Ryan Coogler Reflects on Filming a Tough Scene in ‘Sinners’: A Close Call for His Sanity
Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed director behind one of this year’s standout horror films, reflected on a particularly challenging scene from Sinners, revealing that its difficulties were not rooted in its supernatural elements or period details.
In a recent interview, Coogler described “the day I almost lost my mind” while filming a complex driving sequence featuring Michael B. Jordan and his double, Percy Bell, who portray the twin brothers Smoke and Stack. The scene required meticulous synchronization.
“Every day was different. Every scene was different,” Coogler shared during an appearance on EW‘s Awardist podcast. “You remember the day I almost lost my mind — where you guys had to drive the car and get into the bushes? Pulling off that shot was f***ing crazy, because Mike’s driving, and we had to do a repeated pass of the car driving up and landing, them getting out of the car with the correct timing, and then interacting with the bush with the correct timing.”
Coogler noted the distinct movements of the twins, which added to the scene’s complexity. “You can see the difference in performance, but also, because of the timing, they have to enter the bushes in a certain way,” he explained.
Despite the difficulties of the scene, Coogler expressed satisfaction with the results in the final cut of the Warner Bros. film, which is currently nominated for seven Golden Globes, including Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Motion Picture — Drama.
Michael B Jordan times two in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’
In Sinners, twin brothers Stack and Smoke, played by Jordan, return to their Mississippi Delta hometown in 1932 to open a juke joint, which soon becomes a hunting ground for a group of musical vampires.
