Podcast Summary: "All Of It" with Alison Stewart

Episode Title: Sinners' Stars Miles Caton & Delroy Lindo
Date: March 12, 2026

Overview

This episode of All Of It features host Alison Stewart in conversation with actors Delroy Lindo and Miles Caton, stars of Ryan Coogler’s Oscar-nominated film Sinners. The episode dives into the film’s rich themes—vampires as allegories, the legacy of the blues, music’s role in storytelling, and the dynamic on set between a veteran and a newcomer. Through authentic and generous exchanges, Lindo and Caton share reflections on collaboration, artistry, and what it means to channel complex cultural narratives in contemporary cinema.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing Sinners and Its Cultural Significance

• Alison Stewart opens by contextualizing the film: Sinners is the first to receive 16 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, with Ryan Coogler making history as the first Black winner of the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay (01:05).
• Central to the film is the evolving relationship between Delta Slim (Lindo), a sagacious local bluesman, and Sammy (Caton), the musically gifted preacher's son forbidden from playing the blues.

On the Power and Depth of Ryan Coogler’s Script

• Delroy Lindo:

  “I recognized that it was brilliant in as much as it was a much larger story, a much larger narrative, and that Ryan was using the horror of the vampire genre to tell a much, much, much larger story.” (02:54)

• Both Lindo and Caton discuss how Coogler’s writing weaves social commentary into genre, expanding horror into allegory.

Embarking on Acting: Caton’s Musical Audition

• Miles Caton:
  Shares his unfamiliarity with acting auditions and describes his unique self-taped submission—just him playing guitar and singing Sam Cooke’s “Bring It All Home to Me.”

  “I didn't know the parameters… So I just did me and I just sent in the vibey, you know, kind of…” (03:31)

Collaboration & Trust in Creative Work

• Delroy Lindo:
  Emphasizes Coogler’s collaborative method:

  “There’s a generosity of spirit. He’s open to what everybody has to contribute… And that was certainly the case in my case.” (04:42) Defines trust with a director:
  “It means that one can relax inside of whatever one’s process is, and one can be assured… that it will be heard. And also it means that one is more likely to take chances in the work.” (05:19)

Learning, Mentorship, and Mutual Respect On Set

• Miles Caton:
  Explains how Lindo’s process modeled professionalism and presence:

  “Just by watching him and seeing his process and how he approaches his work was extremely inspiring… There was a particular scene… he improv’d and it just… took me outside of what I was in.” (06:16)

• Delroy Lindo:
  Recognizes Caton’s openness, likening it to working with the late Aaliyah:

  “There was no artifice. He was there to contribute… I trusted unequivocally that whenever I communicated with Miles in the work, he would be open to receive… he was always very present.” (09:01)

Music’s Central Role

• Miles Caton:

  “Just growing up in a musical family… understanding artistry and music and the power that it has from young… Even with my knowledge of music, being on this project, I’ve learned… on a much, much deeper level.” (10:44) Music and blues are “kind of like a life raft” for Caton as he bridges into acting, with Coogler providing blues playlists and historical context.

Vampires as Metaphor

• Delroy Lindo:

  “The vampires represent any evil force, any outside force that would come into a community… try to possess that community. It’s all about our community being infiltrated and destroyed, which we fight back against… a very, very contemporary story.” (12:28)

Crafting the Chain Gang Monologue

• Delroy Lindo:
  On preparing for a three-page central monologue:

  “I had to start with committing the words to memory, which is not the way that I would like to work… it really takes off… when working with my colleagues.” (13:44)
  Stewart likens it to “learning the notes of the music and then you start to learn how to play the music,” which Lindo affirms. (14:51)

Improvisation and the Spirit of the Blues

• Miles Caton:
  Highlights the moment when Lindo, in character, turns pain into song:

  “That right there was the epitome of the blues. It was turning that pain and that hurt and that trauma into song… I was just blown away that he made that choice.” (15:06)

• Both reflect on blues as not just performance, but profound storytelling—direct, rooted in survival, elevation, and artistry.

