Teyana Taylor has had some big, and varied, career highs. But as an actor, her largest on-screen role to-date was a life-altering experience. ‘Honestly, Inez was a lot of layers. I think that the most challenging part was showing how nuanced she was as a person’, says Taylor of playing the lead role as Inez De La Paz in New York native A.V. Rockwell’s directorial debut, and Sundance Festival’s 2023 Dramatic Grand Jury Prize-winning film, A Thousand and One. To fully embrace the complex character, Taylor would prep for emotionally taxing scenes by visually mapping them out, she reveals. ‘Me and A.V. did a lot of workshopping. I’m a visual person, so we’d colour-coordinate the scenes to help me tap into her emotions as we didn’t film in sequence.’
Taylor’s dedication to the highly anticipated, poignant story is beyond evident on screen – it’s no surprise her stellar performance has become one of the most discussed this year, racking up rave reviews. The 32-year-old, who also works as a creative director, recently helping curate the performances of musicians Summer Walker, Lola Brooke and Latto, already has several on-screen roles under her belt including the recent reboot of White Men Can’t Jump, animation Entergalactic and Coming 2 America. However, for her first starring role, her most serious thus far, the creative multi-hyphenate delivered a formidable performance as ex-convict Inez, leaving you to think about her awe-worthy depiction long after the final credits.
The story starts in Harlem, and Inez, a young woman and hairdresser working in the neighbourhood, is fresh from Riker’s Island (a 413-acre island that contains the city’s largest prison) and is keen to reignite her relationship with her six-year-old son, Terry (played by Aaron Kingsley Adetola, later followed by Aven Courtney at 13 and then Josiah Cross at 17), whom she cared for prior to her Riker’s stint. Filmed over the course of eight weeks, we’re immediately flung right into the fast-paced film, and Taylor gives a magnetic performance and never for a moment does the audience question her affection for the young boy.
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Rockwell’s directorial debut transports viewers back to the early 90s (1994, to be exact), and over a decade, we’re quickly swept up in the gruelling, and resilient moments of De La Paz’s life. Booming retro hip-hop hits, the buzzing of the Upper Manhattan neighbourhood and colour-rich shots feed into the nostalgia, but soon the animated atmosphere is zapped of all colours as the gentrification of the New York district begins to take shape, which coincides with the rollercoaster events which happen to De La Paz.
Taylor, a Harlem native, runs the gamut of emotions with her scene-stealing performances; the bitterness she feels when things don’t work out with her romantic partner is tangible as is the underbelly of her loneliness. The arc between her and the six-year-old Terry unveils the multifaceted nature of Black motherhood. Tumultuous, poignant, and authentic, the maternal love radiates from Taylor, who at the time of filming was six months postpartum following the birth of her second daughter.
Here, the star discusses postpartum depression and how the character of Inez provided a sense of reprieve, the gentrification of the city, and what it was like soaking up the Harlem summer on set with fellow New Yorker and director, A.V. Rockwell.
Teyana was dealing with postpartum depression and used Inez as a creative outlet.
‘I was dealing with postpartum depression. Inez was an outlet to be able to pour into her – both mentally and emotionally – because there's no time to deal with your postpartum depression when you have a new-born, and you are also raising a five-year-old at the time,’ says the actor, before sharing that taking on the part of the character provided some relief from the day-to-day while allowing her to ruminate on life. ‘To be able to go to set for 12 hours a day and just throw my cape to the side and have a moment of weakness, and truly visit the different things that I felt were trying to defeat me, was a big thing.’
Leaving the character on set was something Teyana remained firm on
Introspection was a huge part of the role, and naturally, playing such a complex character filled with a life of love, heartbreak and harrowing adventure is a difficult feat. Nonetheless, Taylor wholeheartedly embraced the emotional turmoil that came with the portrayal of Inez, and she made peace with the character once the camera stopped rolling. ‘I’ve heard about people having to go the extra mile to make sure they can stay as far away from the character they that they used to play, but I've been blessed enough to be able to leave it where it is. It was heavy and it was difficult, but in the best way.’
For Teyana, it was inspiring watching A.V. Rockwell’s directorial debut as a fellow Black woman director
A creative director among many other talents, Taylor revelled in the opportunity to watch Rockwell in her element, particularly as it was the director’s debut feature film and Taylor’s first protagonist role. ‘I almost never [get to work with] a woman director, so it was dope having a Black female director working on her first feature film, at this magnitude. Being a director myself and transitioning from music videos into television and film, it was inspiring to see. This is a heavy script for somebody's first feature, and then her first feature is a period piece. We had to go back in time and make New York look like New York again – the New York that we both knew.’
Harlem in the summer has a special place in her heart
Filming for just under two months, Taylor was overwhelmed by the support and love shown by the Harlem locals. ‘We’d have to tell everyone watching our film to be quiet when filming scenes. Fans would bring me my favourite candy, and peanut chews – it was amazing to be back home.’ The camaraderie was felt on amongst the cast and crew too, as Taylor’s father would bring a grill on set, and they’d have BBQs in front of trailers. ‘I had people come over to me during lunch, so it was such fun. I love New York – particularly Harlem – in the summer, so to be able to film in the summertime in Harlem was special.’
Highlighting the rampant gentrification in Harlem made her emotional
There’s no shying away from the rapid changes sweeping through Harlem in the film. Several instances – such as their water supply being shut off to corner them into leaving their apartment, under the guise of an upgrade – revealed how developments changes dominating in the area were directly affecting the Harlem working class. ‘I think [seeing the gentrification] was an important part of the film because it spreads awareness about the things that were going on then and now. We see the new buildings, we see the upgrades, but we're not even invited. The shops and vibe that made living in Harlem as a child amazing, have been erased. Having to see some of the recreated buildings that are no longer there, at times, was more emotional for me than anything.’
A Thousand and One is available to own now, and to rent from Monday July 24, through various digital platforms.
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