Tyriq Withers has become one of Hollywood’s rising young actors, but his route to the screen started long before Him and Reminders of Him. Behind that career is a family story involving his mother, Kimberly Hart-Johnson, and his father, Leon Withers Jr.
Who Are Tyriq Withers’ Parents?
Tyriq Withers was born on July 15, 1998, in Jacksonville, Florida. Public reporting identifies his parents as Kimberly Hart-Johnson and Leon Withers Jr. His parents later separated, and Kimberly primarily raised Tyriq and his older brother, Kionte, in Jacksonville.
The available reporting also describes Tyriq as having a mixed family background. His mother is white and has roots in Maine, while his father is Black and has Chicago connections. These details have appeared in recent profiles about the actor and his family.
His Mother, Kimberly Hart-Johnson
Kimberly played a major role in Tyriq’s childhood. According to People’s reporting, she encouraged both his athletic interests and his early creative ambitions while raising him after the separation from Leon.
Tyriq has also spoken directly about how important his mother was to his ambitions. In an interview with Interview Magazine, he explained that his relationship with sports was complicated because he eventually realized he had been pursuing football partly to make his mother proud.
That detail provides useful context for understanding his early years. Football was not simply a career possibility for him. His own description connects the sport to family expectations and his desire to make his mother proud.
His Father, Leon Withers Jr.
Leon Withers Jr. is Tyriq’s father, but considerably less public information is available about his personal and professional life. Recent reporting says that Leon and Kimberly separated after starting their family, leaving Kimberly as the primary parent in Tyriq’s upbringing.
The relationship between Tyriq and his father has also been discussed publicly. During a 2026 appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Tyriq described his childhood relationship with his father as difficult, saying that his father was “present, but wasn’t there.” He described the relationship between himself, his brother and their father as hard.
That account comes directly from Tyriq, making it more significant than online speculation. At the same time, it should not be expanded into claims about Leon’s private life that have not been independently confirmed.
The Family Story Gets More Complicated
Tyriq grew up alongside his older brother, Kionte Withers. Kionte died in a car accident in April 2021, a loss that later became an important part of Tyriq’s public story.
Tyriq discussed the impact of his brother’s death in a 2025 GQ interview. He explained that the loss affected how he thought about his family and his own future, eventually giving him another reason to continue pursuing acting.
This matters when looking at his career today. The actor’s public comments show that family, grief and identity have repeatedly intersected with his professional choices.
From Football to Acting
Tyriq’s early path appeared to be heading toward football. He played soccer growing up before switching to American football and eventually joined Florida State University’s football program.
But college became a turning point. While at Florida State, he auditioned for a Black Student Union play and discovered that acting offered something football did not. He eventually stepped away from the sport and pursued performance.
His mother remained part of that story. In a Moviefone interview, Tyriq said his pursuit of sports had been rooted in love and family and that he was doing it for his mom.
Where His Parents Fit Into His Hollywood Story
Tyriq eventually moved from athletics toward acting, appearing in projects including Atlanta, Tell Me Lies, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Him. His career later expanded with Reminders of Him.
The available evidence does not suggest that his parents had Hollywood careers of their own. Instead, their importance to his story comes largely through his upbringing and the different family experiences he has described publicly.
Recent reporting also indicates that both parents have shown support for his acting career despite the earlier difficulties in their relationship.
What Is Confirmed About Tyriq Withers’ Parents?
The core facts are relatively clear. Tyriq’s parents are Kimberly Hart-Johnson and Leon Withers Jr. They had two sons together, Kionte and Tyriq, before separating. Kimberly primarily raised the boys, while Tyriq has described his childhood relationship with his father as complicated.
Beyond those facts, caution is necessary. Some websites repeat additional claims about the family without identifying strong primary sources. No official public record or direct statement should be assumed simply because the same claim appears across multiple celebrity-biography websites.
The Answer Behind the Search
So, who are Tyriq Withers’ parents? They are Kimberly Hart-Johnson and Leon Withers Jr., and their separation helped shape the family environment in which Tyriq grew up.
His own interviews provide the clearest picture: his mother was a central influence on his early ambitions, while his relationship with his father was more difficult. His later move from football to acting shows how those early experiences became part of a much bigger personal and professional journey.
Author Bio:
Written by James Carter, a celebrity and entertainment journalist specializing in Hollywood profiles, family backgrounds and rising actors. His work focuses on separating confirmed biographical details from online speculation.
