his son.
Where Did Tyriq Withers Grow Up?
Tyriq grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, alongside Kionte. Florida State’s official football records later listed Jacksonville as his hometown and identified Paxon School as his high school.
Jacksonville was where many of Tyriq’s early interests took shape. He played soccer, eventually transitioned to football, and made videos with Kionte. His family life and his creative interests developed side by side.
Kionte also had an interest in videography and photography, making the brothers’ early video projects especially significant in retrospect. Their shared creativity became one of the connections that helped shape Tyriq’s later interest in entertainment.
Tyriq Withers And His Brother Kionte
Kionte Devon Withers was Tyriq’s older brother and a major influence on his life. Born on January 30, 1995, in Brunswick, Maine, Kionte later grew up in Jacksonville with his mother and younger brother.
Kionte’s obituary describes him as a mentor, teacher, and supporter to Tyriq. It also notes his interests in videography and photography, providing further context for the brothers’ shared creative activities.
For Tyriq, Kionte wasn’t simply an older sibling. He was someone he looked up to and learned from. Their bond remained important throughout Tyriq’s life and became even more significant after Kionte’s death.
What Happened To Tyriq Withers’ Brother?
Kionte died in a car accident on April 30, 2021, at the age of 26. He was survived by his son, Royce; his fiancée, Stephanie Vallejo; his parents, Kimberly and Leon; his brother Tyriq; his sister Cayla; and other relatives.
The loss had a profound impact on Tyriq. He later explained that he seriously considered stepping away from acting and returning home to help his family and his nephew.
Ultimately, he chose to continue pursuing acting. That decision wasn’t separate from his grief. Instead, Tyriq came to view continuing his career as a way of moving forward while keeping his brother’s influence with him.
How Kionte’s Death Changed Tyriq
Kionte’s death changed Tyriq’s perspective on his career and his sense of purpose. Rather than simply trying to move past the loss, he has spoken about carrying his brother’s memory into his work.
In a GQ interview, Tyriq explained that he began looking for Kionte in the scripts he received. That idea gives added meaning to his approach to acting because his work became one of the places where he could continue to feel connected to his brother.
Kionte’s influence wasn’t limited to the years after his death, either. He had been part of Tyriq’s creative life since childhood, when the brothers made videos together. His interest in photography and videography also gave the siblings a shared creative language long before Tyriq became a professional actor.
Tyriq Withers’ Journey From Sports To Acting
Sports dominated much of Tyriq’s younger years. He played soccer during childhood before switching to football in high school. His athletic ability eventually took him to Florida State University, where he became a walk-on wide receiver.
His eventual departure from football came after he began exploring acting at college. According to GQ, Florida State’s Black Student Union invited him to audition for an original play. Tyriq prepared for the audition while still playing football, landed the lead role, and discovered that performing gave him a creative sense of purpose.
That experience helped change his direction. He eventually left the football team and began focusing more seriously on acting.
The decision also forced Tyriq to think about why he had pursued sports in the first place. He later explained that he had been trying to make his mother proud, even though he wasn’t enjoying football in the way he had expected.
How His Mother Influenced His Career Choices
Kimberly’s influence becomes especially clear when Tyriq talks about his relationship with athletics. He has said that his pursuit of sports was rooted in love and family and that he was doing it for his mother.
That doesn’t mean his mother dictated his career. Instead, Tyriq’s comments suggest that making her proud was a major source of motivation during his athletic years. At the same time, Kimberly had already shown support for his creative ambitions by helping him explore acting when he was young.
Eventually, Tyriq had to decide what he wanted for himself. Acting gave him an opportunity to combine performance, creativity, and storytelling, and he chose to follow that path.
Tyriq Withers’ Move To Atlanta And Acting Career
After graduating from Florida State in 2020, Tyriq moved to Atlanta to pursue acting. He began auditioning and working to establish himself in the entertainment industry.
His breakthrough came with Donald Glover’s Atlanta, where he played a mixed-race high school student applying for a Black scholarship. The storyline had a personal connection for Tyriq because of his own family background and experiences with racial identity.
His career continued to expand with projects including I Know What You Did Last Summer, Him, and Reminders Of Him. By this stage, the young performer who had once made videos with his brother and attended casting calls with his mother had established himself as a working actor.
How Tyriq Withers’ Family Background Shaped His Identity
Tyriq has spoken openly about the racial backgrounds of his parents and how they influenced his understanding of identity. He has described his father as a Black American from Chicago and his mother as White and from Maine.
