So Stunning: ‘Sinners’ Stars, Kerry Washington,…
ESSENCE’s extremely anticipated Black Women In Hollywood issue has arrived, starring the ladies of Sinners, and the women are strikingly lovely in black. The annual cowl coincides with the legacy model’s illustrious Black Women In Hollywood luncheon. This yr’s theme, “Off Script,” speaks to the Black girls blazing unconventional paths in Hollywood. The cowl options Zinzi Coogler, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Ruth Carter, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Shunika Terry-Jennings, and Hannah Beachler.
In the duvet story, penned by Brande Victorian, the dynamic group opens up about the cultural significance of ‘Sinners’ and the profound thought that went into manufacturing.
For Zinzi Coogler, Sinners was “deeply personal.”
“We knew everybody was pouring so a lot of themselves into every element and craft. We needed the surroundings to allow the forged and crew to really feel inventive and free, but also secure spiritually and bodily.
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Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth Carter says it’s her accountability to “honor the essence of the character as written.”
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She elaborated,
“Annie was never defined by her size. On the page, she was not described as “plus-size.” She was a hoodoo priest, a spiritual protector, Smoke’s lover, his wife—a woman who carries a profound aura. That is how I approached her. Annie’s power is spiritual. It’s ancestral. It’s rooted in knowing. So her wardrobe had to reflect that authority and that grace. Her garments are layered—cottons, textures, sacred pouches—each element chosen to suggest history, ritual and protection.”
Wunmi Mosaku’s character got here to life with Carter’s imaginative and prescient.
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“The way Ms. Ruth works is such a layered process that I liken to the Michelangelo quote: “The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there; I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.” I felt like we started with so many ideas and layers and chiseled away down to her core, and in that process of chiseling, I found her. She became clearer and clearer the more we took away. Annie’s hair felt really organic using a reference picture of the era. One woman really stood out to us, and she became the basis of where we began with Annie.”
Jennings, who was the mastermind behind the Academy Award-nominated hair and make-up crew, revealed Michael B. Jordan obtained a texturizer to soften his hair. Miles Caton combed out his locs for a haircut, and Delroy Lindo wore a wig.
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“Those were some of the most significant transformations that altered natural patterns and silhouettes, and each one required intention and care to protect the integrity of their hair. Everyone valued and respected our approach. The transformations were never about forcing a look. They were about serving character while keeping hair healthy and honoring texture. I was deeply honored by the faith they placed in me and my hair team.”
Lawson, who got here to set a blonde, said she felt deep trust for Jennings’ management in the sweetness division.
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“I just knew I was in good hands from the moment we met. I was blonde at the time and was not trying to color my hair! Shunika was so collaborative. She came with so many references, but really gave me a say in helping to create Pearline’s look. I didn’t have to worry about showing up and getting my edges snatched from me, any heat damage—none of that. She made it easy. So, all I had to focus on, which is all we should ever have to focus on, was my job. In this industry, that is still a rare gift.”
Hannah Beachler who is nominated for Best Production Design, revealed her favourite set from the film was the church and Annie’s store.
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“I love Annie’s store, but I love the church as well. I think Annie’s store, for me, was really this mystical place that delved into the spiritual, but she was also a cook and someone the community would go to for healing and nurturing. So, it was a lot of fun to dig into what that could be and how to create her world. The church was special because I wanted it to both look and feel grand while remaining simple and small, and that was a fun challenge to create that juxtaposition.”
The girls of Sinners shall be honored with the Luminary highlight award at the 2026 Black Women In Hollywood ceremony.
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Read the full cowl story right here.
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The post So Stunning: ‘Sinners’ Stars, Kerry Washington, Chase Infiniti & LaTanya Richardson Jackson Slay ESSENCE’s Black Women In Hollywood Issue appeared first on GWN.
