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Hailee Steinfeld Says Film Sinners’ Story ‘Raised Questions’ In Her Mind: ‘It Had Such an Impact…’
The Oscar nominee shares how her new multi-racial role in Sinners left a lasting, deeply personal impression.
Despite playing an undead character, Hailee Steinfeld discovered a powerful personal connection to her latest role in Sinners. The Ryan Coogler-directed horror film, set in 1930s Mississippi, premieres in theaters on April 18 and features Steinfeld as a multiracial vampire whose story stirred unexpected emotions and family memories for the actress.
Reflecting on her experience, Steinfeld spoke about "all the questions … that this movie raised for me." She plays Mary, a multiracial vampire navigating the racial tensions of the American South, a role that struck a chord with Steinfeld, who is part Black and part Filipino on her mother’s side.
“It had such an impact on me personally,” Steinfeld told People. “Therefore, I feel like the least it can do is make an impact on those that watch it.” She also expressed how making the movie brought her closer to her family history, particularly memories of her grandfather, and said she wished he were still alive to answer the many questions the film evoked during production.
Director Ryan Coogler also revealed that Sinners emerged from a deeply personal place after the loss of his Uncle James, who was from Mississippi. Coogler shared that he spent much of his childhood at his uncle’s house, where they bonded over blues music. After his uncle’s passing, he said listening to those blues records often felt like conjuring his uncle’s presence — especially when the music was loud enough and the room dark enough.
Adding to the emotional weight of the film, Michael B. Jordan stars as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, both World War I veterans who return to their hometown to start a blues club, only to uncover a lurking supernatural evil.
With its roots deeply tied to personal grief, heritage, and cultural memory, Sinners promises to offer more than just scares. For Hailee Steinfeld, the film served as a profound journey into her own history — and she hopes that audiences will feel even a fraction of the impact it had on her.
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