You probably recognize that voice before you even see the face. It’s high-energy, slightly frantic, and undeniably sharp. When Michael Urie burst onto the screen as Brian in the Apple TV+ hit Shrinking, he wasn't just playing another "gay best friend." He was doing something much more surgical.
Brian is a lawyer. He’s Jimmy’s (Jason Segel) best friend. He’s the guy who yells "Everything goes my way!" as a personal mantra while his life—and the lives of everyone around him—is basically a controlled house fire. Honestly, if you’ve been watching the show, you know that Brian is the secret weapon of the entire ensemble.
But there is a specific nuance to this character that people are finally starting to pick up on in the second and third seasons. It’s not just that he’s funny. It’s that he’s a "narcissist with a heart of gold," a description Urie himself didn't even realize fit until a therapist-fan pointed it out to him.
The Michael Urie Effect: Why He’s the "Acting Assassin"
In the industry, Jason Segel and the creators of Shrinking (including Ted Lasso’s Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein) have a nickname for Urie. They call him the "assassin."
Why? Because he shows up, hits every mark, and executes every joke with terrifying precision. You’ve got to remember that Urie isn't just a TV actor; he’s a Juilliard-trained theater powerhouse. He’s been the backbone of shows like Ugly Betty (as the iconic Marc St. James) and has dominated Broadway in everything from Torch Song to Once Upon a Mattress.
In Shrinking, he’s doing something different. He’s playing a man who was "ghosted" by his best friend for a year following a tragedy. That kind of emotional baggage usually makes for heavy drama. Yet, Urie plays it with a "plucky" attitude that masks a deep, neurotic mess. It’s a fascinating choice.
What Actually Happened Between Jimmy and Brian?
The core of Brian’s character is his history with Jimmy. When Jimmy’s wife, Tia, died in a car accident, Jimmy didn't just grieve. He spiraled. He stopped being a dad, he stopped being a therapist, and he completely iced out Brian.
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- The Estrangement: They didn't speak for a year.
- The Reconnection: Brian didn't just wait for an apology; he aggressively re-inserted himself into Jimmy's life.
- The Outcome: This created a "chosen family" dynamic that is the heartbeat of the show.
What’s wild is how Brian handles it. He’s mad, sure. But he also makes Jimmy’s grief about himself. He’s a lawyer, so he approaches emotions like a cross-examination. It’s hilarious, but it’s also a very real depiction of how some people process trauma through self-centeredness.
The "Narcissist" Reveal That Changed Everything
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly during the 2025 awards season, Urie shared a pretty funny story. He was at an event when a woman—a real-life therapist—came up to him. She told him she loved the show and specifically loved how he played such a perfect narcissist.
Urie was floored. He thought he was playing a guy who was just "confident."
But then he looked back at the scripts. There’s a scene in Season 2 where Jimmy literally asks him, "Are you really that much of a narcissist that you can't see what this is about?"
Brian’s response? "Yes, Jimmy. That’s what narcissism is, having the courage to put yourself above others."
It’s a brilliant line because it’s played for laughs, but it reveals the "tunnel vision" Brian operates with. He isn't malicious. He just genuinely believes the world revolves around his needs, his wedding, and his impending fatherhood.
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Brian and Charlie: Normalizing the Neurotic
One of the best things about Shrinking is how it handles Brian’s relationship with his husband, Charlie (played by Devin Kawaoka).
For years, gay characters on TV were either perfect saints or tragic victims. Brian is neither. He’s a mess. He’s loud. He’s obsessed with his own problems. And Charlie is the grounding force who has to deal with the fallout.
In the latest episodes, the couple is navigating the world of adoption and co-parenting. It isn't a "very special episode" about gay parenting; it’s a chaotic, funny, and stressful look at two people trying to figure out how a baby fits into a life already filled with high-maintenance friends and demanding careers.
Why Straight Men Are Obsessed With Brian
Urie recently mentioned that he’s being stopped on the street by more straight men than ever before. This is a huge shift from his Ugly Betty days.
It turns out, Brian is the ultimate "bro" best friend, just happenstance-ly gay. His friendship with Jimmy feels authentic to guys because they rag on each other. They scream at each other. They do "manly" things like boxing, even if Brian is doing it while wearing a perfectly tailored outfit.
He’s broken the mold of the "sidekick" and become a character that people—regardless of their orientation—see as a friend they actually know in real life.
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From Ugly Betty to the Emmys: The Evolution
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly two decades since Urie was the assistant to Wilhelmina Slater. If you compare Marc St. James to Brian, you see the growth of an actor who has mastered the art of the "supporting" role and turned it into a lead-level performance.
His work in Shrinking has already landed him:
- A Critics Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor.
- A Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
- A massive following on Apple TV+.
He isn't just the "shrinking actor" people search for; he’s a veteran of the craft who is finally getting the "prestige TV" flowers he deserves.
Actionable Insights for Fans of the Show
If you’re following Brian’s journey, there are a few things you should keep an eye on as we move into the next phase of the series:
- Watch the background: Urie is a master of physical comedy. Even when he’s not the focus of a scene, his reactions to Harrison Ford’s character (Paul) or Jessica Williams (Gabby) are gold.
- Revisit Season 1: Now that you know the "narcissist" angle, re-watch the early episodes. You’ll see that his "plucky" attitude is actually a very clever defensive wall.
- Look for the "Louis" connection: Brian often acts as the conduit between the main cast and the "outsiders" like Louis. It shows that despite his self-absorption, he has a weirdly high emotional IQ when it comes to strangers in pain.
Michael Urie has managed to take a character that could have been a caricature and made him the most relatable person on the screen. Whether he's shouting about his own greatness or quietly supporting a grieving teenager, he’s proven that being a "narcissist" doesn't mean you can't also be the best friend someone ever had.
The next time you see Brian on screen, look past the sharp suits and the fast talking. There’s a lot of heart in that neurosis.
To stay updated on the latest developments with the cast, you should follow the official production notes from Warner Bros. Television and Apple's pressroom for Season 3 filming updates.