Brian Tyree Henry captures hearts by opening his own A breakdown of the spectacular, but underrated rise of Atlanta’s ‘Paper Boi’

Ella Buckingham Staff Writer

For some, his name may not ring a bell, but his face definitely does—and for others, his name alone garners instant respect. Ranging from Broadway to Emmy-winning TV shows and blockbuster films, Brian Tyree Henry has done it all. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina and raised in Washington, D.C., his childhood was forever changed when he first saw John Singleton’s classic 1991 Boyz n the Hood and was blown away by Angela Bassett’s character, Reva Styles. Impressing him with both her presence and versatility, Bassett’s performance cemented Henry’s desire to be an actor.

Henry’s career contains the tried and true elements of hard work, talent, and sheer good luck, as exemplified by his breakout performance as the General in the original Broadway cast of The Book of Mormon in 2011. In 2016, he garnered critical acclaim for playing Alfred ‘Paper Boi’ Miles in the FX dramedy Atlanta , a role that landed him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He was later nominated for a Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in Lobby Hero in 2018. And as of this past week, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Causeway , where he starred alongside Jennifer Lawrence. Coming full circle, Henry is nominated alongside his former idol, Bassett, for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever . Henry celebrated with a stranger in an elevator when he first got the news, later writing on social media, “...thank you for hugging me and not freaking out!!”

Brian Tyree Henry has been slowly but steadily working his way up the ladder of success, amplifying underrepresented voices through the characters he chooses to play along the way. Beginning from his roots at Morehouse College, a historically Black college in Atlanta, Henry has put conversations about Black masculinity and vulnerability into the spotlight. Henry admits he used to not get too close to his characters, keeping them at arm’s length and, usingthem as a shield, making a clear divide and not letting his personal emotions affect his acting.

But now, Henry is moving away from this emotional austerity and embracing vulnerability—and it’s doing wonders for his career. In recent performances, audiences are connecting with not only Henry’s portrayals, but with the actor as well. This on-screen authenticity breaks down the wall that separates where the actor ends and the performance begins, immersing viewers in a more genuine experience, a side effect that he derives a lot of joy from. Henry’s new vulnerability is especially evident in Causeway , which was directed by Lila Neugebauer, a longtime friend of his from the Yale School of Drama. His role as James Aucoin, a mechanic dealing with physical and mental trauma, forced Henry to come to terms with how his own grief has affected him, and allowed him to translate that on-screen.

Balancing the intimately personal aspects of his characters with the universal, the roles that Brian Tyree Henry has played have helped him establish a good rapport and reputation amongst audiences while uplifting the diverse experiences of Black men for the film industry. His character, Phastos, in Marvel’s Eternals is the first openly gay super-powered person in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will hopefully pave the way for better inclusion and range within this often ‘straight’-laced set of characters. He is also set to reprise his voice role as Jefferson “Jeff” Davis, the father of Miles Morales, a.k.a. Spiderman, in Sony’s upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse . The openness and vulnerability with which Henry approaches his work truly makes him one of the people’s favourite actors and has helped him capture the hearts of audiences everywhere.

Girl in the Goldfish Bowl ran from Tuesday, Jan. 24 to Friday, Jan. 27 at Morrice Hall.

Dogs’:

Experiment

Concept

Amalia Mairet Contributor

Mac DeMarco was trying to break out of an artistic rut, a process that led to the conception of his latest project, Five Easy Hot Dogs. The album, released on Jan. 20, follows DeMarco’s road trip after a Bay Area show in mid-January of last year. He began driving north up the California coastline, plan- ning to stay on the road and write every day until he had completed a record. The songs were mixed in childhood bedrooms and basements of friends’ houses; each title corresponds to the city where it was written. The album tracks his journey chronologically, encapsulating DeMarco’s musical and geographical progression in an ambitious but ultimately flat way. While writing on the road, DeMarco explored the limits of minimalism: The record was made with only an eight-channel system, DeMarco’s guitars, a bass, a half-sawed drum kit, some mics, an old Model D portable synthesizer, and a keyboard. The sound is stripped down, lightly percussive, cohesive, and evershifting.

The album features a few standout songs, such as “Gualala,” which exhibits DeMarco’s dreamy, plucky guitar riffs and

Drink & Draw Life drawing event

classic soft drums. It sounds like a lazy afternoon on a Californian highway: repetitive, lightly pushing forward, but nonetheless relatable. DeMarco later makes his way to the Canadian West Coast, starting in “Victoria.” A melodic xylophone line over consistent bongos and guitar perfectly mimics the town’s slow pace and hippy-ish culture. He eventually moves into “Vancouver” with a metropolitan coolness and an almost jazzy guitar and bass line that’s the most playful of all the tracks.

