Podcast Summary: Wunmi Mosaku Talks 'Sinners'

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Wunmi Mosaku
Episode Date: December 31, 2025
Film discussed: Sinners (directed by Ryan Coogler)
Duration of interview content: ~00:08 to 14:16

Overview: Main Theme and Purpose

This episode of All Of It spotlights British-Nigerian actor Wunmi Mosaku and her celebrated performance as Annie in the blockbuster film Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler. Mosaku’s character, Annie, is a healer at the story’s supernatural and emotional center. The conversation delves into how the film blends genres—including horror, musical, and romance—and examines the cultural, spiritual, and personal transformations Mosaku experienced while preparing for the role. The discussion also explores the importance of ancestry, reclaiming language and heritage, and the ways in which the film’s themes resonate beyond the screen.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Landing the Role & First Impressions

• Immediate Offer:
  • Mosaku recounts the rare experience of being offered the role of Annie on the spot after a chemistry read with Michael B. Jordan.
  • Quote:
    • “Ryan just came out. He said, ‘I don't know what I'm doing...the role’s yours. I don't know why I would make you wait. The role's yours.’ And then Michael kind of jumped out of the room... It was so overwhelming and so fun and so lovely... this whole experience has been kind of magical from beginning to end.” (01:11)

2. The Weight and Meaning of the Opening Love Scene

• The Seven-Page Scene:
  • Mosaku describes how the first script pages she received were seven minutes of a love scene with Michael B. Jordan’s character—before she even knew the film’s true genre.
  • She was struck by the depth and complexity conveyed in a short script excerpt.
  • Quote:
    • “I felt like I understood their history, their love, the depth of their love, the breadth of their humanity and their fear, their beliefs, their differences, their grief and their hopes in seven pages...” (02:03)

3. Genre-Bending & Centrality of Love

• Genre-bending Narrative:

  • Initially seeing the film as a love story, Mosaku was surprised by its blend of genres: horror, musical, romance.
  • Quote:
    • “I think it's one of the greatest love stories, but it's also a horror. It's a musical. It's, it's everything.” (03:03)

• Love at the Heart:

  • Love permeates every layer: personal, communal, artistic (the blues), parental, and ancestral.
  • Quote:
    • “Whether that's with your partner...or whether it's your gift...For the character of Sammy, music, love is absolutely the heartbeat and the bloodline and the rhythm through and the flesh of this whole movie.” (03:15)

4. Annie's Backstory & Values

• Her Personal History:

  • Annie is reunited with Smoke (her partner) seven years after the loss of their child. She believes honesty is key to rekindling their bond.
  • Mojo Bag Symbolism: She gives him a mojo bag imbued with her love and power.
  • Quote:
    • “I feel like she poured all of her power into this mojo bag. And that's why it, that's why it works, you know?” (05:45)

• Confronting Morality:

  • Annie refuses to accept plantation currency in her store, highlighting moral boundaries and her spiritual convictions.
  • Quote:
    • “They serve two very different gods...He is all about power and money...and she is rooted in...her beliefs and her people.” (06:30)

• Smoke vs. Elijah:

  • The distinction between Smoke (public persona) and Elijah (true self).
  • Quote:
    • “Smoke is his smoke and mirrors...Elijah is his core. It's his true form, vulnerable self...the only people who know Elijah...are Annie and his brother Elias.” (07:30)

5. Researching Annie: Tradition and Heritage

• Learning about Healing & Ancestry:
  • Mosaku admits she knew little about the practice of hoodoo before the role. Her research led her to Yoruba roots and a deeper connection with her own ancestry.
  • Quote:
    • “I learned that it was a derivative of Ifa, which is a Yoruba traditional indigenous religion. And I'm a Yoruba woman...For me, it was like this opening up of my...ancestry, my survival, my why I'm here.” (08:48)

6. Personal & Spiritual Transformation

• Impact of the Role:
  • The experience was transformative, both spiritually and artistically. It marked her first project after becoming a mother, deepening the resonance.
  • Quote:
    • “Learning Annie...I kind of felt like, powerful. It was...feeding me, like reminding me of my own power...It felt magical and transformational.” (10:13)

7. Reclaiming Language and Identity

• A Revelation in Language:
  • Mosaku describes how playing Annie motivated her to reclaim her Yoruba language, progressing after years of struggle.
  • Quote:
    • “I've been doing Yoruba lessons for five years and...six months later [after filming] able to like do my whole class in Yoruba. The language has never stuck with me before...I just feel like Annie is the beginning of that reclaiming and home going and reconnectedness and the spiritual awakening.” (11:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the magic of the casting process:
  • “It was so overwhelming and so fun and so lovely and like...this whole experience has been kind of magical.” (01:11)
• On love as the film’s axis:
  • “Love is absolutely the heartbeat and the bloodline and the rhythm through and the flesh of this whole movie.” (03:15)
• On cultural and spiritual connection:
  • “For me it was...this opening up of my ancestry, my survival, my why I'm here.” (08:48)
• On the role’s transformative power:
  • “I kind of felt like, powerful. It was...feeding me, like reminding me of my own power...It felt magical and transformational.” (10:13)
• On reclaiming language and identity:
  • “I just feel like Annie is the beginning of that reclaiming and home going and reconnectedness and the spiritual awakening.” (11:40)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:08 – Introduction to Wunmi Mosaku and Sinners
• 01:02 – Wunmi recalls being offered the role on the spot
• 02:03 – Reflecting on the audition scene’s depth
• 03:03 – Discussing the genre-bending nature of the film
• 03:15 – Exploring how love is central to Sinners
• 04:38 – Annie’s backstory and emotional motivations
• 06:15 – Annie’s refusal of blood money and moral convictions
• 07:30 – The duality of Smoke/Elijah and Annie’s understanding of him
• 08:48 – Wunmi’s research into healing traditions and ancestry
• 10:13 – Spiritual and personal impact of playing Annie
• 11:40 – On reclaiming Yoruba language and identity following the role

Conclusion

Wunmi Mosaku’s discussion on All Of It with Alison Stewart reveals the profound impact of her role in Sinners—on her career, her sense of self, and her cultural roots. The conversation weaves through genre, ancestry, love, grief, and empowerment, offering listeners a rich exploration of what it means to embody a character connected to spiritual traditions and community. Mosaku’s openness about her journey serves as a powerful testament to the ways art can inspire personal and cultural transformation.