How Sinners Prioritized Women of Color, and Why More Horror Films Should
This piece will contain spoilers for the film Sinners.
Film has always been an integral part of my life, and the most impactful ones have always found me when I needed them most. The morning I saw Sinners, I found out that I had not gotten an internship that I was hopeful about. Not only was it at a production company I like, but it would have also fed my interests in the advancement of people of color. Despite my mood, I saw the movie and was pleasantly surprised by the array of emotions I felt, even more so by how much of the film was reliant on the strength of women of color. I found that I was moved most by the depiction of resilience, and that it was a true testament to my own strength even in trying times.
Sinners is filled with a cast of color, women having prominent roles that make a substantial impact on the plot. Wunmi Mosaku, a Nigerian actress, plays Annie in the film and propels the plot along as someone who practices Hoodoo. The primary conflict of Sinners is vampires, and Annie is made critical in this movie, as she is the only one with knowledge of how to defeat them. Set in the Southern Mississippi Delta, the influence of music is ingrained in the culture. Jayme Lawson is another Black actress, and she plays a powerful singer, Pearline, who adds to the amazing ambiance of the juke joint, which the film’s second and third act is set in. Li Jun Li is a Chinese American actress whose character, Grace, finds herself at the party as well, agreeing to help the film’s protagonists, who are twins both played by Michael B. Jordan.
Image by Dave Bennett/Getty Images, embedded via Getty for editorial use.
In what was a rather sad day for me, seeing Wunmi, Jayme, and Li Jun’s characters on screen had me feeling revitalized about life. Their appearances defied stereotypes and tropes like the disposable black girlfriend, and that admittedly made me smile. Annie, for example, is the love interest of Smoke. Smoke is one of the two characters played by Michael B. Jordan, and her expertise is held in high regard by everyone on screen. Pearline is a love interest as well, having caught the attention of Sammie, a cousin of twins Smoke and Stack. While their relationship seems fleeting because Pearline is married, the film still establishes her necessity when she stays throughout the night and fights off the vampires with them. Grace’s presence is one that also adds to the fortitude shown on screen. All of her actions motivated by the desire to protect the town and, most importantly, her daughter.
Still from Sinners (2025), directed by Ryan Coogler. © Warner Bros.
Well-known vampire lore explains that they cannot be let into a home without being verbally invited—the same is true in Sinners. In an act that defies this, Grace dares the large group of freshly turned monsters to come inside and fight the noticeably smaller group. In this fight, only two survive, none of them being the women of color in the film. While this goes against something I usually like to see occur, women of color overcoming their antagonists, each of them went out on their own terms. Each of the on-screen deaths was characteristic and effective as a viewer. Knowing the fate when bitten by vampires, Annie requests to be protected from the transformation and killed if it occurs, and it does. Pearline’s death is full circle—she chooses to stay in the juke joint, a place where she’s had a chance to express herself and make a meaningful connection in a single night. Grace’s death is quite brutal; Grace crafts a Molotov cocktail in an attempt to burn the group of vampires to which she eventually falls when attacking her own husband, who had turned. Her husband, Bo, has his memories searched and their daughter’s location revealed. This revelation is what drives Grace’s rash actions, but in the end, saves her daughter.
In a post-credit scene of Sinners, two characters discuss that despite the events of the night some years ago, that before the sun set, it was the best day of their lives. In the darkness of such a bleak event, there is a peace in reflecting on the community that was found in the juke joint. The women are shown in this quick montage, their presence being essential to their recollection of the event. That not only solidified for me that their characters were written with care, but that there is room for other horror works to make similar changes that prioritize women of color. For me, watching a film can leave me feeling renewed, especially in a time when I am most questioning my direction. Sinners put into perspective how worth it is to try again, that the emotion evoked from me is a feeling I hope to feel again when watching films. Imagine how many more people would be compelled to persevere through life if films were crafted with as much love as Sinners, if tropes continue to be subverted and stereotypes cast aside. Are there any films that left you with that same sense of renewal as I had with Sinners? How have they impacted your life long term?
