Actors Sterling K. Brown and Brian Tyree Henry first met a decade ago in New York, when they were both playing drag queens in a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Since then, they've been friends and cheerleaders of each other's careers.
This past year was huge for both of them. Broadway alum Henry landed the part of Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles on Donald Glover's FX show Atlanta. He also had a role on HBO's Vice Principals. Previously known for his work on Supernatural and Army Wives, Brown won an Emmy for his portrayal of Chris Darden on FX's ‘The People vs. O.J. Simpson' and currently plays Randall Pearson on NBC's new hit family drama This Is Us.
In this episode of The Spin-off, recorded on the eve of the Golden Globes (where both of their shows were nominated), Henry and Brown join Michael Schneider for a candid conversation about what 2016 has meant for them, both in terms of their careers, as well as their approach to life overall. They talk about their enduring friendship, why their support for each other has meant so much, occasionally auditioning for the same role (like Darden!) and what they view as the role of an artist under a Trump presidency.
Photo: Actors and friends Sterling K. Brown and Brian Tyree Henry with Spin-off host Michael Schneider (C)