Rodney Burford

{{Infobox person

| name = Rodney Burford

| honorific_suffix =

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Rodney Burford Jr.

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, United States

| nationality = American

| education = {{flatlist|

}}

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 2020–present

| spouse =

| children =

| website =

}}

Rodney Burford is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Tony Hughes in the Netflix drama Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which premiered in September 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/dahmer-monster-netflix-true-story/|title=Is DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story based on a true story?|website=Radio Times|last=Adewole|first=Oluwatayo|date=29 September 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/dahmer-monster-netflix-series-review-true-crime.html|title=The Problem With Dahmer - Monster|website=Vulture|last=Chaney|first=Jen|date=23 September 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/dahmer-monster-review-netflix-evan-peters-1235379416/|title=Netflix's Jeffrey Dahmer Series 'Monster' Marks a Grim, All Too Predictable Addition to Ryan Murphy's Oeuvre: TV Review|website=Variety|last=Framke|first=Caroline|date=21 September 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}}

Early life and education

Rodney Burford Jr. was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Maryland School for the Deaf, before studying at Gallaudet University,{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/sep/21/deaf-americas-team-the-rise-of-the-gallaudet-university-bison|title=Deaf America's Team: the rise of the Gallaudet University Bison|website=The Guardian|last=Palmer|first=Joseph|date=21 September 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}} a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing.{{cite web|url=https://dnbstories.com/2022/10/about-rodney-burford-tony-hughes-dahmer-actor.html|title=All about Rodney Burford - Tony Hughes' actor in Netflix's 'Dahmer' story|website=DNB Stories Africa|date=October 3, 2022|access-date=October 4, 2022}}

Career

In 2020, Burford made his screen debut in the reality television show Deaf U.{{cite web|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a34248489/deaf-u-netflix-cast-members/|title=Here's What the Cast of Netflix's 'Deaf U' Is Up to Now|website=Cosmopolitan|last=Baty|first=Emma|date=October 2, 2020|access-date=October 4, 2022}}

In 2022, Burford guest starred as Tony Hughes,{{cite web|url=https://decider.com/2022/09/26/dahmer-episode-6-recap/|title='Dahmer' Episode 6 Recap: A Life Well Lived|website=Decider|last=Collins|first=Sean T.|date=6 September 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}} one of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's victims,{{cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.co.uk/entertainment/who-was-tony-hughes-jeffrey-dahmer-victim-48966701|title=Who Was Tony Hughes, Jeffrey Dahmer's 12th Victim, and Where Are His Family Today?|website=PopSugar|last=Bhadu|first=Pallavi|date=30 September 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}} in the 10-part Netflix crime drama series Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.{{cite news|url=https://www.nationalworld.com/news/people/tony-hughes-jeffrey-dahmer-netflix-victims-3865743|title=Jeffrey Dahmer: Anthony 'Tony' Hughes death explained, did deaf victim know serial killer before his death?|website=National World|last=Paul|first=Molly|date=3 October 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/mercado-on-tv-celebrating-heartbreak-high-sam-reid-as-vampire-lestat/|title=Mercado on TV: Celebrating Heartbreak High, Sam Reid as vampire Lestat|website=Media Week|last=Mercado|first=Andrew|date=30 September 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}} Amanda Whiting, writing for The Independent, described Burford's portrayal as "played with heartbreaking warmth" and praised the episode ("Silenced") in which he features predominantly.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/dahmer-monster-netflix-evan-peters-b2180392.html?amp|title=Why only one episode of Ryan Murphy's 'Dahmer' comes close to 'responsible' art|website=The Independent|last=Whiting|first=Amanda|date=3 October 2022|access-date=4 October 2022}}

Personal life

Burford is partially deaf, and has cochlear implants which help him to understand spoken language.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/27/arts/television/deaf-tv-representation.html|title=As More Deaf People Are Seen on TV, Others Want to Be Heard|website=New York Times|last=Parogni|first=Ilaria|date=27 January 2021|access-date=4 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/10/12/922936081/netflixs-deaf-u-shows-the-deaf-experience-through-the-eyes-of-students|title=Netflix's 'Deaf U' Shows The Deaf Experience Through The Eyes Of Students|website=NPR|last=Deggans|first=Eric|date=12 October 2020|access-date=4 October 2022}}

Filmography

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2020 \| Deaf U \| Himself \| 8 episodes
2022 \| Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story \| Tony Hughes \| 3 episodes

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2020

| Deaf U

| Himself

| 8 episodes

2022

| Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

| Tony Hughes