‘Atlanta’s Brian Tyree Henry Joins ‘White Boy Rick’
EXCLUSIVE: Brian Tyree Henry, who plays ‘Paper Boi’ in FX’s multiple award-winning series Atlanta, has just joined the cast of White Boy Rick, the story of Richard Wershe Jr., who in mid-1980s Detroit at the age of only 14 became an undercover informant for local and federal law enforcement agencies and then established himself as a major drug dealer only to be taken down by the very law enforcement that empowered him.
Henry joins other cast members Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Dern, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Rory Cochrane in the ensemble cast. Yann Demange directs. While Leigh and Cochrane will portray FBI agents who began working with Wershe as a confidential informant from the beginning, Henry will play narcotics detective Mel “Roach” Jackson. The character is in as many scenes as McConaughey and is an undercover cop who may lead a double life.
The film is being produced by Lesher (Birdman, Black Mass) with Julie Yorn of LBI Entertainment, where Lesher is now based and which has a first-look deal with Studio 8. Also producing are Studio 8, Protozoa Pictures’ Darren Aronofsky and Franklin. Jon Silk brought White Boy Rick into Studio 8 and is overseeing the project.
The project, written by Andy Weiss, Logan & Nolan Miller and Steve Kloves, will be released by Sony Jan. 12, 2018. Atlanta has won awards from the PGA, the WGA, Critics Choice and the Globes.
Henry just guest-starred in How to Get Away with Murder earlier this month and has a guest appearance in tonight’s emotional episode of This Is Us.
Henry, who also appeared in HBO’s Vice Principals and Boardwalk Empire, is repped by CAA, JWS Entertainment and attorney Darren Trattner.
Related stories
Bruce Dern, Jennifer Jason Leigh & Rory Cochrane Board 'White Boy Rick'
'This Is Us' Upcoming Guest Stars: Katie Couric & Brian Tyree Henry
Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
