After graduating college with high honors, Lyriq Bent originally began his career as a Computer Graphic Technician. Bent's plans, however, were short-lived as he decided to take up acting on a dare. Since then, his career has gained considerable momentum with numerous film and television appearances already under his belt. Bent's eclectic mix of roles and rising popularity has earned kudos in both his native Canada and the U.S. Accordingly, Playback Magazine has gone so far as to even nominate Bent as one of Canada's top rising stars. Prior to landing a co-starring role on Lifetime's recent drama series "Angela's Eyes" from the producers of Crash, Bent guest starred on the UPN series "Kevin Hill" opposite Taye Diggs and USA Network's "Kojak" opposite Ving Rhames. Additionally, the versatile actor had recurring roles on the CBS/Zoetrope series "Platinum" and the ESPN/Disney series "Playmakers." He has since been featured in Columbia/TriStar's series "Street Time" as well as the Canadian series "Blue Murder." Bent also appeared in Robert Townsend's multi-award winning television movie "10,000 Black Men Named George" and the telefilm "Jane Doe" alongside Teri Hatcher. Bent's success in film has also been burgeoning. His film credits include starring opposite Mark Wahlberg and Andrè 3000 in the John Singleton film "Four Brothers" and "Take the Lead" with Antonio Banderas and Alfre Woodard. Bent also co-starred in the smash horror films Saw II and Saw III and will star as central character in the upcoming Saw IV (October 26 release date) He also appeared in "Honey" alongside Jessica Alba and Mekhi Phifer and "Crime Spree" with Gerard Depardieu. Furthermore, Bent has starred in director Michael Mabbott's critically acclaimed debut feature film, "The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico," which premiered at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, winning the award for Best First Canadian Feature Film. Most recently, Bent co-starred in Lion's Gate horror film, "Skinwalkers," with Jason Behr and Rhona Mitra, which is due for release this summer. Currently, Bent is filming the CBC mini-series "Guns" opposite Elisha Cuthbert and Colm Fiore. This project lies close to his heart since it shows the grim consequences that ensue from gun violence - something that Bent knows all too well from his tough childhood. It reminds the young actor how grateful he is to have stayed away from that unsavory influence during his formative years. It is that kind of single-minded focus which undoubtedly plays into Bent's success. Bent is as passionate about sports as he is about acting. He plays golf, basketball, baseball as well as soccer, and is no stranger to his kitchen.
