Richie-Merritt
Richie Merritt | Biography

Quick Wiki

  • Full Name Richie Merritt
  • Occupation Actor
  • Nationality American
  • Birthplace Baltimore, Maryland, USA
  • Birth Date May 23, 2001
  • Age 23 Years, 0 Months
Richard Wershe Jr. in 'White Boy Rick' 2018

Richie Merritt | Biography

Also in 'Clean', 'Euphoria' & 'Lola James'

Merritt got the title role of Richard Wershe Jr. without having any previous acting experience at 15 after Matthew McConaughey backed him. McConaughey convinced the team to take a chance and cast Merritt.


Richie Merritt is an actor known for his appearance as Richard Wershe Jr. in the 2018 film White Boy Rick.

Who is Richie Merritt?

Richie Merritt is an American actor born on 23 May 2001 in Baltimore, Maryland, US. He attended Dundalk High School.

Merritt debuted his acting career in the 2018 movie White Boy Rick at 15 with no prior acting experience. However, he was chosen in a nationwide casting search to play Richard Wershe Jr. Before flying to Los Angeles for the audition, he devoted two weeks with an acting coach, where he read scripts, as well as rehearsed some scenes a few times.

In 2021, Merritt appeared in his second film, Clean as Mikey. He was also featured in the popular TV series Euphoria as Bruce Jr. and his upcoming film is Lola James.

Merritt holds an Instagram following of 29.4k followers. Lately, he has been gaining popularity on social media because of his golden teeth.

Also Read About - Jim Parsons - Net Worth, Husband, Movies, & Age 

'White Boy Rick'

White Boy Rick is an American crime drama movie that premiered on 31 August 2018 and is loosely based on a true story. Merritt portrayed the role of Richard Wershe Jr. alongside Matthew McConaughey as Richard Wershe Sr., Bel Powley as Dawn Wershe, Jennifer Jason Leigh as FBI Agent Alex Snyder, and other cast members.

The plot revolves around teenager Richard Wershe Jr., played by Merritt, who worked as an undercover informant for the FBI in the 1980s before being arrested for drug trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

Merritt got the title role of Richard Wershe Jr. without having any previous acting bio at 15 after Matthew McConaughey backed him. McConaughey convinced the team to take a chance and cast Merritt.

In an interview with USA Today in 2018, Merritt mentioned that he didn't know who Matthew McConaughey was. He said, "I didn't know who he was at first. Because I'm used to watching action movies with, like, Will Smith or Mark Wahlberg, stuff like that." He continued, "But when I met him, it was like, 'I do know that guy.' I didn't know his name was Matthew McConaughey."

Richie Merritt with the Cast of 'The White Boy Rick' in 2018
Richie Merritt (Second From Right) with the Cast of 'The White Boy Rick' in 2018 (Photo: Instagram)

'Clean'

Clean is a crime drama film that first premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on 19 June 2021 and in the United States on 28 January 2022. The film is directed by Paul Solet and stars Adrien Brody, who also produced and wrote the film. Merritt played the role of Mikey, son of Michael, played by Glenn Fleshler.

The film follows a sanitation worker named Clean, played by Adrien Brody, who is tormented by his dark past and tries to live a quiet life of redemption. However, he is soon forced to confront the conflict of his past.

Clean also features other celebrities like Chandler DuPont as Dianda, Mykelti Williamson as Travis, Michelle Wilson as Ethel, and John Bianco as Frank.

New Project

Merritt has joined the cast of Lola James, an indie drama, where he will play the role of Malachi. Alongside Merritt, Raven Goodwin, Trevor Long, and Luke David Blumm were also cast. Lola James is currently in the post-production phase as of February 2022.

The movie follows the titular character, played by Nicola Peltz. She works hard to save enough money to get her younger brother, Arlo, played by Luke David Blumm, out of their toxic home. However, Arlo keeps her hopeful until one night when her entire world is turned upside down.

Fact-checking and Ethical Concerns

We assure our audience that we will remove any contents that are not accurate or according to formal reports and queries if they are justified. We commit to cover sensible issues responsibly through the principles of neutrality.

To report about any issues in our articles, please feel free to Contact Us. Our dedicated Editorial team verifies each of the articles published on the Biographyhost.