Tim Story‘s The Blackening is one of the most-anticipated all-black cast horror comedies of 2023. Although the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival towards the end of 2022, it is scheduled for international release in mid-June of 2023. The Blackening takes a satirical look at the infamous troupe of black people dying first in horror movies. When a masked killer confronts a group of African-American friends in a cabin in the woods, he forces them to play his sick game to save themselves.
However, things take a turn when the killer tells the group to rank their degree of blackness to determine the right order to kill them. Tim Story is no stranger to black comedy, having directed notable works like Barbershop (2002), Ride Along film series, and Kevin Hart‘s stand-up comedy films. However, The Blackening stands out not only for its amazing screenplay but the performances of its top casts. These are the top cast members of The Blackening and where you know them from.
Grace Byers as Allison
Grace Byers plays Allison, one of the seven friends at the cabin. Allison suggests the friends split up to survive the night. Byers is no stranger to television, having made her debut in one of the most-watched shows, Empire. She appeared as a series regular in 66 episodes of Empire as Anika Calhoun from 2015 to 2013. The actress also played Reeva Payge in 16 episodes of The Gifted (2018–2019). Byers is currently a cast member of Amazon Prime Video’s comedy series Harlem as Quinn Joseph.
Antoinette Robertson as Lisa
Antoinette Robertson plays Lisa in The Blackening. Robertson has appeared as a guest star, recurring, and main cast in several TV shows. Notable mentions are Melissa Wilson in Oprah Winfrey Network’s crime drama The Haves and the Have Nots (2014–2018). Robertson played Coco, Colandrea Conners, in Netflix’s Dear White People (2017–2021). Robertson’s last appearance on television was as the recurring cast character of Vivian Jefferson in season 3 of Diggstown (2021).
Dewayne Perkins as Dewayne
The multi-talented Illinois State-born comedian, writer, and actor Dewayne Perkins play a character named Dewayne in The Blackening. As an actor, Dewayne can be remembered for playing Ray in Peacock’s revival American sitcom series Saved by the Bell (2020–2022). Dewayne is currently cast as Hector on Netflix’s sitcom The Upshaws.
Sinqua Walls as Nnamdi
Sinqua Walls plays Nnamdi in Tim Story’s The Blackening. Walls has had an extensive career in film and television since his career began in 2007. One of his earlier appearances in film was in David R. Ellis‘ horror Shark Night (2011). Walls’ latest appearance was the 2023 sports comedy White Men Can’t Jump, where he played one of the lead characters, Kamal.
In television, he has starred in several popular TV shows throughout his career. Walls played Jamarcus Hall in Friday Night Lights, Daniel in The Secret Life of an American Teenager, Sir Lancelot in Once Upon a Time, and Shawn in Power. Walls has played two main roles on television, Terrance Baltimore in The Breaks (season 1) and Don Cornelius in American Soul.
X Mayo as Shanika
X Mayo is cast in The Blackening as Shanika. The movie will be X Mayo’s third credit in the film, having debuted in 2019. She’s a writer, actress, and comedian and became a staff writer for The Daily Show from 2018 until 2021. X Mayo played Robbie in the comedy-drama Strangers. X Mayo landed a main role as Dori Ovens in the NBC sitcom American Auto. She played Cheeks in a single episode of Amazon Prime Video’s Swarm (2023).
Melvin Gregg as King
Melvin Gregg is a popular face on television, with appearances in several original series. Gregg plays King, one of the seven friends at the cabin in The Blackening. Nnamdi often teases Gregg’s character for marrying a white woman. Gregg is known for playing Erick Scott in the sports drama High Flying Bird (2019), Marcus Parrish in The Way Back (2020), and portraying Joe Guy in the biographical drama The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021).
In television, Gregg played LaShawn Devereux in Hulu’s horror series Freakish from 2016 to 2017. Gregg joined the cast of Netflix’s American Vandal in a recurring role in season 2 as DeMarcus Tillman. He played Manboy, Drew Miller, in seasons 3 and 4 of Snowfall. Gregg’s last main cast role was in 2021 Nine Perfect Strangers as Ben Chandler.
Jermaine Fowler as Clifton
Jermaine Fowler plays the cool character Clifton. Clifton convinces the group he has the least blackness by stating he’s gay and voted for Donald Trump twice, amongst other things. Fowler is everything in one, as an actor, comedian, actor, and producer. He portrayed Mark Clark in the biographical crime drama Judas and the Black Messiah (2021). His most prominent role on screen was as Lavelle Junson-Joffer, Akeem’s long-lost son, in Coming 2 America (2021).
Yvonne Orji as Morgan
Yvonne Orji plays Morgan, the captured friend of the group. The group is forced to play The Blackening game to save Morgan’s life, or so they thought. Orji is a Nigerian-American actress and comedian with a popular face on television. Orji is famously recognized for her role as Molly Carter in HBO’s comedy-drama Insecure, which she starred in from 2016 to 2021.
She also played in Clay Tarver‘s buddy comedy Vacation Friends (2021). She also hosted Amazon Prime Video’s comedy special Yearly Departed (2021). While audiences look forward to her performance in The Blackening, Orji’s last work on television was on Netflix’s computer-animated science fiction comedy series My Dad the Bounty Hunter, where she voiced the character Tess.
The Blackening is scheduled for release on June 16, 2023.
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