Introduction
Death is ever present in Vicaria’s world – violence, police brutality, substance abuse and after watching her mother and brother succumb, she’s had enough. Vicaria is going to put an end to all this death…by bringing the dead back to life.
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will be available in theaters on June 9, 2023, and it will be on Demand and on Digital on June 23, 2023. It will also stream on ALLBlk and on Shudder at a later date.
Synopsis
Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes, CBS’ The Equalizer) is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Angry Black Girl And Her Monster thematically challenges our ideas of life and death. Bomani J. Story, the film’s writer, and director, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that, despite the terrors of systemic pressure, will survive and be reborn again.
Cinema Scholars’ Glen Dower recently sat down with one of the stars of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, Denzel Whitaker. They spoke about the film’s modern take on Frankenstein, working with Laya DeLeon Hayes and Denzel’s foray into the MCU, among other topics.
Interview
Glen Dower:
Denzel Whitaker, how are you, Sir?
Denzel Whitaker:
My man, Glen. I’m good, how you doing?
Glen Dower:
I’m good. We’re here to talk about your new film, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. Quite a mouthful for a movie title. When the script crossed your path, did you know it was a Frankenstein reimagining, or were you instantly intrigued?
Denzel Whitaker:
No, I had no clue when it came across my desk, The Angry Black Girl…and her Monster…what could that be? What is that? I’m trying to remember, did I get the full script? I think I dove right into the sides and I’m reading it and it was really about the conflict between Kango and Vicaria. Obviously, they (the director and producers) are like, can this dude act? Then you read the script and you find out it’s about Frankenstein. It’s like, oh, okay. Yeah!
Glen Dower:
Did you have a Eureka moment? ‘Oh, I know of this story…’
Denzel Whitaker:
I definitely did. I definitely did. But it was the setting that was so intriguing to me. The way Bomani (J. Story, director) was really able to spin and weave that and craft it, I thought it was really dope. You know, think of a Frankenstein film, usually in some village somewhere.
Glen Dower:
Yes. A foggy countryside where everyone owns a pitchfork. The references are more subtle in some parts of the film than in others. We have moments with blinding electricity, then we have the name of the main character, Vicaria/Victor. Plus, Vicaria is nicknamed The Mad Scientist in the neighborhood. While we are talking about Vicaria, she is of course played by Laya DeLeon Hayes. She is fantastic. Wow.
Denzel Whitaker:
Laya’s phenomenal! She is such a brilliant young actress. I mean, honestly, from day one, since the callbacks, when I met various different actresses that were going out for Vicaria. I remember being paired with Laya and I was just like, nah, she’s got it. It was the spontaneity, it was this play that we were able to do because all of our recordings were over Zoom. This was still coming out of Lockdown, coming out of the pandemic, so we couldn’t be in person. And so imagine connecting like this, having to then act with internet lag or whatever else you’re dealing with. And you could just tell there was just this nuance, this depth to her and, such an incredible person. So, so thoughtful, generous when you’re acting across from her, because that’s the thing, you want to be considerate as two people within a scene, sharing space and understanding story, you know, want to give and take. This is supposed to be your moment. This is where we can lift each other up, et cetera. I couldn’t give her enough compliments. She carried the film.
Glen Dower:
Yes, definitely. But ably supported by yourself and a great cast. Let’s talk about your role as Kango. Your character at the start, we think perhaps just a one-dimensional villain. He is the gang leader with an iron fist around the community. We hate him on sight pretty much. But then, he has a definite arc. Were you happy about that change? He starts out as the villain, who will most probably face the grizzliest end, but of course, he then becomes an ally, becomes a protector. Were you happy with the evolution of Kango?
Denzel Whitaker:
Absolutely. It’s something that I was more adamant about. In fact, when I first met Bomani and we were talking about the character of Kango, I wanted to find out, where was the humanity? I didn’t want a character that was basically one note. That’s just the villain all the way through. Or just the evil drug dealer, that’s up to no good. That wasn’t intriguing to me. And I’m very glad that Bomani, the way he wrote the character and what he had in its inception, he was like, nah, we’re never going to do that. That was something he was adamant about as well. So, that to me is what really drew me to the character.
Glen Dower:
I don’t want to give too much away for our readers, of course. No spoilers, but the way the story concludes in the final act, could be continuing story, there are developments. Kango could have a future. Is that something you and the director have talked about?
Denzel Whitaker:
Oh, man! Who’s to say? Who’s to say?!
Glen Dower:
Okay, I won’t press you too much on that. But your performance of Kango; was it based on anyone in particular from your own life? Someone you’ve grown up around, who was the guy you don’t want to talk to or to mess with? Or maybe the guy you want to impress, maybe want to keep on his right side in the community? Or did he come from within?
Denzel Whitaker:
I can’t say Kango was developed based on one person in particular, but I think it’s a multitude of people that I’ve just met within my lifetime. It’s coming from where we come from. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had more of a privileged life and maybe safer than my counterparts from my same background. But at the same time too, you’re one foot in foot out, and so you kind of know some OGs. And again, one of the things that Bomani and I really wanted to find within Kango, and of course find within all of these people within the community, is on the surface from the outside looking in, everybody will just kind of judge them for a character. Kango, you just want to judge him as a gang banger, judge him as a drug dealer, judge him as again, somebody who’s up to no good or just about crime.
But it’s moments that happen to little Jerome at the end where the gang sort of shows up. It’s moments, like how you said, the turning point for Kango, how he almost kind of becomes a protector in a way. There is a humanity to them. We even see moments with Kango and his family member, a private moment where we get a window into what he cares about the most. Everybody cares about something. And when we’re all born, we have way more love than hate within our hearts. So it’s about finding what is that line. And there are plenty of OGs that I met over time and they’re some of the most thoughtful, kind, and loving people, but unfortunately, because of their circumstances, they’ve had to harden. And so they wear this shell and that’s how society sees them.
Glen Dower:
That makes a lot of sense. One more question. I am a big MCU guy, but when I first watched this film I was constantly thinking ‘Where do I know Denzel from?’ and I could not figure it out. Then it hit me, and of course, you play the younger version of Forest Whitaker’s character, Zuri, in the prologue of Black Panther. What was your experience of working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Denzel Whitaker:
Oh my God, man, honestly, it was a dream come true. I’m a nerd myself. I grew up on comic books. I mean, as you can see, there’s just fandom within this room of things that I love about childhood memories. And to be a part of the MCU is to be a big kid all over again. It was a privilege and an honor to work with Ryan Coogler, the late Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, to join and work with all these wonderful thespians, Angela Bassett, Sterling K. Brown, the list goes on and on, right? But nevertheless, just to be a part of that film, to experience that scale was something that I’ve never done in my entire career, and I’m just truly grateful for it. I would love to jump back in.
Glen Dower:
And again…who’s to say?
Denzel Whitaker:
Who’s to say?!
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://cinemascholars.com/the-angry-black-girl-and-her-monster-an-interview-with-star-denzel-whitaker/&media=https://cinemascholars.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/poster-1.jpg&description=Cinema%20Scholars%20interviews%20Denzel%20Whitaker,%20star%20of%20the%20new%20science-fiction/horror%20film%20"The%20Angry%20Black%20Girl%20and%20Her%20Monster."){kind=link}