Names get tossed around in Hollywood all the time. Usually, it's the actors themselves who grab the headlines, but lately, people have been digging a bit deeper into the roots of the industry's newest faces. If you’ve seen the 2025 sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer or caught that wild episode of Atlanta, you definitely know Tyriq Withers. But behind every "overnight" success story—which, let's be honest, usually takes about ten years—there are the parents. Specifically, Leon Withers Jr and Kimberly Hart.
They aren't Red Carpet regulars. You won't find them chasing paparazzi or posting sponsored content on TikTok. Honestly, they’ve lived a pretty private life in Jacksonville, Florida, far away from the glitz of Los Angeles. Yet, their names keep popping up because fans are genuinely curious about the foundation that produced one of the most grounded and talented young actors in the game today.
Who Exactly are Leon Withers Jr and Kimberly Hart?
Basically, they are the parents of Tyriq Withers. That might sound like a simple answer, but it’s the core reason anyone is searching for them. Leon Withers Jr. and Kimberly Hart raised Tyriq in a household that seemingly valued two things: hard work and family loyalty.
Leon is Black and Kimberly is white. This multiracial background is something Tyriq has actually navigated on-screen, most notably in his breakout performance as "Aaron" in the Atlanta episode "Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga." It was a heavy, nuanced look at identity, and you've gotta wonder how much of that performance was shaped by growing up in a household that blended different cultures and perspectives.
They aren't just "parents of a star," though. They've dealt with the kind of real-world stuff that makes Hollywood drama look like a cartoon.
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A Family Defined by Resilience
Life hasn't been a straight line for this family. While Tyriq was making waves at Florida State University—playing wide receiver as a walk-on, no less—the family was hit with a massive tragedy.
Leon Withers Jr and Kimberly Hart had three children: Tyriq, a daughter named Cayla, and an older son named Kionte. In 2021, Kionte passed away in a car crash. He was only 26. When you look at Tyriq’s career trajectory after that point, you see a man who is clearly driven by something deeper than just wanting to be famous. He's carrying a legacy.
- Leon Withers Jr: Often described as a steadying presence.
- Kimberly Hart: The mother who saw her son go from the football field to the film set.
- The Jacksonville Roots: The city where they built their lives and where Tyriq developed the work ethic that saw him graduate with degrees in Business and Marketing before even tackling Hollywood.
Clearing Up the "Kimberly Hart" Confusion
Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. If you grew up in the 90s, the name Kimberly Hart triggers one specific memory: the Pink Power Ranger.
Honestly, it's a bit of a search engine nightmare. Amy Jo Johnson played a character named Kimberly Hart on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Because that character is so iconic, a lot of people land on Tyriq's mother's name and think there’s a secret connection to the Morphin Grid.
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There isn't.
Tyriq's mother, Kimberly Hart, is a real person from Florida, not a fictional gymnast from Angel Grove. It’s just one of those wild coincidences that happens in a world with billions of people. She’s not out there fighting Putties; she’s been busy supporting her kids' actual dreams in the real world.
The Influence on Tyriq's Career
Why does this matter? Well, in an era where "nepo babies" are everywhere, the story of Leon Withers Jr and Kimberly Hart is refreshing. They didn't hand their son a career. Leon and Kimberly watched their son walk onto a major D1 football team at FSU through sheer grit. They watched him earn two degrees.
When Tyriq finally moved to LA, he wasn't some spoiled kid with a safety net. He was a guy who knew what loss felt like and what hard work looked like.
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You can see that influence in his roles. Whether he’s playing Teddy Spencer in the 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer or lead roles in projects like HIM, there’s a maturity there. He doesn't play "young and dumb" characters very often. He plays characters with weight. That usually comes from home.
What Most People Get Wrong
People tend to look for a "scandal" or a "secret" when they search for celebrity parents. With Leon Withers Jr and Kimberly Hart, the "secret" is just normalcy.
- They aren't industry insiders: They are private citizens who happen to have a very famous son.
- Identity is a theme: Tyriq has been vocal about his biracial identity, and Leon and Kimberly provided the environment where he could explore that authentically.
- They prioritize education: Insisting on those degrees in Business and Marketing before the acting bug took over shows a level of parental pragmatism you don't always see.
Moving Forward
If you're following Tyriq Withers' rise to the A-list, you’re essentially watching the fruit of the labor put in by Leon Withers Jr and Kimberly Hart. They represent a specific kind of American story—one of mixed heritage, southern roots, immense personal loss, and eventual triumph through their children.
As Tyriq continues to land major roles in 2026 and beyond, Leon and Kimberly will likely stay in the shadows, and that’s probably exactly how they want it. They’ve already done the hard work of raising a man who knows how to handle the spotlight without losing his soul.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to support the work this family has put in, keep an eye out for Tyriq’s upcoming projects. Watching Atlanta (Season 4, Episode 3) is still the best way to see the depth he brings to the screen—depth that was undoubtedly nurtured by his parents back in Jacksonville.