EVERY MOMENT

TESSA THOMPSON on GET OUT

I was in Hollywood at the iconic Cinerama Dome; it was opening weekend of Get Out. I remember being in the lobby waiting at concessions and the energy was already kind of explosive. The whole place felt abuzz with anticipation (think it was the Sunday). And it was, by far, the most electric cinematic experience I’ve ever had. You could feel the whole audience interrogating together; some vocally — the laughs were big, the gasps too, the cheers at the end powerful — and suddenly there was a charge in the room as the movie ended — this collective (albeit tenuous) connection.

I’ve always been so taken by being in the cinema. Well before I was in films, I have always liked to watch people watching films. I adore being able to see people unguarded, immersed in story. And when I started acting, it was in the theatre — so it’s always been about the communal. Now, to be able to share stories with a global community is beyond what I ever imagined for myself. I believe that films are portals and postcards of the time they are made in — and at their very best, the stories we tell have the ability not just to reflect culture, but to shift it .... I believe I’ve had the chance to contribute to some narratives that are aiming to do just that — and it’s a dream.