Tyriq identifies as a Black man because of his upbringing and the experience of growing up within the Black community. At the same time, he has acknowledged that the way he looks can give him certain privileges that other Black people may not experience.
His comments reflect an awareness of how family background, personal experience, and public perception can intersect. Those questions have also informed some of his acting work, particularly roles involving race and identity.
How Kimberly And Leon Remember Kionte
Kionte remains an important part of the Withers family’s story. His obituary documents his close relationship with Tyriq and identifies Kimberly and Leon among the family members he left behind.
Both parents have continued to remember Kionte publicly since his death. Kimberly has shared emotional tributes about missing her son, while Leon has also posted messages honoring his memory.
For Tyriq, Kionte’s memory carries an especially personal significance. His brother was part of his childhood, encouraged him, shared his creative interests, and served as an important role model. Even years after Kionte’s death, Tyriq continues to speak about the impact his brother had on his life.
How Tyriq Withers’ Parents Support Him Today
Both Kimberly and Leon have publicly shown support for Tyriq as his career has developed.
Kimberly’s support stretches back to his childhood, when she encouraged both his athletic and creative interests. More recently, she has celebrated his acting achievements and appeared with him at entertainment events, including the premiere of Him and a Reminders Of Him red-carpet event.
Leon has also shared messages celebrating Tyriq’s accomplishments and encouraging him to continue making a positive difference.
Their support is particularly interesting because the family’s history isn’t entirely simple. Tyriq has openly discussed the challenges he experienced with his father while growing up, yet Leon’s later public support shows that their relationship has continued to develop.
Final Thoughts
The story of Tyriq Withers Parents offers a much deeper look at the actor than a simple list of family names and dates. Kimberly Hart-Johnson was a steady presence throughout his childhood, supporting his athletic ambitions while also recognizing the creative abilities that eventually led him toward acting.
Leon Withers’ relationship with Tyriq has been more complicated. Tyriq has openly discussed the difficulties of their relationship during his childhood, but Leon’s more recent public support shows how that relationship has evolved.
Kionte’s influence is equally important. As Tyriq’s older brother, creative partner, mentor, and role model, Kionte was woven into many of the experiences that helped shape him. His death in 2021 brought profound grief, but it also gave Tyriq a renewed sense of purpose in his work.
From playing soccer in Jacksonville to joining Florida State’s football program and eventually moving to Atlanta to pursue acting, Tyriq’s journey has taken several unexpected turns. His family has remained part of that story throughout.
Today, Tyriq is building a career of his own, but the people and experiences that shaped him are never far from the way he talks about his life and work. His mother’s early encouragement, his father’s evolving support, and his brother’s lasting influence all help explain the person behind the actor.
Tyriq Withers Parents And Family: Frequently Asked Questions
Who Are Tyriq Withers’ Parents?
Tyriq Withers’ parents are Kimberly Hart-Johnson and Leon Withers. After their separation, Kimberly raised Tyriq and his older brother Kionte in Jacksonville, Florida. Both parents have publicly supported Tyriq at different points in his life.
Who Raised Tyriq Withers?
Tyriq was primarily raised by his mother, Kimberly Hart-Johnson, in Jacksonville. She supported his athletic interests and encouraged his creative abilities, including his early interest in acting.
Does Tyriq Withers Have A Brother?
Yes. Tyriq’s older brother was Kionte Devon Withers, who was born in January 1995. Kionte was a major influence on Tyriq and was described in his obituary as a mentor and supporter to his younger brother.
What Happened To Kionte Withers?
Kionte died in a car accident on April 30, 2021, at age 26. He left behind his son, Royce, his fiancée, Stephanie Vallejo, his parents, siblings, and other relatives.
Where Was Tyriq Withers Born?
Tyriq Withers was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in July 1998. Jacksonville was also his hometown while growing up and is listed as his hometown in Florida State’s football records.
Did Tyriq Withers Play Football?
Yes. Tyriq played soccer as a child before transitioning to football. He later joined Florida State’s football program as a walk-on wide receiver before leaving the sport to pursue acting.
Why Did Tyriq Withers Leave Football?
Tyriq began exploring acting while attending Florida State. After auditioning for a university play and landing the lead role, he realized how much he enjoyed performing and eventually decided to focus on acting instead of football.
How Did Tyriq Withers Start Acting?
His interest in acting began when he was young, when his mother encouraged him to explore casting opportunities. His passion became more serious during college after he participated in a student production. Following graduation, he moved to Atlanta in 2020 and began pursuing acting professionally.
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