by Tim Gordon
On the latest episode of Conversations, we sit down with the team behind the historical drama, The Nickel Boys, the film stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Aunjunae Ellis-Taylor, and director Ramell Ross.
The film follows Elwood Curtis’ college dreams which are shattered when he’s sentenced to Nickel Academy, a brutal reformatory in the Jim Crow South. Clinging to his optimistic worldview, Elwood strikes up a friendship with Turner, a fellow Black teen who dispenses fundamental tips for survival.
Herisse and Wilson discuss their roles in the period drama, their journey of “finding their characters” and how they built their on-screen connection.
Ross is best known for his award-winning documentary Hale County. This Morning, This Evening. He shares his vision for the Nickel Boys and how he believes this film “has its memory.”
Celebrated actor Ellis-Taylor also shares her experience working on the film. She discusses finding her character at the center of the story and how the story doesn’t offer a happy ending. We’ll have this and more on the latest episode of Conversations.
Watch the conversations, below: