Last Updated on July 30, 2021
Have you ever had that experience where you watch a movie and just find yourself completely mesmerized by the sheer audacity of it all? That was exactly my reaction after the beautiful insanity in the new feature Zola (or @Zola if you'd prefer). The film, co-written and directed by Janicza Bravo, is based on a wild Twitter feed from A'Ziah King. It's certainly one of the rare – if not the only – feature films with the claim that it was "based on the Tweets by" but my oh my is it a wild and f*cked up journey. Zola also features incredible performances from the cast that includes Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, and Colman Domingo. It is fiercely funny, wickedly wild, and just an unforgettable film experience. Whether you love it or hate it, you won't forget about it.
We recently sat down with the cast of the film, along with Ms. Bravo to talk about the wild world of Zola. For Janicza, the filmmaker opened up about taking on the project and bringing that particular voice to the big screen. In the age of social media, this is the rare feature that deals with the outrageousness of Twitter in a brilliantly original way, which the filmmaker opened up about that as well. And then there are the film's stars.
Taylour Paige and Riley Keough are utterly mesmerizing here. Recently, Ms. Paige stole the show in the basketball flick Boogie and she was fantastic in White Boy Rick. And of course, Ms. Keough is stunning in films like The Lodge, Mad Max: Fury Road and It Comes At Night. The two opened up about taking on these larger-than-life characters, and frankly, both should be remembered when it comes time for award season. It was a pleasure watching both truly own every moment they were on-screen.
And finally, we sat down with both Nicholas Braun and Colman Domingo. Look, this is a movie that really is owned by the two leads, but thankfully both Braun and Domingo deliver incredible support. Both of these fine actors discussed being a part of this production, and just how they interacted with Paige and Keough. This is a stunning cast and a film that is simply not to be missed if you like a little originality and insanity in your moviegoing experience. And yes, @Zola is balls-out insanity on every level, and I loved every minute of it. If you are in the market for something especially crazy, seek this one out starting today at a theatre near you!
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