Netflix has released the first look at Straw, the latest project from Tyler Perry and the newest entry in his ongoing film partnership with the streamer. Set to premiere June 6, the thriller stars Taraji P. Henson as Janiyah, a single mother whose attempt to care for her sick daughter quickly spirals into a nightmare.
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According to Taraji P Henson, the film was shot in just four days.
“To think we shot in four days while I was still working on Fight Night,” Henson tells Entertainment Weekly with a laugh, referring to her Peacock limited series. “But that’s what I like about Tyler Perry, he’s fast, and I can be fast too. He knew he had a limited amount of time with me. He used it wisely.”
The film follows Janiyah as she tries to cash a check to provide a simple lunch for her child—only to find herself wrongly accused of a crime. What begins as a routine errand escalates into a high-stakes situation that places her at the center of a larger conspiracy, forcing her to navigate a system that appears indifferent to her reality.
Joining Henson in the cast are Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor, Glynn Turman, Sinbad, Rockmond Dunbar, Mike Merrill, and Ashley Versher. Taylor plays a law enforcement officer caught up in the investigation, while Shepherd and Versher portray women facing their own personal struggles amidst the unraveling chaos.
The film explores themes of survival, systemic failure, and the fragile line between stability and collapse—especially for those already living on the margins. Henson’s portrayal of a woman pushed to the brink adds emotional depth to a story designed to reflect real-world tensions, particularly the challenges faced by working mothers and underserved communities.
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Straw marks a return to form for Perry in the thriller genre, following Netflix releases like A Fall from Grace and Mea Culpa. The project is produced by Perry alongside Angi Bones and Tony Strickland, and was filmed in Atlanta.
With its short production timeline and intense subject matter, Straw reinforces Perry’s ability to deliver timely, character-driven stories on a fast-moving schedule. It also continues Netflix’s strategy of collaborating with marquee creators to bring fresh, socially resonant content to its platform.
Straw premieres June 6 exclusively on Netflix.
