When one thinks of the American Civil Rights Movement, a number of names instantly come to mind. This list includes people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and Fannie Lou Hamer. Also earning her spot among such leaders is Mamie Till Mobley, whose story comes to life like never before in the 2022 movie Till.
Mamie Till Mobley was an educator turned activist in the wake of the murder of her son, Emmett Till. As she mourned the loss of her child, she allowed the US and the world to mourn with her in hopes that his death would spark not only outrage but a change. So what can movie watchers expect from this big screen retelling?
Here’s everything we know about Till.
How to watch Till
Till is currently playing in movie theaters and is available to watch at home through digital on-demand.
Till plot
The movie’s United Artist website describes the Till synopsis as the following:
"Till is a profoundly emotional and cinematic film about the true story of Mamie Till Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, who, in 1955, was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. In Mamie’s poignant journey of grief turned to action, we see the universal power of a mother’s ability to change the world."
Till comes on the heels of the ABC/Hulu anthology series Women of the Movement, which also portrayed the heroism of Mamie Till Mobley. We’ll have to wait for the movie to be released before assessing the differences between the two projects.
Till cast
Playing the heroine of the movie, Mamie Till Mobley, is Danielle Deadwyler. Deadwyler has been featured in a number of projects including The Haves and the Have Nots, Atlanta, Watchmen and Greenleaf. The actress also gained a lot of notoriety starring alongside Regina Kina and Idris Elba in the Netflix movie The Harder They Fall as Cuffee.
Joining Deadwyller in Till is famed comedian, actress and EGOT winner, Whoopi Goldberg. Goldberg has enjoyed decades of success in Hollywood having been in films such as Ghost, The Color Purple, Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. She’s also spent years on the small screen and has been seen in shows like Blue Bloods, Staged and Harlem. Additionally, she’s a staple on the Emmy-winning talk show The View, serving as a moderating host.
Rounding out the main cast of the movie are Jalyn Hall (All American, Space Jam: A New Legacy), Frankie Faison (Grey’s Anatomy, The Rookie: Feds), Jayme Lawson (The First Lady, The Batman), Tosin Cole (Doctor Who, 61st Street), Kevin Carroll (Snowfall, The Walking Dead), Sean Patrick Thomas (Save the Last Dance, Barbershop), John Douglas Thompson (The Gilded Age, For Life), Roger Guenveur Smith (All Rise, Dope) and Haley Bennett (The Girl on the Train, The Magnificent Seven).
Till trailer
On October 4, MGM studios released the second trailer for the film. We appreciate the writer's take on the story of Mamie Till-Mobley from what we've seen thus far.
On September 30, MGM studios released another clip for the film. Check it out.
The Till trailer is nothing short of moving. Take a look at the clip below.
Also, see what those attached to the film have to say about the decision not to show much violence as it pertains the story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley.
Till awards and nominations
Here is a rundown of the nominations and awards that Till has received:
National Board of Review
- Breakthrough Performance — Danielle Deadwyler
- Top 10 Film
Critics Choice Awards
- Best Actress — Danielle Deadwyler (nominee)
- Best Young Actor/Actress — Jalyn Hall (nominee)
Gotham Awards
- Outstanding Lead Performance — Danielle Deadwyler (winner)
Who is the Till director?
Chinonye Chukwu served as the Till director. She is a Sundance Film Festival winner, having claimed a top prize for her movie Clemency starring Alfre Woodard. While she’s also directed a number of short films, both Clemency and Till are her most notable bodies of work.
