Interview by Paul Salfen
ON THE COME UP is the feature directorial debut of Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Lathan and held its World Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. The film will premiere exclusively on the service Friday, Sept. 23 in the U.S., Canada, Italy, and later in the year in additional international territories.
Starring newcomer Jamila C. Gray, ON THE COME UP is the story of Bri, a gifted 16-year-old rapper, who attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to lift up her family and do right by the legacy of her father – a local hip hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence. But when her first hit song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, she finds herself torn between the authenticity that got her this far and the false persona that the industry wants to impose upon her.
The coming-of-age film also stars Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Mike Epps, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Justin Martin, Titus Makin, Michael Cooper Jr., GaTa, Sanaa Lathan and Cliff “Method Man” Smith.
ON THE COME UP, a State Street Pictures and Temple Hill production, is directed by Sanaa Lathan, with screenplay by Kay Oyegun. The film is produced by George Tillman Jr., Robert Teitel, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Isaac Klausner, Angie Thomas and Timothy M. Bourne and executive produced by John Fischer.
