Brian Tyree Henry is no stranger to complex characters or emotionally layered performances, but his latest role in Apple TV+ ‘Dope Thief’ may have led him down one of his most personal journeys yet!

Brian portrays the role of ‘Ray’ a former hustler working tirelessly to reshape his life despite being consistently reminded of his deep rooted mistakes from the past.

In an exclusive sit-down, the Emmy-nominated actor opened up to us about the challenges and power of surrendering.

“I think for me especially, there’s so much that I still want for him, you know, there’s so much that I still need for him, but I needed him to need it more for himself,” says Brian as he reflects on his character’s journey.

“But I’m also quite proud of how it turned out, because, you know, he kind of reclaimed a lot of things for himself, including his freedom.”

Brian continued, “You know, like, that’s how recovery works. You take the first step, and you realize you reached a rock bottom, and you have to take the first step, but it’s all on you. And so I think, for me, I think that what I really, really am proud of for Ray is that he surrendered in a way that gave him hope.”

“And because surrendering is really hard to do, speaking from personal experience, because I find myself holding on to a lot of stuff, and I think that surrendering is, is one of the hardest things to do, but one of the most amazing skills to hone if when you do it.”

He adds, “I’m glad that Ray, got that part for himself.”

‘Dope Thief’ explores the complexity of addiction, substance abuse, suicide, self identity, redemption, and the battle between survival.

Brian previously expressed his hopes for ‘Dope Thief’ and how it will challenge viewers to rethink their relationship with trauma.

“There’s power in telling the truth,” he said. “Not just in performance, but in life. When you stop running, that’s when the healing begins.”

Noir Nation be sure to tune into ‘Dope Thief’ now available for streaming exclusively with Apple TV+

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