Actor, poet, and musician Saul Williams is finally opening up about his experience working on Sinners — and his reflection adds even more context to the depth behind the Oscar-nominated film directed by Ryan Coogler.
In a recent post shared with his followers, Williams said he hadn’t spoken much publicly about his participation in the film until now. But as the project continues its historic awards run, he took a moment to reflect on the meaning behind the story and the emotional weight of bringing it to life.
“From the moment I read the script I was deeply moved by Ryan Coogler’s attention to history and detail,” Williams wrote, praising the filmmaker’s storytelling and reverence for African American and Indigenous cultures.
The Character He Brings to Life
In Sinners, Williams portrays Jedidiah Moore, a devout and unyielding pastor living in 1930s Mississippi. The character serves as both a patriarch and a symbolic force within the story, representing the strict religious traditions that often clashed with the cultural evolution of Black music during that era.
Jedidiah is the uncle to the film’s twin protagonists and the father of Sammie Moore, a gifted guitarist whose passion for the blues — often labeled “the devil’s music” at the time — places him directly at odds with his father’s rigid beliefs.
Through that conflict, the film explores generational tension, faith, and the cultural resistance that surrounded early Black musical expression.
The role carries an additional layer of authenticity for Williams, who is the son of a preacher in real life. Director Ryan Coogler reportedly chose him specifically for the part, bringing the artist’s unique background in spoken word, music, and cultural commentary into the film’s storytelling.
The Reality of Filming on a Plantation
Williams also shared that filming the project marked the first time he had knowingly stepped onto a southern plantation.
“My time on set was actually my first time — knowingly — on a southern plantation,” he wrote.
While he described the cast and crew as warm and welcoming, he acknowledged the emotional heaviness of the experience, noting the history embedded in the land.
“The energy was heavy with the spirits of those who had lived, toiled, been tortured and enslaved,” Williams said.
His reflection highlights how the film’s themes — faith, history, culture, and identity — resonate far beyond the screen.
Why Sinners Is Resonating
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Sinners blends historical storytelling with supernatural elements as it follows twin brothers returning to their Mississippi hometown where music, folklore, religion, and violence collide.
The film examines the cultural and spiritual tensions shaping Black life in the early 20th century South while also exploring how music — particularly the blues — became both a form of expression and resistance.
As Sinners continues its major awards run — including becoming one of the most nominated films this season — Williams said he remains grateful to be part of a project that approaches history with intention.
“I am grateful for the experience, proud to have played a part,” he wrote, acknowledging the deeper historical and cultural context surrounding the story.
Caption:
Saul Williams is finally speaking on his role in Sinners — and his reflection adds even more depth to the Oscar-nominated film.
The actor opened up about playing Pastor Jedidiah Moore, filming on a southern plantation for the first time, and why Ryan Coogler’s storytelling moved him from the moment he read the script.
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