The album is far from bad, but tends towards blandness. The instrumentals are simple, and the songs lack his usual compelling lyricism. His slow, repetitive arrangements mimic the album’s theme of losing yourself on an endless road trip; DeMarco succeeds in making his boredom musically palpable, but this leads to a somewhat dull album overall. This road trip was supposed to break him out of his routine but instead is reminiscent of a bizarre, transient fugue state. Through each song, and the story of the album’s conception, he tracks a listless artistic journey north.

Justin Bieber: Canada’s wrongfully maligned hero

Practice your life drawing skills in a friendly, welcoming queer space! All levels welcome; bring your own drawing supplies. Model will be provided.

Wednesday, Feb. 2nd, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Bar Le Cocktail, 1669 Rue Ste-Catherine E

Hair!

Get transported to NYC to celebrate Hair!’s nearly 60th anniversary of spreading their message of inclusivity, intersectionality, and gender identity.

Thursday-Saturday Feb. 2-4, Doors 6:30 p.m.; Show 7 p.m. Moyse Hall Theatre, Arts Building $10, buy tickets online

KPOP dance workshop

Love dancing to KPOP? Join casual and serious dancers alike in a choice of one or two dance workshops.

Sunday, Feb. 5, 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m.; 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m.

Espaces des Arts - Studio Fit; 9 Rue SteCatherine E 2nd floor $15 for one workshop, $25 for two Mark Abley book launch

Gather to launch Abley’s newest nonfictional book: Strange Bewildering Time: Istanbul to Kathmandu in the Last Year of the Hippie Trail. Refreshments will be provided.

Sunday Feb. 2nd, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Librairie Paragraphe Bookstore; 2220 McGill College Ave Free

Is it too late now to say sorry? Why Canada owes Justin Bieber an apology

Aimee DeLong Contributor

When we think of famous Canadians named Justin, one particular name comes to mind—and no, it’s not Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Instead, it’s pop sensation and heartthrob Justin Drew Bieber. Though the young man’s initial rise to stardom was met with admiration and praise back in 2009, the musician has recently been reduced to somewhat of a running joke in Canadian pop culture. But why exactly did this sudden drop in Bieber Fever occur?

While his arrest in 2014 for driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and Xanax may have lost him some points with parents, it’s difficult to fathom how the same genius that wrote “Yeah, you got that Yummy-yum” could become so tragically irrelevant among the youth. After all, a bad boy is every teen’s dream come true, and nothing screams rebellion like a side-swept fringe and a purple hoodie. His destruction of an Icelandic canyon thanks to the filming of his “I’ll Show You” music video shows that he is more than willing to stick it to the man. This incident is not his only anti-establishment action disrupting the incredibly corrupt systems of government—he was also forced to abandon his pet monkey Mally in Germany back in 2013.

Bieber’s rise to fame can be owed to the combined efforts of his own talent and access to YouTube. After all, it was his cover of “So Sick” by Ne-Yo that garnered the attention of record producer Scooter Braun, in turn landing him R&B singer Usher as a mentor. Despite Usher’s helping hand, Bieber came up with “Like, baby, baby, baby, oh / I thought you’d always be mine, mine” something Shakespeare could only dream of writing—all on his own. But do not take these lighthearted, whimsical lyrics for granted—he can also be clever. “I get my weed from California” is clearly a joke, seeing as the Ontario-born star knows all too well that Canada is home to legal marijuana of the highest caliber.

All of his other accomplishments aside, one revolutionary, national contribution truly makes Justin Bieber stand out—Timbiebs. The legend himself collaborated with Tim Hortons, a Canadian restaurant chain boasting North America’s finest dining, to create a medley of deli- cious Timbits and stylish merch that took the nation by storm. With the rate at which toques and fanny packs are flying off the shelves, the boxes alone sell online for a handsome sum of $950,000. In fact, the Timbiebs taste so incredible that customers are afraid of developing an addiction, which is the only logical explanation for why the flavours are growing stale behind glass display cases. Fellow Canadian pop star Drake vouched for the quality of these treats, demanding that Bieber and Tim Hortons “right this wrong” after their temporary discontinuation.

And not only has Bieber won the hearts of young girls around the world, but he has also managed to catch the eye of numerous famous actresses. Every hero has a bit of arm candy— Theseus and Ariadne, Shakira and

Piqué—and Bieber is no exception. For instance, the musician’s onagain-off-again relationship with Selena Gomez has entertained the tabloids for years, going so far as to manufacture a love triangle involving Bieber’s current wife Hailey Bieber (formerly Baldwin). The fact that he can romance the two gorgeous gals proves that he deserves our endless adoration. If he can win both Gomez and Baldwin back, then why not Canada?

The Great White North has been home to many heroes—Terry Fox, Tommy Douglas, Wayne Gretzky— why should Justin Bieber be hailed any differently? His achievements rival, and arguably even surpass, those of his predecessors. He is a perfect representation of the Canadian dream: He can solve a Rubik’s cube, has his own clothing line, and wrote a song with Ed Sheeran. But will Canada ever see Bieber for the gem that he undeniably is? Never say never.