Brian Michael Smith (born January 29, 1983) is an American actor known
for ground-breaking performances on television and advocacy for trans
representation in media. His role as Toine Wilkins, a transgender
police officer, in Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar, (OWN), launched him
into a series of high-profile roles including political strategist
Pierce Williams in Showtime's The L Word: Generation Q (2019) cast.
Smith became the first out black trans man in a series regular role on
network television when he was cast as firefighter Paul Strickland in
FOX's 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020). Other appearances include NBC's Chicago
P.D., HBO's Girls, and Showtime's thriller Homeland.Brian Michael
Smith was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was raised by his
mother, Ingrid Smith, an event planner and Ford Motor Company
employee, with the support of a close-knit family. He and his mother
spent his early years living with aunts, cousins and an adopted
brother. Although assigned female at birth, he identified as male, and
was perceived as male, throughout his childhood. He challenged
pressures to conform to his assigned gender role through performance
and athletics. While attending Ann Arbor Pioneer High School he played
defensive end and fullback on the boys football team during the fall,
and set records in shot put and pole vaulting on the girls track &
field team in the spring. On September 17, 1999, during a game at
Traverse City, Smith became the first assigned female at birth athlete
to score a varsity touchdown in the State of Michigan.Smith studied
acting and video production at Kent State University. Upon graduation,
he began teaching drama and media literacy to teens until he moved to
New York City to pursue a career in acting.
for ground-breaking performances on television and advocacy for trans
representation in media. His role as Toine Wilkins, a transgender
police officer, in Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar, (OWN), launched him
into a series of high-profile roles including political strategist
Pierce Williams in Showtime's The L Word: Generation Q (2019) cast.
Smith became the first out black trans man in a series regular role on
network television when he was cast as firefighter Paul Strickland in
FOX's 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020). Other appearances include NBC's Chicago
P.D., HBO's Girls, and Showtime's thriller Homeland.Brian Michael
Smith was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was raised by his
mother, Ingrid Smith, an event planner and Ford Motor Company
employee, with the support of a close-knit family. He and his mother
spent his early years living with aunts, cousins and an adopted
brother. Although assigned female at birth, he identified as male, and
was perceived as male, throughout his childhood. He challenged
pressures to conform to his assigned gender role through performance
and athletics. While attending Ann Arbor Pioneer High School he played
defensive end and fullback on the boys football team during the fall,
and set records in shot put and pole vaulting on the girls track &
field team in the spring. On September 17, 1999, during a game at
Traverse City, Smith became the first assigned female at birth athlete
to score a varsity touchdown in the State of Michigan.Smith studied
acting and video production at Kent State University. Upon graduation,
he began teaching drama and media literacy to teens until he moved to
New York City to pursue a career in acting.
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