Research and Learning through Blues Legends

• Miles Caton:

  “The storytelling… had a simplicity… but also such a heartfelt and heart-wrenching, you know, take on what they were going through…” (16:50)

• Delroy Lindo:

  “It’s not a music of victims… There’s an artistry that transforms those sentiments… into storytelling, into song, into something that’s beautiful.” (17:44)
  Equates the sanctified versus sinful archetype in blues to artists like Prince and foundational blues musicians.

• Lindo pays tribute to Caton’s role as a “continuum, the continuing of that legacy, of that tradition. And that’s what needs to be protected in the film.” (19:06–20:20)

Personal Musical Journeys

• Miles Caton:

  “I was drawn to it. I grew up around it… I started singing when I was three years old." (20:31)

• Stewart cues a clip from Sinners, featuring the song “Traveling.” (21:01)
• Caton describes the guitar’s meaning to his character:

  “Everything. He finally got to get out and be around his cousins and do something he never gets to do in his daily life…” (21:45)

The Press Tour and Camaraderie

• Delroy Lindo:
  Finds joy and growth in hearing fellow castmates describe their own approaches:

  “I’ve learned a tremendous amount… as they have, in responding to the various questions… I really learned a lot… that's part of what’s conveyed as you watch the film. I love… my colleagues...” (22:35–24:49)

• Both reflect warmly on the chemistry and trust within their cast and crew—an atmosphere Lindo says is rare in filmmaking.

Notable Quotes

• Delroy Lindo (on the film’s meaning):

  “The vampires represent any evil force… It’s all about our community being infiltrated and destroyed, which we fight back against. And that… makes it a very, very, very contemporary story.” (12:28)

• Miles Caton (on improvisation):

  “That right there was the epitome of the blues. It was turning that pain and that hurt and that trauma into song…” (15:06)

• Delroy Lindo (on the blues):

  “It’s not a music of victims. There’s an artistry that transforms those sentiments into storytelling, into song, into something that’s beautiful.” (17:44)

• Delroy Lindo (on Caton’s presence):

  “He was always very present… as Sammy, he’s infusing all of those qualities into what he’s doing inside the work, and it made the work that much richer.” (09:01)

• Miles Caton (on choosing music):

  “I was drawn to it. I grew up around it… It’s always been part of my life.” (20:31)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:54 – Lindo on reading Coogler’s script
• 03:31 – Caton on his audition and music background
• 04:42 – Lindo on collaboration and trust with Coogler
• 06:16 – Caton on learning from Lindo; Lindo on working with Caton
• 10:44 – Caton on music’s impact on his acting
• 12:28 – Lindo on vampires as metaphor
• 13:44 – Lindo on preparing the chain gang monologue
• 15:06 – Caton on Lindo’s improvisation and the blues
• 16:50 – Caton and Lindo on blues, storytelling, and research
• 20:31 – Caton on lifetime connection to music
• 21:01 – Clip from “Traveling” in Sinners
• 22:35 – Lindo on the unique press tour camaraderie
• 24:36 – Lindo on his reverence for colleagues

Memorable Moments

• The mutual admiration and mentorship between Lindo and Caton.
• Lindo’s reflection on vampire lore as a timeless stand-in for community threats.
• Caton describing the safety net that music provided him as a first-time actor.
• The detailed discussion of blues as a living, evolving storytelling tradition.
• Enthusiastic, heartfelt acknowledgment of the ensemble cast and their creative process.

Final Note:
The conversation shines with authenticity, mutual respect, and a love for craft—mirroring the deep themes of legacy, community, and creative risk at the heart of Sinners. Whether a film lover, musician, or cultural enthusiast, listeners gain insight not just into Oscar buzz, but into the lived experience of making art that matters.