Every Performance We Loved On Screen In 2020

Netflix’s first original African series, Queen Sono tells the story of an unconventional spy with a mysterious past who works for an undercover South African agency devoted to protecting the people of Africa—and who just might be the superhero of our dreams. This action packed thriller—and yes, there is a lot of glorious ass-kicking—was created and produced with an entirely South African cast and an all–African crew. — Paula Rogo, January/February 2020 issue

The film, written and directed by Stella Meghie, stars Issa Rae as Mae, an art curator who falls in love with a journalist, played by Lakeith Stanfield, who’s writing a story about her estranged mother, a photographer. The Photograph also stars Lil Rel Howery, Teyonah Parris, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Y’lan Noel and Chanté Adams, who’s turn as Issa’s onscreen mother moved us to tears. Literally. — ESSENCE editors, 2/12/20

There was a moment in late February when I found myself watching Hulu’s High Fidelity on a loop. I’d be begin with wanting to be as cool as Rob (played by Zoe Kravitz), the hopelessly heartbroken romantic who did lose a really good thing with Mac (Kingsley Ben-Adir). On my second binge, I’d be cheering for Cherise (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) to be seen for the badass rock star that she is—by everybody. For the third time, I’m watching for the fellas: Kingsley, Rainbow Sun Francks (fun fact: he’s Cree Summer’s brother) and my new white boy crush Jake Lacy. — Cori Murray

The series features a plethora of characters and as many intertwined storylines, and while the on-screen tension between Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon can cause shivers, Lexi Underwood’s scenes with Washington, who portrays her mother, Mia, escalate from tender to explosive in record time—and then, back again. — Regina R. Robertson, 3/26/20

Lena Waithe brought BET its first show with an LGBTQ+ lead. Loosely based on Waithe’s own start in the entertainment industry, Twenties follows Hattie, a queer Black woman (Jonica T. Gibbs), and her two straight friends, Marie (Christina Elmore) and Nia (Gabrielle Graham), as they chase their dreams in Los Angeles during their twenties. — Tre’Vell Anderson, March/April 2020 issue

In Uncorked, Niecy Nash’s best scenes are the ones where she’s with her onscreen husband. Although Courtney B. Vance is best known for bringing a dignified performance to any drama project, he keeps up with Nash’s refined comedy chops in Uncorked. These two powerhouses deliver. Nash said it’s because they both came, leaving their egos at the door. — Joi-Marie McKenzie, 3/30/20

If there was one thing the saints could agree on after watching The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel on Lifetime was that Aunjanue Ellis played the heaven out of the role of Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. — Joi-Marie McKenzie, 4/12/20

For audiences who have loved Lovie Simone’s range as troubled preacher’s kid Zora on OWN’s hit megachurch drama Greenleaf, they will see Simone at her best in Selah and the Spades, as her character’s reign gets undermined by enemy factions and her own insecurities. — Brooke Obie, 4/17/20

What sets up the hilarious film in which Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani not only star, but executive produce is that the two get kinda sorta framed for murder and spend the next hour or so trying to find whodunnit so they can convince the cops that they didn’t actually do it. Because what cop would readily believe a Black woman and her Asian boyfriend? In New Orleans, no less. The adventure they embark on to clear their names almost makes you forget that you’re Netflix and chilling with a multiracial couple—a rare occurrence in Hollywood no matter how much we try to normalize it because it should be normal. — Joi-Marie McKenzie, 5/21/20

Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny revealed via Twitter that Issa and Molly’s friendship is an integral part of the show because “they need each other.” He also reminds us that, like every friendship, they’ve experienced challenges as a natural side effect of growing older and wiser. Even though I assumed Insecure’s finale was going to be laser-focused on Issa and Lawrence 2.0 and their potential future together, I’m happy it instead turn our attention back to the unique bond between Black female friendships. Because we need each other. — Jasmine Grant 6/15/20

Channing Godfrey People’s directorial debut—which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January and is now available on demand—follows Turquoise, a down on her luck single mom whose biggest life moment began and ended with being crowned Miss Juneteenth in high school. Or so she thinks. Armed with her pageant winning ways, Turquoise (played marvelously by Nicole Beharie) signs up her reluctant daughter (newcomer Alexis Chikaeze) in hopes she’ll take home the crown and a full-ride scholarship to an HBCU. Although Turq’s efforts are steeped in parental good intentions, she’s up against a struggling ex, a stack of unpaid bills and an unshakable fear her daughter will end up unfulfilled like her. “Because winning Miss Juneteenth follows you throughout life… Turquoise is on a journey of becoming independent of her past,” says costar Kendrick Sampson, who plays her ex Ronnie. “The film covers the pageant world, which is intense. But it also gives a bit of history. Miss Juneteenth shows us in our element—just being country and celebrating—and also going through hardships and pushing through. That’s what beautiful about us.” — Cori Murray, 6/19/20

