Entertainment

'Atlanta's Brian Tyree Henry Joins 'HTGAWM'

by S. Atkinson
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Have you ever thought to yourself: how am I going to continue existing without regular Paper Boi updates in my life? Then today's your lucky day, my friend. Brian Tyree Henry will be on How to Get Away with Murder as a guest star, and this means that, although Donald Glover's directorial debut Atlanta won't be back on our screens until 2018, at least we'll get some screentime with one of the show's most charismatic presences to tide us over before then. Details are thin on the ground regarding Henry's role, but we do know one thing for certain: he'll be starring in the Feb. 9 episode, which, according to IMDB, is titled "Go Cry Somewhere Else."

This won't be the first time Henry has starred in a legal drama. Back in 2010, he appeared on The Good Wife as Randall Simmons, a man accused of murdering his wife. And, in 2009, he appeared on Law & Order. Plus, Henry is is impressive company. His stint on the show follows just a few months after their last major guest star, none other than musician/queen of my heart Mary J. Blige, who played Annalise Keating's hairdresser.

I know, I know. Snaps to How To Get Away With Murder for not just enacting the old casting-a-superstar-musician-as-themselves cliche.

While it wasn't a big role, on the announcement that Blige would be starring, show creator Pete Nowalk said it was a "part that could recur." Perhaps this might be the same for Henry's role? I'm hoping and dreaming that his part will get extended. Since Donald Glover is a busy man juggling a lot of commitments, the same reasons the release date for Atlanta Season 2 has been delayed (shooting the Star Wars prequel, working on new Childish Gambino material, promoting the new Marvel Spiderman movie) could come into play again if we get a Season 3. And honestly? I'm not up for another year-long Brian Tyree Henry famine.

So cross your fingers and toes that Henry's going to be every bit as great as he was in Atlanta. Then maybe we'll see even more of him in the HTGAWM world.