Brian Michael Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brian Michael Smith
Smith at 2018 GLAAD Media Awards in New York City
Born	(1983-01-29) January 29, 1983 (age 42) Ann Arbor, Michigan, US
Education	Pioneer High School Kent State University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2012–present

Brian Michael Smith (born January 29, 1983) is an American actor. He is also an advocate for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) rights. He is well-known for playing Paul Strickland in the TV show 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Early Life and Sports

Brian Michael Smith grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was raised by his mother and a loving family. Even though he was assigned female at birth, he always knew he was a boy. He loved performing and playing sports.

At Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, he played football. He was a defensive end and fullback. He also set records in shot put and pole vault for the girls' track & field team. In 1999, he made history. He became the first athlete assigned female at birth to score a varsity touchdown in Michigan.

Acting Career

Brian Michael Smith has performed on stage. He did stand-up, sketch, and improv comedy. He also acted in plays both off-Broadway and in regional theaters.

First TV Roles

In 2015, he got his first speaking role on TV. This was in Season 4 of HBO's Girls. After that, he appeared in other TV shows. These included Blue Bloods, Person of Interest, and Law & Order: SVU.

Breakthrough Roles

Smith gained more attention for his role as Toine Wilkins. Toine was a police officer in Ava DuVernay's show Queen Sugar on the OWN. This role led to other important parts. He played political strategist Pierce Williams in Showtime's The L Word: Generation Q (2019).

In 2020, Smith made history again. He became the first openly trans man of color to have a regular role on network television. This was when he was cast as firefighter Paul Strickland in FOX's 9-1-1: Lone Star. He has also appeared in Chicago P.D., Girls, and Homeland.

Queen Sugar Role

In 2017, Smith was cast as Officer Antoine "Toine" Wilkins in Queen Sugar. Toine is a trans man. The show is about the Bordelon family in Louisiana. It is produced by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey.

Playing Toine was one of Smith's first chances to play a transgender character. This allowed him to use his own life experiences in his acting. In 2018, Ava DuVernay won an award for including LGBT people in her projects. She was praised for creating Toine Wilkins and casting a transgender actor in the role.

9-1-1 Lone Star Role

In 2020, Smith joined the cast of 9-1-1: Lone Star. He plays Paul Strickland, a transgender male firefighter. This role made him the first openly black trans man to be a regular on broadcast TV. Smith hopes his visibility helps others. He wants to encourage people to be their true selves.

Advocacy Work

Brian Michael Smith, Janet Mock, and Amiyah Scott at a panel discussion in February 2018.

After college, Brian Michael Smith taught young people about filmmaking. He worked with programs at the University of Michigan and the Tribeca Film Institute. He also worked with LGBT youth at the Manhattan LGBT Center. He learned how important it is for young LGBT people to see positive role models.

Since Queen Sugar, Smith has used his fame to speak up. He advocates for better representation of transgender people in TV and movies. He also encourages LGBTQ youth to create their own media. Smith publicly shared that he is transgender in 2017.

In 2018, he spoke at the University of Michigan. He joined Janet Mock and Amiyah Scott to discuss transgender lives. He also took part in a GLAAD panel during NYC Pride. They talked about how transgender people are shown on TV.

In August 2018, Smith joined other transgender actors. They were part of Variety magazine's first Transgender in Hollywood Roundtable. During the discussion, Smith said that artists should have choices in their roles. He believes their visibility should not limit them.

He continues to support transgender stories in film and TV. He was part of the documentary Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, released on Netflix in 2020. In June 2020, Queerty named him one of fifty heroes. These heroes are leading the way for equality and acceptance for all people. In 2021, Smith joined the Human Rights Campaign's Board of Directors. This group works for social and legal equality for LGBTQ+ people.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Brian Michael Smith para niños