Most mainstream audiences were first introduced to Lakeith Stanfield when he played Snoop Dog in Straight Outta Compton or as Darius in FX’s Atlanta.
Subsequent films like Judas and the Black Messiah, Get Out, and Sorry to Bother You were opportunities for Stanfield to flex his powerful acting muscles and establish himself as a rising star in Hollywood.
One thing Lakeith Stanfield’s performances have in common in many of these films is the air of meekness and vulnerability he gives to each character.
Judas and the Black Messiah required him to display drastic unease and uncertainty throughout the entire film.
Stanfield harnesses discrete micro-expressions that translate on screen to revealing subtext surrounding his character’s inner journey.
Without even speaking, he invites the audience into his mind as he struggles with securing his own interests, while slowly turning to admiration of Fred Hampton’s passion, and making him question his own intentions and morality.
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