Salamishah Tillet
Posts
Why Nina Simone Was Always Ahead of Her Time
A recently unearthed live version of “Blues for Mama,” written by Simone and Abbey Lincoln in the 1960s, took on domestic abuse in a momentous...
Directors Savanah Leaf and A.V. Rockwell Talk ‘Earth Mama’ and ‘A Thousand and One’
The directors of “Earth Mama” and “A Thousand and One” compare notes on complex portraits of Black motherhood that reject ’90s stereotypes.
Apocalypse Nowish: An Octavia Butler Opera May Be Prophetic
Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon adapted Butler’s dystopian “Parable of the Sower.” Their opera makes its New York debut at Lincoln Center’s Summer for...
How the Oscars and Grammys Thrive on the Lie of Meritocracy
Despite all the markers of excellence, contenders like Danielle Deadwyler, Viola Davis and Beyoncé weren’t recognized for the highest honors. Niche awards don’t suffice.
11 Ways I Escaped Reality This Year
Our critic was haunted, in a good way, by the performances she saw in movies, theater and TV that offered glimpses into other worlds.
11 Ways I Escaped Reality This Year
Our critic was haunted, in a good way, by the performances she saw in movies, theater and TV that offered glimpses into other worlds.
Corey Hawkins, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in ‘Topdog/Underdog’ and the Art of Deception
Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II discuss their electrifying performances in the Broadway revival of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
The Women of ‘Wakanda Forever,’ the ‘Black Panther’ Sequel
For the “Black Panther” sequel, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright and their castmates leaned on each other to get through the grief-stricken shoot.
At the BlackStar Film Festival, a Revelatory Understanding of Cinema
Specializing in work by Black, brown and Indigenous directors, the annual Philadelphia event showcases experimental work from around the world.
‘Boomerang’ at 30: Think of It as the Robin Givens Rom-Com
It’s remembered as Eddie Murphy’s bid at romantic stardom and as a key point in Halle Berry’s career. But the riveting antagonist arguably created a...