Why Lemon From Bullet Train Looks So Familiar

Brad Pitt is set to return to the action genre later this year when "Bullet Train" debuts on July 29. The film follows a hitman named Ladybug (Pitt) tasked with obtaining a briefcase that's aboard a bullet train currently making a journey through Japan. Along the way, however, Ladybug will find himself forced to contend with a host of colorful and deadly characters, all of whom have their own agendas aboard the titular train.

One particularly exciting character in the "Bullet Train" ensemble is Lemon, a British assassin and colleague of Aaron-Taylor Johnson's Tangerine. Not only is the character an intriguing foil to Brad Pitt's Ladybug, but he also likely will seem quite familiar to many members of the audience who see him, and that's because the character is portrayed by Brian Tyree Henry, one of Hollywood's most interesting character actors, who has slowly but surely developed a robust film and TV resume (as seen on IMDb). Given his rise to fame in recent years, let's take a look at some of the roles in Henry's career that stand out as favorites.

Like many actors of his generation, Brian Tyree Henry got his start on the small screen. Specifically, he cut his teeth with small roles on some of the biggest TV series of the late 2000s and early 2010s, with some notable roles being a one-episode arc on "Law & Order" (which is his first-ever credited on-screen role) as well as "The Good Wife" in 2010. From there, Henry went on to appear in numerous other prestige TV projects of the era, including the hit HBO series "Boardwalk Empire."

In 2016, Brian Tyree Henry starred in the role that would ultimately catapult him into public attention: Donald Glover's "Atlanta," where he played the role of Alfred Miles, a.k.a Paper Boi. The cousin to Glover's Earn, Paper Boi is an Atlanta-based rapper who grapples with his increased success as the show progresses. Paper Boi has become a fan-favorite over the course of the show's run, but Tyree almost didn't hold down the role. In fact, it was even revealed by Stephen Glover (via The Fader) that the original intent (true to the bizarre, surreal nature of "Atlanta") was that the show originally planned to have different rappers play Paper Boi in every episode. However, that idea was ultimately scrapped, and Henry kept the part to himself.

Brian Tyree Henry has seen increased success and praises as "Atlanta" progressed. When Season 2 debuted, he was nominated for several awards for his portrayal of Paper Boi. These included a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from the People's Choice Awards (via THR). He and his co-stars also earned a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (via Gold Derby).

In 2018, director Steve McQueen delivered the cult classic heist thriller "Widows." The film follows a group of women forced to pay back the debts of their husbands after the men were killed in a botched robbery attempt. In the movie, Brian Tyree Henry portrays Jamal Manning –- a notorious criminal who forces the film's core cast of widows (consisting of Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and Cynthia Erivo) to deliver $2 million that was stolen from him. In the film, he is flanked by "Judas and the Black Messiah" star Daniel Kaluuya, who plays his brother and enforcer.

The story of the release of "Widows" is something of a mixed bag. From a critical perspective, the film proved itself as a massive success, earning rave reviews (via Rotten Tomatoes) and widespread praise from the critic community. However, "Widows" underperformed at the box office, earning just under $76 million against a $40 million budget (via The Numbers).

Until recently, the "Child's Play" franchise had remained one of the most consistently canon-driven slasher properties in the horror genre. However, the series finally received a remake in 2019 when the series reimagined the Chucky doll as an artificial intelligence gone rogue. In "Child's Play," Brian Tyree Henry played Detective Mike Norris, a police officer investigating the mysterious deaths taking place around Andy Barclay (Gabriel Bateman). The character is a reimagining of the Detective Mike Norris character who appears in the original "Child's Play" film portrayed by Chris Sarandon. The remake initially sets up a grisly demise for Mike, which ultimately turns out to be a fakeout, allowing his character to survive the events of the movie.

"Child's Play" was a moderate success upon its debut in 2019. The film cost roughly $10 million to make, and it earned $45 million at the box office (via The Numbers). Not a substantial blockbuster, but it performed well relative to its low cost. As of 2020 (per Screen Rant), director Lars Klevberg had expressed interest in returning for a second film in the franchise. However, there has been no development on a possible "Child's Play 2" since then.

In 2019, Todd Philips delivered one of the most highly awarded comic book movies of all time with the release of "Joker." The film cast Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a tortured aspiring comedian who spirals down a dark path in Gotham City circa the 1970s. In the film, Arthur eventually visits Arkham Asylum to learn more about his mother's mysterious past with Thomas Wayne. During this sequence, he briefly befriends a clerk named Carl played by Brian Tyree Henry. While Carl is initially friendly to Arthur, he grows increasingly suspicious of the proto-Joker as their conversation progresses.

As a film largely separated from the greater Batman canon, "Joker" did not include many other notable DC characters in its roster. As such, Brian Tyree Henry's role in the film is relatively minor and doesn't necessarily hint at any greater implications for Arkham Asylum in that corner of the DC universe. Henry's casting is notable, however, as he is one of two major "Atlanta" stars to appear in the film, with the other being Zazie Beetz, who portrays Arthur's neighbor.

After joining the superhero genre for a small cameo role in Todd Philips' "Joker," Brian Tyree Henry got to dive in headfirst with the release of "Eternals" in 2021. The Marvel Cinematic Universe film follows a group of ancient alien warriors ostensibly sent to earth on a peacekeeping mission from the Celestials. In the film, Henry portrayed Phastos, a scene-stealing genius who gifts humanity with brilliant technology. However, Phastos ultimately decides to leave humanity behind when he witnesses the horrors his technology brings about after the United States drops two atomic bombs at the end of World War II.

As of right now, it remains unclear as to what the future may hold for Brian Tyree Henry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The ending of "Eternals" sees him captured by the Celestial Arishem, along with several other fellow Eternals, setting up a possible rescue mission for a second film. That said, there have been no definitive announcements for a second installment in the "Eternals" franchise, but to be fair, Marvel tends to be highly secretive regarding what the future holds. Regardless, it's easy to assume that many fans would love to see more of Phastos in the future.