Students taking Derrick A. King’s Intro to TV and Film class at Howard University are looking for their big break in show business, while King is on the brink of his own. 

The Prince George’s County native, who recently joined Howard’s College of Fine Arts as an acting instructor, is featured in the new “Why Did I Get Married Again?” movie, premiering Sept. 9 on Netflix. King portrays Nick, a man connected to the character portrayed by Howard alumna Taraji P. Henson (BFA’95), Roselyn. “Why Did I Get Married Again?”, directed by Tyler Perry, is the third movie in Perry’s comedy-drama franchise, last seen in 2010 with “Why Did I Get Married Too?” King and Henson are new to the series that also includes returning stars Jill Scott, Richard T. Jones, Tasha Smith, Sharon Leal, Michael Jai White, Lamman Rucker, and Perry.  

King’s character Nick, described as a “mystery man” by Ebony magazine, is “somebody who has a lot of love and he’s a very genuine character. He’s very honest about what it is that he does for Taraji Henson's character.” 

Image

“Why Did I Get Married Again?” may allow adjunct lecturer King’s students to potentially see their instructor’s career move to the next level in real time as the movie represents his most high-profile project to date. His acting portfolio includes roles in TV shows such as “4400,” “Run the World,” “The Game,” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” 

“I really feel it’s going to be life-changing, definitely career-altering. I’m playing opposite Taraji P. Henson. I’m still wrapping my head around that,” King said. “Prayerfully, I’m banking on this being a big break, a recognizable break at least where from this moment on, I’m in the Tyler Perry universe in one of his biggest franchises. At the very least, I’m the guy from ‘Why Did I Get Married Again’?” 

King added, “To think that Tyler Perry had to look at me and said ‘I’m going to choose this guy to play against an Oscar-nominated actress in my biggest movie franchise,’ being the biggest Black creator in the history of the world, and ‘I’m going with this guy.’ That’s beyond flattering. Flattering isn’t even the word. It truly is an honor and it’s humbling.” 

The Moment is Now 

“Why Did I Get Married Again?” is the second time King was up for a role in a Perry production. He previously auditioned for the BET+ series “Bruh” but wasn’t cast. “That wasn’t the moment,” he said. 

“Why Did I Get Married Again?” looks like the moment, the casting that could change his life. The role came at the hands of casting director Kim Coleman, who had previously cast him in “Run the World” on Starz. She took King’s name to Perry, and he said the only way he could have booked the role was if she convinced Perry he’s a star worthy of performing opposite a Taraji P. Henson. 

Image

King and his fellow Howard-connected co-star Henson didn’t have much bonding time during the film’s brief shoot, which was mostly in Lake Como, Italy, in September 2025. Additional shooting took place in Atlanta. Henson congratulated him and told him how impressive it is that he works at Howard. 

“She said ‘You have to be good because you teach at Howard University and I went to Howard University.’ She spoke highly of the professors here and of the University and being a part of this legacy.  She’s grateful she’s able to claim that. We got to rally around that with our initial meeting,” King said.  

He was first made aware of the actress in the 2001 movie “Baby Boy,” and always respected how Henson is always “110 percent herself.”

Knowing Who You Are 

Showing acting students how to be their authentic selves is one of the most important things King said he can bring to Howard students. He allows students the freedom to be themselves. At the same time, he’s teaching them how to portray characters while infusing their own individuality. 

“I say this and I mean it – God can’t bless who you pretend to be,” said King. “Often in this industry, if you don’t know who you are, they’re going to tell you who you are. They’ll pull you left and they’ll pull you right. We’re going to find out who you are, what makes you uniquely you, your tone, experiences, what you like, what you’re gone through, where you’re from, what you want out of life. The only thing that nobody can be in this world better than you is you. 

He also tells students about what he calls “essence, what it is that people receive from you before you even open your mouth.”  

