Tyriq Withers may be emerging as a modern-day scream king onscreen, but his latest role in the romantic drama Reminders of Him was actually the scariest for him.

The 27-year-old actor has captured audiences with his performances in the horror and thriller films Him and I Know What You Did Last Summer. However, fans will be seeing Withers in a new light with his role as Ledger in the big-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoovers bestselling novel.

But knowing that viewers would be seeing his romantic side was a vulnerable feeling that Withers had to prepare himself for. What if people dont like the way I flirt? he quips to The Hollywood Reporter over Zoom. Horror, thriller, all these movies were scary to make, he adds, but I think Reminders of Him was the scariest one for me because youre living in the stillness, youre living in that gentleness, youre living in that universal want of people wanting to feel the romance and the yearning that you see between Ledger and Kenna.

Reminders of Him follows Kenna, played by Maika Monroe, who attempts to reconnect with her young daughter after prison, but faces resistance from everyone except Ledger, a bar owner with ties to her child. As they grow closer, she must confront her past mistakes to build a hopeful future.

Below, Withers opens up about bringing Ledger to life off the page, navigating grief onscreen in Reminders of Him and in real life, his reaction to the success hes seen in recent years, his dream role and more.

When you think back to the beginning of your acting career, what made you want to pursue this path?

Delusion, depression (Laughs). It all stems from, I hate to use this word because its so overused, but yearning. Being a kid, theres this level of trauma that Ive witnessed. And through childhood, theres this connection I felt deeply with others. And how I decided to do that is to pour myself into art, whether that was through my phone camera, making little short films with my iPhones or doing the Black Student Union play at Florida State [University]. I think there was this idea of connection that I didnt know how to articulate at the time, and the big push for me is when my [older] brother tragically passed away [in a 2021 car accident], that was the ultimate decision and definition of what I was doing.

And I almost stopped acting because I felt so silly that I was, Hey, my name is Tyriq Withers. Im 65 based out of Atlanta, Georgia. And my brother passed away, and he was actually raising a son. But through the art of living, I realized that what I get to do is use my suffering so others can really feel connected and feel seen. And we know what its like to see ourselves on a screen and be like, Wait, I thought I was the only one to feel that. Are we all living universally the same life? And I think thats the fun part and the discovery of where you can go and what you can pull out of yourself and project onto the screen. I think that is a river that is ever flowing.

Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers in Reminders of Him. Everett Collection Can you take me back to how you first got involved withReminders of Him andwhat drew you toit?

Theres just so much that this project has that I can relate to. The overall theme for this movie is grief, and my concept of grief is developing; its evolving. And what a gift it is to feel grief, to experience grief. I know that sounds ironic because grief is one of the hardest things that we feel, but that makes me know that Im human. Where being human is choosing to learn and love, knowing there is an end date. And I think allowing yourself to just exist and feel that is one of the most powerful, humane things you can do. And in that theme of grief, I connected it to my own grief and it taught me a lot about myself. And not only am I grieving a lost brother or a lost friend, but Im grieving my former self, Im grieving what I thought my life would look like. Im grieving the past. I think nostalgia hurts. Thats a form of grief. Youre grieving how simple and beautiful life felt. And I think that pulled me in to the script and the story first, and allowing myself to really explore that and not only my grief, but other peoples grief.

You forget that Kenna, Maika [Monroes] character, as much as they want to throw sticks and stones, shes still carrying the weight of grieving the same person in a different way. And they were even closer because they were romantically involved and they brought life into the world, and shes grieving her daughter and you dont really think about that. As a man, I could never know what that feeling is like, to bring life into the world and not be able to hold your child. I think that Ledger can serve as a beacon for sympathy and understanding so people can look at the world with a different angle, a little more softness, a little more love.

With the film being adapted from Hoovers novel, how much did you lean on the source material, compared to the script,when it came to bringing Ledger to life off the page?

Wait, theres a book? Im kidding (Laughs).

(Laughs) You had me there for a second. I was about to say

So I read the book before I even had the job. I was like, yes. And thats a dangerous territory to be in because you fall in love, youre like, God, please. Its like that balance between manifesting versus being delusional (Laughs). So reading the book over and over again and understanding that this is my Reminders of Him bible. And thankfully, [author] Colleen Hoover co-wrote the script, so I kind of had a little cheat code with honoring the source material. And whatever Colleen Hoover wanted to see onscreen, she wrote in the script and talked with our director, Vanessa Caswill, who did a wonderful job of incorporating the most important things she felt the book had to offer. Because you cant put everything from a book to screen one-to-one, because then youd get into Harry Potter series movies.

But I would constantly go back and forth between if Id see a scene, Id go back to the scene in the book and understand things that I could keep track of. Like, Ledger likes to point. Kenna thinks thats hot. And Im like, OK, where can I point? (Laughs.) Sometimes its as simple as that. And then constant conversation with Vanessa and talking with Colleen and talking with my co-star, Micah Moreau, who did a wonderfully beautiful job at carrying the light for this film and being the beacon for so many different messages.

Zoe Kosovic and Tyriq Withers in Reminders of Him. Everett Collection In the film, Ledger is really stuck in the middle between two parties, while trying to be considerateof each. How did you balance these two sides onscreen in a way that still felt authentic in your performance?

