DeRon Horton
DeRon Horton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 25, 1992 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) |
| Occupation | Actor, musician |
| Years active | 2012–present |
DeRon Horton (born November 25, 1992) is an American actor and musician, best known for his portrayal of Lionel Higgins in the Netflix series Dear White People (2017–2021).[1][2] He has also appeared in notable projects such as Burning Sands (2017), Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), and American Horror Story: 1984 (2019).[3][4]
Early life and education
Born in Houston, Texas, Horton relocated to Saudi Arabia at the age of 10 due to his father's professional commitments. He later returned to the United States to pursue higher education at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where he majored in Performing Arts.[5] Horton has stated that his time at SCAD was formative for his artistic development.[6]
Career
Breakthrough roles
Horton's acting career began with appearances in short films and minor television roles, including a guest spot on Haven in 2012.[7] His breakout role came in 2017 with the Netflix original film Burning Sands, where he played Zurich, a college student grappling with fraternity hazing.[8]
The same year, Horton gained widespread recognition for his role as Lionel Higgins in Dear White People.[9] His portrayal of a shy, gay student navigating identity and activism at a predominantly white Ivy League university was praised for its depth and authenticity.[10]
Subsequent work
Following his success in Dear White People, Horton appeared in several film and television projects:
- Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) as Derrell Ellerbee
- American Vandal (2018) as Lou Carter
- American Horror Story: 1984 (2019) as Ray Powell
- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022) as Hilly
Personal life
In December 2024, Horton sustained a gunshot wound to his arm during an incident involving his vehicle. He underwent surgery and has since been recovering, expressing gratitude for the support he received from fans and colleagues.
Filmography
Film
- Dirty Grandpa (2016) as Georgia Student
- Burning Sands (2017) as Zurich
- Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) as Derrell Ellerbee
- Dirt (2018) as Dez Truss
- After Everything (2018) as Nico
- Bad Hair (2020) as Kieren Johnson
- Endless (2020) as Jordan
- Bliss (2021) as Liang
Television
- Haven (2012) as Savage #5 (1 episode)[11]
- Lethal Weapon (2016) as Marcus (1 episode)[12]
- Dear White People (2017–2021) as Lionel Higgins (40 episodes)[13]
- American Vandal (2018) as Lou Carter (7 episodes)[14]
- American Horror Story: 1984 (2019) as Ray Powell (8 episodes)[15]
- Drunk History (2019) as Ernest Green (1 episode)[16]
- The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022) as Hilly (6 episodes)
References
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Actor DeRon Horton Says He Was Shot Before Holidays". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Actor DeRon Horton Shot Before the Holidays". Rolling Stone. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Actor DeRon Horton Shot, Says He's "Healing"". Deadline. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' actor Deron Horton reveals he was shot before the holidays". Entertainment Weekly. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "Dear White People's DeRon Horton Says He Was Shot In The Arm". Blavity. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Actor Deron Horton Reveals He Was Shot Days Before Christmas: 'Def Wasn't on My Wish List'". TheGrio. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "Dear White People actor Deron Horton reveals he was shot". Sky News. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "Dear White People star Deron Horton reveals he was shot days before Christmas". The Independent. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' star DeRon Horton reveals he was SHOT in the arm". Daily Mail. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' actor Deron Horton reveals he was shot in the arm". People. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Actor DeRon Horton Reveals He Was Shot in the Arm". The Hollywood Reporter. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People's DeRon Horton Was Shot in the Arm, Says He's Lucky Not to Be Paralyzed". Just Jared. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Actor Deron Horton Was Shot Before the Holidays". Yahoo! Entertainment. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "Dear White People actor Deron Horton shot in arm before Christmas". NationalWorld. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Star Deron Horton Shot Before Christmas". BET. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ↑ "'Dear White People' Actor DeRon Horton Reveals He Was Shot Days Before Christmas". IMDb. January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.