Exclusive: Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz talk ‘Nine Days’ & The Meaning Of Life
Currently in select theaters today and going nationwide on August 6 from Sony Pictures Classics is Nine Days, written and directed by Edson Oda, the celebrated commercials director who is making his feature debut.
The film stars Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong, David Rysdahl , Arianna Ortiz, Tony Hale, Bill Skarsgård, Perry Smith, and Geraldine Hughes.
Will (Winston Duke) spends his days in a remote outpost watching the live Point of View (POV) on TV’s of people going about their lives, until one subject perishes, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth. Soon, several candidates — unborn souls — arrive at Will's to undergo tests determining their fitness, facing oblivion when they are deemed unsuitable.
But Will soon faces his own existential challenge in the form of free-spirited Emma (Zazie Beetz), a candidate who is not like the others, forcing him to turn within and reckon with his own tumultuous past. Fueled by unexpected power, he discovers a bold new path forward in his own life. Making his feature-film debut after a series of highly acclaimed and award-winning short films and musicvideos, Japanese Brazilian director Edson Oda delivers a heartfelt and meditative vision of human souls in limbo, aching to be born against unimaginable odds, yet hindered by forces beyond their will...
For Duke, who is best known for his role as M'Baku in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, as well as starring in Jordan Peele's horror film Us opposite Lupita Nyong’o, this is his first big lead in an independent film. The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival before being picked up by SPC. He will be reprising his M’Baku role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
As for Beetz, who’s plays Van in the FX comedy-drama series Atlanta, her film credits include Geostorm, Deadpool 2, High Flying Bird, Joker and Lucy in the Sky.
BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales spoke with Duke and Beetz about Nine Days and the meaning of life as the film is being these post-COVID times.