We should name this Ledger in the Middle (Laughs). I think that hesitancy is so interesting to play because it doesnt make him less of a person; it just makes him human. And that level of empathy, I could only dream of having and the understanding and hearing people out. Ledger served as a mediator/therapist/son/chaperone/babysitter, and he had every right to hear everyone out. Theres three sides to every story: their side, their side and the truth. And that journey is what makes this character, this story interesting because it provokes a lot of questions, like, could I do that? Could I approach the situation with grace, with softness? I think his original reaction is to be tough and stern. And its like, you can get the same message across, but handle with care, move gently. You dont have to be ice cold, but try approaching things with a little warmth. And that journey is one that attracts me to the story too.

Reminders of Him was your romantic drama debut after starring in several horror and thriller movies(Him and I Know What You Did Last Summer). How excited were you to take on this new genre?

Horror, thriller, all these movies were scary to make, but I think Reminders of Him was the scariest one for me because youre living in the stillness, youre living in that gentleness, youre living in that universal want of people wanting to feel the romance and the yearning that you see between Ledger and Kenna. And what if people dont like the way I flirt? (Laughs.) Or what if theyre like, Um, its not doing it for me? (Laughs.) Im like, Thats scary. Him, I get the hide behind the football, athlete, like, Oh, I want to be the greatest. But now I have to hold this persons heart and I have to not drop it and caress it and speak life into it. And I wasnt taught that as a young man. Ive learned that and Ive gotten to a place in my life where I was able to authentically show that and portray that on camera. But how scary is it to be perceived for romance and that softness, emotional journey of Ledger and emotional capacity he has for Kenna. Reminders of Him was a big switch, something I want more of and want to pour into all my next projects.

Tyriq Withers in Him. Everett Collection Do you have a dream role or genre that you would love to tackle?

Yes, comedy. I think rom-com. All the greats have done it, and that is the most feel-good universal film. But then you can go on the other side of the spectrum, where its this soft, nitty-gritty movie of Aftersun. I think that is so profound and so creative and so metaphorical and so transcendent and revolutionary, that movie or a movie like that. Its powerful. I keep wanting to pour myself into these stories and use myself as a vessel so that these stories can come to life and become conceptualized and poured on screen and forever eternalized for people to sit back and watch. And one of my favorite movies is from the 80s, Stand and Deliver.

And then rom-coms, we can pop on a rom-com based in New York City and were sat. I can rewatch When Harry Met Sally day in and day out. That is when I learned what patience meant between becoming an actor and watching When Harry Met Sally (Laughs). I think that is decades-long persistence and commitment and trusting the process. I just have so much I want to do, and I went from chasing to manifesting the right stories that tap into a certain love that I want great things to find me.

You previously told THR that you spent your first Hollywood paycheck by taking yourself to Olive Garden because that was a luxuryfor you growing up, which I totally related to as a child as well. Now, with several Hollywood paychecks behind you, what do you make of all the success youve seen since then?

Oh, can I tell you, I went on a date once when I was in L.A. and I was like, Im going to do it. Im going to spend a check: Cheesecake Factory. And I didnt have a car, so she picked me up, whatever, thats not the point. And Im fresh fit, off the rack. Im dressed to impress. She pulls up. I got in and shes in Alo tights and a hoodie. And Im like, Wait, were not. I love to go to Cheesecake. Why arent we dressed up? She was like, Girl, its like the McDonalds of restaurants. And my whole perspective has been flipped. And I was like, No, its Cheesecake Factory. I know their menus long and theres a lot of items and you get decision fatigue, but Im dressed to impress. So Im still learning the art of what is luxury, so its luxury to me (Laughs). What was the question? (Laughs.)

(Laughs) I totally get you, because Ive learned my version of a nice restaurant might not be another persons version. But anyway, have you been able to wrap your head around the success youve seen since receiving that first paycheck?

Something that really smacked me in the mouth is taxes. People think actors make a lot of money, which we do. Im grateful to be making the money to where I have to pay those taxes. But then you get smacked with the commissions, you get smacked with the taxes, youre like, Damn. But what do I make of it all? Im just calm with everything and I dont really do it for the money. And as long as I dont do it for the money, thats when the right projects will find me.

Im enjoying the ride. I enjoy fashion, really putting on a nice outfit. I enjoy my job. My job as an actor is to show up on set and deliver, but a lot of people dont realize the job of an actor is taking care of yourself during the in-betweens. I have to protect my mind and my heart and my body and my spirit, because you spend the majority of your time off set, and theres only a small percentage of time where you hear as an actor, Action and cut. Thats like 0.01 percent of my life and the other 9.99 percent is me living. So its a reminder to keep living, keep experiencing. Thats why actors get better as they get older, because eventually, hopefully, God willing, I have kids and theres a different form of love that I was never able to tap into. And now I get to pour that on the screen.

If you had to describewhat makesTyriq Withers, Tyriq Withers, what would you say?

So my mom and dad. No, Im kidding (Laughs). I think what makes me me is that Ive been through the deepest, most tragic tunnels of darkness, and because I got to journey there or because I was sent into that darkness, I know where the light is. And what makes Tyriq, Tyriq, is the light that God bestowed upon me [and] the continuous radiating joy and wanting to have others feel that, both on set and on screen. So I think what makes Tyriq, Tyriq, is the mosaic of all his past experiences, both good and bad. And that is such a gift to have because that means I have lived and I have learned the pain that people can feel. And through that pain, I want to make sure people feel protected and loved.

What else makes Tyriq, Tyriq? Dad jokes. He loves chocolate. I hate being on the beach because sand gets in places we dont want to discuss. And Im developing an understanding of who I am, knowing that it is OK to not like something simply because you dont like it, and you dont have to like it because other people like it. And what makes Tyriq, Tyriq, is the journey of self-love and acceptance. And I get to do that in my art form and, hopefully, people feel connected in that.