Dear friends,
I still remember how I felt right before this powerful movie was about to begin.
Soon after it wrapped shooting, I was invited to a private screening and planning meeting for TILL, the riveting new film about Mamie Till-Mobley, her son Emmett, and Mamie’s courageous pursuit of justice and truth.
It was a small theater with just a few other people, including the iconic Whoopi Goldberg who plays Emmett’s grandmother, and Keith Beauchamp, whose history and journey with the Till family played a huge role in the movie coming to life.
But in the final few moments before the screening — I was honestly filled with anxiety about what I was about to see.
You see, my wife and I have three young children. August is 7, Adelaide is almost 5, and little Auden is 2. As a father thinking about my own babies while considering what happened to Mamie’s baby…I was just not sure this was a movie I could handle.
And then — Danielle Deadwyler, who plays Mamie, took the screen. From the very first scene, the theater, and my mindset, were absolutely transformed.
There was pain in this movie, but Emmett and Mamie’s love was bigger than their pain. There was hatred in this movie — but hate did not define their story. This was a movie about courage, about love, about strategy and organizing, and about how this beautiful boy was worth fighting for.
TILL – from acclaimed writer and director Chinonye Chukwu – is in theaters everywhere this coming Friday, October 28th. I cannot recommend this movie to you highly enough. Everyone – everyone – who sees TILL leaves transformed.
Tomorrow at 7pm ET, I’ll be talking with the star of TILL about the movie, her journey, and the road ahead, and taking your questions. I encourage you to join us for this exclusive conversation