Mykelti Williamson plays Gabriel `` Gabe '' Maxson in the film Fences .
Troy 's older brother , Gabe Maxson ( Mykelti Williamson ) , sustained a head injury in World War II that left him mentally impaired , for which he received a $ 3000 government payout that Troy used to purchase a home for his family .
Fences -LRB-film-RRB-