Image

King, who has acted since he was five, studied at Thomas G. Pullen K-8 Creative and Performing Arts School in Landover, Maryland, which is the extent of his acting training. He said in his instance it was his life experience, not attending an acclaimed arts school, that helped secure his role in the new movie.  

“Where does that happen?” King asked, referring to his path. “I have all the experience. I was a background actor for years. I have an agent, a manager, and did the whole process in the most authentic way with no family connections. I’m from D.C., not L.A. This is what it looks like when you don’t luck up, when you work to get to where you’re going. That’s what my curriculum is.” 

He relays his many life experiences as an actor to his students in class as he draws from his new book “The Acting Book I Wish I Had: Lessons Navigating the Industry Alone” (2026; Collective Castle). The book is a comprehensive guide to the craft, business, and inner life of a professional actor, told from King’s first-hand perspective. He said the book covers everything the industry expects you to know but doesn’t tell you. 

Image

It’s organized as a five-act structure mirroring the journey of a career. He decided to write the book, culled from his notes from the first day he decided on becoming an actor in 2015 while living in Los Angeles, once he landed his role at Howard. 

“This is the acting book I wish somebody gave me when I first said I wanted to be an actor. It explains every gem that I have. Everything I have experienced is in that book. I never had a need to organize my notes before. Needing to build a curriculum gave me the reason to organize them,” King said. 

The Mecca’s Calling  

Landing at Howard feels right to King, a graduate of a fellow HBCU, Clark Atlanta University, where he had active roles as an orientation guide and in his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. 

“I claimed all parts of the HBCU life,” said King. “To be here at The Mecca is unfathomable. It wasn’t even on my mind. I work a nine-to-five job. I’m an analyst manager. I get a call (spring 2025) from Howard. ‘Hey, we’re looking for someone to teach acting in TV and film and your name came up in conversation.’ Someone was speaking highly on my name when I wasn’t in the room, which is a blessing from God and I’m thankful for that.” 

That blessing first began to take shape when his friend Mark McKinnon (BFA’09) a Howard alumnus, invited him on campus for the College of Fine Arts’ annual Acting and Musical Theatre Showcase in 2024. There, he met Fine Arts professor Eric Ruffin (BFA’88), which is how his name came into the conversation of being the TV and film instructor Howard. 

“They called me and suggested I put in an application,” said King, who’d never taught in a higher education setting before.  

But King did teach acting over 100 students through his Actors Rampage studio while he was based in Los Angeles. “I know what I teach students, but I never had to put it in curriculum form. I went home and smashed a PowerPoint. Everything I learned about presenting myself, I put it there. I don’t have an MFA, so it was one of those things where I’m going to have to get this opportunity by showing them I’m worth my grit here. And I did.” 

King said Howard’s students are beyond talented, focused, and willing to put in the preparation to be great like those before them. 

Potential to Fill Legendary Shoes 

“They have not just raw potential, but they have this go-getter attitude because they went to The Mecca, a school that’s so prestigious. The shoes that they have to fill, the people who stepped in these halls, you can insert the list right here,” he said. 

Image

He recently watched an interview with actress Lynn Whitfield (BFA’75) in which she talked about her family legacy at Howard, and how the school made her who she is. 

“Coming into this (BFA) program, if nothing else, you know you have something to put on for. For you to shine here, you have to shine brighter than Chadwick Boseman?” he asked, incredulously. “You’re shooting for the moon, so the least you’re going to fall is the stars. It’s a privilege to be able to work with young people who are focused and dedicated, ready to work.” 

Looking forward, King can’t pinpoint what’s next. For him, that’s the exciting part. 

“Obviously, I have the rest of the semester to teach. I still have my corporate job,” King added. And then, there’s his new role in “Why Did I Get Married Again?”  

“I’ve been going so hard towards this dream. I don’t believe God brought me this far just to bring me this far. I think this is a launching pad, and I’m excited to see where this launching pad takes me.” 

Top photo: Derrick A. King and Taraji P. Henson in "Why Did I Get Married Again?" Photo courtesy of Netflix