Writer/actor Dewayne Perkins' comedy-horror The Blackening, which originally launched on Comedy Central as a sketch segment, headed to the big screen this past Juneteenth weekend. The film—directed by Tim story and starring Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, Yvonne Orji, Grace Byers, X Mayo, Melvin Gregg, Jermaine Fowler and Antoinette Robertson—follows a group of Black friends, while sheltering in a cabin in the woods, have to deal with a maniacal killer who wants them to sacrifice the Blackest of them all to stay alive.
EBONY correspondent Yonathan Elias caught up with the cast at the movie's New York black carpet premiere at the Apollo Theatre and asked them why Black folks should come out to support it.
"[The Blackening] shows several different views of Blackness. You get to see the fully-fleshed out characters. Usually in [this genre], we're the best friend or the token," shares Robertson. "In this movie, we are the main characters of our story. You get to see that and witness that."
"There are archetypes of Black people that you see in this film. And I think that everybody has that type of friend from the one who talks too much and the one who is messy," adds X Mayo. " Everybody is going to be able to relate to this film."
The Blackening begs you to interact with it, so bring your friend group along. We promise you can't help but root for everyone Black when you watch this film.