KiKi Layne plays Nile, a marine recruited by immortal mercenaries who are led by Charlize Theron’s Andy. They discover that, like them, Nile is invincible, and together they fight to protect humankind. Though leaping off tall buildings onto parked cars was a new thrill for Layne, who had never been in an action film before, she was drawn most to the ways in which the role stretched her as a thespian. “I want to have variety in my career, because this industry likes to assume what types of roles an actress who looks like me can play,” she states. “I’m trying to break out of that box.” — Candice Frederick, July/August 2020 issue

After ending her hilarious series Chewing Gum, Coel returns with a darker yet similarly introspective dramedy that unpacks rape culture. She stars in, writes and produces this project—and expands the dialogue to people across the gender and sexuality spectrums in London. — Candice Frederick, July/August 2020 issue

Adapting the show from her own play, Katori Hall immerses audiences in a sizzling strip club drama that’s set in an uninhibited Dirty South. Beneath its seductive exterior are characters waiting for their chance at the American dream, no matter who or what they must sacrifice to attain it — Candice Frederick, July/August 2020 issue

To hear Jurnee Smollett tell it, nothing makes her squirmier than the supernatural. “I’m not afraid of mice or snakes or spiders or anything like that, but the supernatural f**ks with my mind,” she confessed to ESSENCE. You couldn’t tell by watching her on screen, especially in episode 3 of Lovecraft Country. Struggling to settle into her own home in a racist White neighborhood—a residence she also rents out to other Black people including her estranged sister, Ruby (Wunmi Mosaku)—Leti learns that there are eight ghosts living in her basement. And they’re the souls of Black people whose live bodies were experimented on by a white man named Winthrop. After an attempt to cleanse the house of its spirits goes awry, Atticus winds up possessed with the ghost of Winthrop, and Leti is left to fend him off with the help of the specters that are eager for retaliation. — Candice Frederick, 8/31/20

Reinvention, pivoting, whatever term one uses, is very real for so many women in their 40s. And that’s precisely what makes The Forty-Year-Old Version, produced by friend Lena Waithe with Blank serving as writer, director and star, essential viewing. — Ronda Racha Penrice, 10/9/20

“Hippolyta is a traveler. Imagine this. She’s an astronomer in 1950s America. Do you know what I mean? And she’s a Black woman. There aren’t a lot of job opportunities for her to do her thing. George is trying to protect Hippolyta, but she feels that he is repressing her. Repressing her vision. Repressing who she wants to be and who she really, really is,” Aunjanue Ellis says, getting excited about her Lovecraft Country character’s journey. “If you hang with it after episode five, you’ll see how much of a traveler she is.” — Taiia Smart Young, 8/16/20

Past hair catastrophes became Elle Lorraine’s material. She channeled her personal traumatizing hair experiences into her Bad Hair character. She practiced method acting–injecting her character into every aspect of her life. “I didn’t see friends. I lived in the character as much as possible. I spent my weekend working on things for the next week and sleeping, and then I just went in ready to play and ready to just be as transparent as I could in this character. And also make sure that like I give Anna her own life and her own identity. It’s not about her being me. It’s about me using my experiences as influences, but not to set any in any way criticize or judge what she’s going through.” — Shamika Sanders, 10/22/20

Tears will flow, from audiences and on screen alike. Mahershala Ali details the young women Ta-Nehisi Coates fell in love with at Howard University, up to and including his life partner, with a heartwarming tenderness. A regal Phylicia Rashad stands in for the mother of Prince Jones, a police murder victim Coates befriended in college, with equal parts stillness and sadness. — Miles Marshall Lewis, 11/21/20

There were too many wonderful things in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey to pick just one. How could we? Forest Whitaker is singing opera; there’s snowball fight set to Afrobeats; and the 4C hairstyles on everyone from Phylicia Rashad to Madalen Mills. But there’s one character who made our eyes sparkle little bit more: Miss Johnston, played by the absolute delight Lisa Davina Phillip every time she pursued “Jerry.” Dear Hollywood, more of her please. — Cori Murray

Although the first two hours in Steve McQueen’s film anthology Small Axe reimagines the 1970 case against the Mangrove 9, which arguably kicked off the civil rights movement in the United Kingdom, it’s the next film in the series, Lovers Rock, that serves as a love letter to blues’ parties so beloved by London’s West Indian community. During one single night, we meet Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn as Martha, a headstrong, God-fearing young woman who will not disrespect the struggles her immigrant parents made—even for one glorious house party where a handsome boy from ‘yard saves the day — Cori Murray

It makes all the sense in the world that Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom—the magnificent, must-see film directed by George C. Wolfe, starring Chadwick Boseman and Academy Award–winner Viola Davis—would come out in 2020. Because if ever there was a Year of Our Lord that knows something about the blues, 2020 would be it. — Karen Good Marable, November/December 2020 issue

For the actress and activist, Tessa Thompson, portraying this character was inspiring. “Certainly women like Sylvie existed during the time, but those stories aren’t told,” Thompson explains. “I’m in a period in my career, personally, where I’m launching my own production company. I’m working as a producer, and I… stand on the shoulders of women like Sylvie who came before me—career women who were [pioneers] in a time when it was hard enough to be that as a woman, never mind as a Black woman.” — Joi-Marie McKenzie, November/December 2020 issue