MHF Digital Cover May 2026

B.J. Minor, Star in the making and a Force who’s crossing barriers. MHF got the privilege and the honor to talk to and interview him and share that with all of you. We are so honored to be able to feature him on our MHF May 2026 digital cover. 

B.J. Minor says, sometimes, my own story still feels a bit unreal. If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d morph into young Mike Tyson for Hulu’s MIKE, I probably would’ve laughed out loud. I’m queer, I’m non-binary, and suddenly I was training to embody a boxing legend—one whose presence in the ring is almost mythic. That sort of opportunity doesn’t exactly show up on your vision board. 

The experience was as intense as you’d imagine. I landed the role in September 2021, and from that moment until December, my world revolved around learning how to become Tyson. I’d never boxed before. Not once. So I started from zero—no muscle memory, no fight instincts, just raw determination. My trainers—Marco Morales in Los Angeles, Ann Wolfe in New York (and yes, it was the Ann Wolfe!), plus Don Theerathada and Daniel Graham in New Orleans—had their work cut out for them. They built me up from scratch, teaching me how to move like Tyson, how to channel his energy. It was grueling, but I never felt alone. Every jab, every stumble, every breakthrough was made possible because I was surrounded by people who believed I could do it. 

Finding Tyson’s voice was its own journey. With the help of my vocal coach, T.J., I learned to inhabit not just Tyson’s sound, but his story—a story that’s complicated, raw, and deeply human. That process changed the way I see boxing, and honestly, it shifted how I think about personal transformation. There’s so much power in stepping into someone else’s life, even for a little while. 

But acting isn’t my only world. I’ve also been lucky enough to work in fashion and beauty—spaces that, let’s be real, can still be pretty rigid when it comes to gender and presentation. I just wrapped a print campaign with Ulta Beauty, and it means more than I can say. As a non-binary person who doesn’t fit the usual “androgynous” mold—think strong jawline, broad shoulders—I know what it feels like to stand out for all the so-called “wrong” reasons. But I love those parts of myself. I wouldn’t trade them for anything. To be celebrated by brands like Ulta for exactly who I am? That’s huge. It’s proof that the industry really is changing, one campaign at a time. 

Visibility is everything. Whether I’m on set for Bel-Air, Grey’s Anatomy, The Sympathizer, or showing up in beauty campaigns, I hope my presence makes space for others who haven’t always seen themselves reflected back. I want people to know that you don’t have to squeeze yourself into someone else’s idea of who you should be. Showing up as yourself is enough. In fact, it’s powerful.  

That’s what I hope to keep doing—on every set, in every campaign, with every project. Because if even one person feels seen because of it, then it’s all worth it.  
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