Biography
Heinley Gaspard is an American actor, writer, producer, and improviser whose work spans theatre, television, and film. From Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Franklin Township, New Jersey, he was shaped by the duality of his Haitian roots and culturally diverse upbringing. From an early age, he had a curiosity for performance watching his sisters dance competitively while he pursued sports. That pursuit led Heinley to be a part of State Championship teams in Football and Track & Field and historic Conference Championships in Track & Field during his college years at Monmouth University. It was his post college years, after a dare from a personal training client that led Heinley to discovering that storytelling wasn't just a curiosity-it was a purpose. A product of rigorous training and lived experience, Heinley holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina and trained at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country: The William Esper Studio, The Upright Citizens Brigade in New York, and The Juilliard School of Drama Extension Division. With each chapter of his development, he refined his voice as an Actor -one that is grounded in emotional truth, intellectual curiosity, and cultural authenticity. His screen credits include the Festival de Cannes selected short film Coney Island Queen and the Sundance-selected experimental feature Omniboat: A Fastboat Fantasia, where his performance opposite Jessica Williams (Shrinking), Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Wire) and Saul Williams (Sinners) underscore a compelling versatility-equal parts dramatic depth and sharp comedic timing. Whether in front of the camera or on stage, Heinley's performances are a testament to how he approaches each role with a reverence for craft and a hunger to explore the human experience. A pivotal moment came when a young audience member, after seeing Heinley in August Wilson's Fences, said, "I saw myself up there." That interaction remains a north star in Heinley's artistic journey-a reminder that representation is not just powerful, but essential. Now based in the New York metropolitan area, Heinley continues to build a body of work that honors the complexity of the Black American narrative while pushing beyond its expected tropes. Influenced by the careers of artists like Jeffrey Wright, Wood Harris, Wendell Pierce, and Denzel Washington, Heinley, like Damson Idris, Jeremy Allen White, Danielle Deadwyler, Kara Young, Mamoudou Athie, Aldis Hodge, and so many more, is part of a rising generation of actors who are not only redefining what it means to lead-but how stories are told.
"Acting is my way of representing and sharing what I don't see on stage and screen but do see in the world, maybe what I want to see in the world" ~ Heinley Gaspard 2023~
