Atlanta and Joker star Zazie Beetz discusses empowerment and overcoming self-doubt as she takes her first lead role in horror-action comedy They Will Kill You, directed by Kirill Sokolov
Would you accept a position as a housemaid in an enigmatic tower block where employees are banned from using mobile phones to protect guests’ privacy?
This is the predicament facing ex-offender Asia Reaves, portrayed by Zazie Beetz, who is unaware she’s stepping into a community where numerous people have vanished over the years.
They Will Kill You, from Russian filmmaker Kirill Sokolov, delivers a gore-drenched, adrenaline-fuelled horror-action comedy in which Asia must make it through the night at the Virgil, a Satanic cult operating within the upmarket building.
The film also features Myha’la as Asia’s younger sister, Maria; Patricia Arquette as Lilith, the Irish superintendent of the Virgil and leader of the Satanic cult; and Heather Graham and Tom Felton as Sharon and Kevin, members of the cult.
Beetz, 34, recognised for her performances in Atlanta and the Joker films, says this marks her first time leading a project.
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The German-American actress explains: “This was my first time being the lead in a movie and being there every single day, all day.
“It was undoubtedly physically demanding, but it was also spiritually empowering, to show up knowing I had the energy and stamina to open fully, to connect, and to create a welcoming atmosphere. I wanted everyone, at least from my end, to feel warmth and inclusivity. I wanted to bring that energy because I hoped it would invite others to do the same.
“It really made me feel empowered.” She continues: “Growing up, or rather, coming into this industry as a young woman, I had to work through a lot of self-doubt and wonder whether people took me seriously.
“During this experience, I felt like I was truly growing into my womanhood, even in my 30s. That journey, of course, continues forever, but this was another meaningful step along the way. For me, that sense of personal growth and empowerment was the most memorable part of the experience.”
In the movie, Asia was imprisoned for shooting her violent father in a desperate bid to protect her teenage sister, Maria, from him.
Myha’la, 29, stresses the significance of sisterhood within the narrative: “I think sisterhood is at the core of everything she does,” the Industry star explains.
“Every choice she makes, whether it seems supportive of that bond or not, comes from it. It’s driven by her need for sisterhood or her feeling of being abandoned by it.
“I’m an only child, and I don’t have cousins, so that kind of bond wasn’t something I was familiar with. Sibling relationships are so specific.
“I really enjoyed exploring that in the character, the idea that part of your mind is always thinking about the other person: What are they doing? Why are they doing it? How can I be involved? It’s this constant, underlying connection.”
The role demanded extensive stunt work from Beetz, who brandishes a samurai sword, a shotgun, a machete, or whatever weapon she can grab to battle her way out of the nightmarish location. “I started a few months before shooting with some boxing training,” Beetz reveals.
“Kirill, our director, wanted me to get the movement into my body, to feel what the character might physically express. Once I got to South Africa, where we were shooting, I began daily stunt training about a month before filming. That included conditioning, learning fight sequences, and essentially dancing, because that’s really what it is.
“Working with stunt doubles is fascinating. You have to build a bond with them because they mimic your movements so that, when they go on camera, it looks like the character is embodied.
“You can talk through how you think the character would move, and they teach you the most efficient and effective way to execute it.
“If I couldn’t land a hit or a fall properly, they would break down my body mechanics and guide me. It’s very symbiotic, a shared creation of what the fight version of the character looks like.”
The film also explores how anger becomes a survival mechanism. “Anger can be wild and chaotic, but it can also be distilled into a focused energy that fuels a mission,” Beetz explains.
“My character experiences this, and in my own life, I’ve sometimes allowed anger to serve as that kind of fuel, it’s actually a very energising feeling.
“We often treat anger as “bad,” but it can also be a vehicle for positive action if used properly. Embodying that in my character was powerful. It also gave me the energy and stamina needed to sustain her journey throughout the movie.
“While anger drives her in some ways, love is actually her main motivator. Her anger is usually a reaction to external circumstances, but her love is what propels her forward, helping her navigate all the trials and tribulations she faces, even if she happens to be angry at the people around her.”
Myha’la continued: “I feel really lucky that no one ever told me I wasn’t supposed to be angry. But I do think there’s a trope, especially as a black woman, where people assume I’m angry when I’m not, and that’s really frustrating.
“What I love about this film is that it centres two young black women who are angry and rightfully so.
“They choose to use that ferocity, that power, to survive, to get out of difficult situations, and even to strengthen their bond as sisters. Even when their anger is directed at each other, it becomes something that deepens their connection rather than breaks it.
“So while it may not challenge my own perspective, it definitely challenges everyone else’s assumptions.”
They Will Kill You arrives in UK cinemas on Friday, March 27.
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