Sinners may drop audiences straight into Smoke and Stack’s world, but according to Ryan Coogler, the twins’ story was fully mapped out long before the cameras rolled.
In a recent episode of Proximity Media’s In Proximity, Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan broke down the extensive origin story that exists before the film begins — much of which never appears onscreen.
During the conversation, Coogler explained that Smoke and Stack grew up in a violent household, with their lives permanently shaped when Smoke killed their father to protect Stack. From that moment on, their roles diverged out of survival: Smoke became the protector, while Stack remained the dreamer. The podcast also clarified the brothers’ World War I service, noting that the trauma of combat lives on through Smoke’s physicality — his stillness, vigilance, and inability to fully relax.
After the war, the twins briefly returned to Mississippi, where tensions escalated after Stack entered a romantic relationship with Mary — once seen as a younger, sister-like figure. Smoke’s disapproval eventually led to the brothers separating for several years. That period ended in tragedy with the loss of Smoke and Annie’s daughter, a moment Coogler described as when things “got rocky,” prompting the brothers to reunite in Chicago.
Chicago, Coogler noted, wasn’t glamorous but formative. There, Smoke and Stack took on untraceable work connected to organized crime, learning how violence, money, and power operate — lessons that define who they are when Sinners begins.
Jordan also shared insight into the craft behind portraying both characters, revealing he kept separate journals for each twin, developed distinct vocal registers, and relied on physical and energetic differences — including chakra-based work — to move seamlessly between Smoke and Stack on set.
The conversation underscores the obsessive level of intention behind Sinners, offering a deeper understanding of why the film’s world feels fully lived-in from its opening moments. The full In Proximity episode is available now on podcast platforms and YouTube.