Tyriq Withers & Miles Caton
- Withers describes Sinners as a sensory experience, with music integral to the story
- Caton was struck by the powerful representation in Black Panther, which balanced cultural specificity with broad appeal
- Coogler's films consistently have a profound cultural impact while remaining appealing to diverse audiences
Tyriq Withers and Miles Caton shine a light on Ryan Coogler's cinematic skill set on the NAACP's new podcast, and we have an exclusive clip!
During a recent appearance at the NAACP's Image Unscripted podcast, the rising actors spoke about the lasting legacy of Black Panther and the emotional depth of Out ofs, crediting Coogler's story with reshaping representation on screen.
Otherwise described Sinners as a sensory experience, breaking down how the music was integral to the story.
“I think the beauty of acting is what I've realized, like, when I'm performing, I always feel like there's always a soundtrack underneath whatever's going on, visually,” Withers said. “And I think Out ofs is the epitome of that. It three-dimensionalizes the music, and you bring it to the screen and to sing from a place that is so soulful. “
He continued, praising Cato's achievements.
“I think that's beyond talent, that's beyond gift. And it was just a blessing to see that,” he said. “Because that's iconography. It will go down in history as one of the greatest performances.”
For Caton, Coogler's influence began years earlier. The actor recalled seeing it Black Pantherr in theaters at 12 and is struck by the power of representation.
“I remember being in the theater and just being blown away by seeing us portrayed on the screen in this way,” Caton said.
He added that Coogler's films consistently balance cultural specificity with broad appeal.
“You see how he structures his films. It's always cultural, it's always deeply impactful, but it has so many other things around it that make it so interesting for people to watch,” Caton said.
“So the fact that I get to be a part of something like this is just amazing.”
Take an exclusive look below!
Over Image Unscripted
The NAACP expanded the footprint of its Image Awards franchise with the launch of Image not written, a new original podcast and video series hosted by award-winning journalist Jemele Hill.
The weekly series premiered February 10 and highlighted the people and perspectives that shape Black culture across entertainment, business and digital spaces. Through candid one-on-one and group conversations, Hill explored the journeys of black creatives while exploring the continuing importance of representation in boardrooms, on screens and beyond.
Season one guests included SNL alum Ego Nwodim, comedian KevOnStage, marketing executive Bozoma Saint John, Black Girl Gamers founder Jay-Ann Lopez, and NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson, among others.
New episodes drop Tuesdays across major podcast platforms, with a video companion available through the NAACP Plus YouTube channel.
The podcast premieres leading up to the 57th NAACP Image Awards, which will air live February 28 on BET and CBS.
