Interview: Dominique Fishback Talks ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’, Getting Cast By Shaka King & More
Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah is currently streaming on HBO Max and in theaters (where theaters are open). If you haven’t already, be sure to stream it before it leaves the service on March 14.
In the film, Dominique Fishback plays Deborah Johnson who is the fiancee of Illinois Black Panther Party chairman, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). Last time we spoke with Fishback, her latest film, Project Power, was debuting on Netflix. During the Project Power interview, the actress spoke about how she felt it was her time and that she deserved bigger roles than the ones she was getting, and I couldn’t agree more.
In my chat with Fishback this time, she spoke about the casting process and how Shaka King personally picked her for the role. We also spoke about her research and the magnitude of portraying Deborah Johnson. She also spoke about working with co-star Daniel Kaluuya and how committed he was to the role. Lastly, Fishback spoke about the poems she brought to the script and the music she listened to to get into the right mind set.
Check out the interview with Dominique Fishback below:
Official Synopsis for Judas and the Black Messiah:
FBI informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton (Kaluuya). O’Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). Hampton’s political prowess grows just as he’s falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson (Fishback). Meanwhile, a battle wages for O’Neal’s soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) commands?
