By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
While Tobie Windham can credit a lot of people and places for what he’s doing in films, one thing has been a constant, he said: “I’ve always repped Birmingham hard because being from Alabama is a part of why I’m doing what I’m doing.”
Windham recently showcased his skills in season 2 of Netflix’s “The Vince Staples Show,” which premiered on Nov. 6. The program, a semi-autobiographical comedy created by rapper-actor Vince Staples, alongside co-showrunners Ian Edelman and Maurice Williams, has been praised for its dark humor and surreal take on everyday life. Netflix renewed the show for a second season in May 2024, after the first season earned critical acclaim.
“[Staples] is doing some magical Black stuff. I’m not fully privy to know everything that is happening, but I love the story that [Staples] is creating,” said Windham, whose character, Milton, appears in the episode “Country Mane,” bringing his own flavor to the show’s offbeat mix.
Windham said his contributions to acting are deeply rooted in his upbringing in Birmingham. Drawing on his Southern background and experiences, he brings authenticity and depth to every role he undertakes.
“Growing up in Birmingham, Ensley area, gave me an instinct for rhythm, truth, and emotional honesty,” said Windham. “I pull from everyone—my uncles, aunties, cousins, the folks at church over in West End, my karate studio in Pratt City, afternoons at the mall in Fairfield, the neighborhoods that shaped me. Those people live in my work. They remind me to stay grounded. They give my characters weight. And they remind me that characters aren’t concepts, they’re real people with real lives.”
Appearing on a high-profile Netflix series is more than just another credit for Windham. It’s coming home of sorts, he said, a validation of years of hard work and artistic dedication.
“My journey from Alabama stages to mainstream streaming reflects the growing visibility of Southern talent on national platforms,” Windham said.
First Major Role
The Magic City native graduated from Minor High School in Adamsville, Alabama.
“I’ve been in the arts since I was young, but I really started to figure out that I was pretty good when I attended Minor [High School]” said Windham. “Minor really allowed me to hone some skills. It gave me my first lead role.”
His first major role at Minor was in a school-wide play, he recalled. “I can’t even remember the name of it now, but I’ll never forget the moment. I was playing a love interest, and me and my scene partner were about to kiss for the first time. Right as we leaned in, Mike McClure, now known as Pastor Mike Jr., [founder of Rock City Church and award-winning gospel music artist], yelled out, ‘No, Tobie, don’t do it!’ and the entire theater erupted. We laughed for a solid two minutes. I stayed in the moment, played with it, stretched that beat for everything it was worth. That was the day I learned the power of presence, timing, and letting the audience carry you.”
After graduating from Minor, Windham earned a theater scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he gained valuable stage experience, including a lead role in a positively reviewed production of renowned Black playwright August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson.”
“I auditioned for the role of Boy Willie at UAB, and that’s how I landed it,” said Windham. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Stepping into a Wilson character changes you. Boy Willie was the role that pushed me toward graduate school for acting, and it’s also the role that introduced me to my wife. That play gave me both a calling and a family.”
Windham earned a Bachelor of Arts in theater from UAB and later a Master of Fine Arts in acting from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California. His classical training has been the “foundation” for his expansive career across television, theater, and digital media, Windham said. During his time at the American Conservatory Theater, he spent a month in Italy. He has also performed in major festivals, such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF).
Memorable Roles
Two roles shaped him while spending time at the OSF, Windham said.
“One, [playing Antipholus of Syracuse in William Shakespeare’s ‘The Comedy of Errors’]—a wild farce of twins and mistaken identity—gave me a new level of comedic freedom and physical awareness. [The other], the role of [Civil Rights Movement strategist] James Bevel in ‘The Great Society’—a historical drama about [U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.] during the signing of the Civil Rights Act—taught me how to carry history, responsibility, and emotional rigor on stage. OSF is also where my voice as a writer and director started to emerge. Being there stretched every part of me.”
Windham’s first television audition was in 2016, when he landed the lead as Will in “Walk the Prank,” a series that premiered on the Disney XD network. After the show wrapped, its creators Adam Small and Trevor Moore, began work on a new show called “Just Roll With It,” a live-action Disney Channel sitcom that aired from 2019 to 2021.
Windham got the role Byron in “Just Roll With It” and continued his television run with Disney. In 2023, he landed a recurring part in HBO’s dark comedy “Barry,” an acclaimed television series that contained elements of black comedy, crime drama, psychological drama, and tragicomedy.
His extensive resume reads like that of a seasoned stage and screen veteran. Asked his age, Windham said, “Somewhere between 27 and 40 in Hollywood years.”
“The Vince Staples Show” is now available to stream on Netflix.
