Sterling K. Brown on Why He Connected with His Role in ‘Is God Is’: Celebrating Black Women’s Success
Sterling K. Brown Takes on Sinister Role in Is God Is
Sterling K. Brown is stepping into a darker role as the Monster in Aleshea Harris’ directorial debut, Is God Is. The Oscar-nominated actor expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with Harris, whose feature film adaptation of her Pulitzer-nominated play offers a fresh perspective on Black women’s narratives.
In an interview with Rolling Out, Brown highlighted the film’s creativity and the freedom it gives Black women to showcase their complexity. “I love Black women, and I love seeing Black women win,” he stated. “I thought this was an incredibly creative script, something different and new…The more diverse the landscape of stories we tell, the more people will stop putting us into a box in terms of what a Black movie is.”
Brown emphasized that Harris’s work allows for a portrayal of Black women that diverges from conventional stereotypes. “I also love the idea that Black women get a chance to be messy in this film… Oftentimes we’re asked to be the voices of reason, but that is not the case in this,” he explained.
Is God Is is based on Harris’s acclaimed 2018 off-Broadway play, which won three Obie Awards. The story follows twin sisters, Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson), who, scarred by a fire set by their father, are summoned by their disfigured mother, referred to as God (Vivica A. Fox). She instructs them to kill the Monster (Brown) before her death.
The film, which is currently screening in theaters, also features performances by Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, Mykelti Williamson, and Josiah Cross.
Director Aleshea Harris on the set of ‘Is God Is’ (2026) (Patti Perret/Amazon MGM Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection)
