"We were all in tears": Wunmi Mosaku reveals this aspect of Sinners, which was not in the film’s original script

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan and Wunmi Mosaku. Reader discretion is advised.

Since last week, Sinners has been discussed for many reasons. For starters, it is Ryan Coogler’s first non-franchise film since the Sundance hit, Fruitvale Station. Still, much like Black Panther, it has taken the box office by storm at a time when original scripts are struggling to attract crowds to the cinemas. Coogler achieves this feat with his big-screen spectacle that remains grounded despite the scale and scope of his vision. That might be due to the history his ancestors share with his character from the Jim Crow-era South United States.

Tying into that experience is the “surreal dance sequence” in the juke joint that is being lauded by critics and moviegoers alike. It shows spirits from the past, present, and future seemingly coexisting in the same space as the scene combines Sammie’s gut-wrenching blues with a DJ and the 1970s electric guitars under the same roof. That’s an ambitious undertaking for a film that is not dependent on an existing IP, considering the amount of effort and patience that goes into making it happen. Regardless, it has paid off, per the glowing reactions.

Wunmi Mosaku reveals that the surreal musical sequence in Sinners was not part of its original script

Wunmi Mosaku at The European Premiere of "Sinners" - Source: Getty

The audience, who just can’t get enough of this hallucinatory montage, will be surprised to know that it was not part of Sinners’ original script. The film’s star, Wunmi Mosaku, revealed it during her recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter.

Sinners went through at least a few iterations, and the draft Mosaku read did not include that scene. Coogler, who also wrote the script, may have added it during the rewrites. So, it eventually ended up in the final draft that the characters used for their read-through sessions.

Wunmi Mosaku speaks about how this “extra detail” conjured something beyond the usual theatrics:

"The script changed from the time I auditioned to the read-through with the cast. The script I got two days before the read-through had the past and future ancestors in the scene, and I got chills. That extra detail, I was like, “Wow, this man is a genius.” Ryan is so brilliant that he took what I thought was already a perfect script and elevated it in such a way."

She further reveals her reaction to this transcendent montage:

"When we got to the read-through, it was so powerful, and we were all in tears, especially hearing Miles sing for the first time."

So, the audiences aren’t the only ones overcome with emotions after experiencing the scene. The cast and crew felt the same, per the comments of Wunmi Mosaku. The read-through sessions revealed the emotional potency of this montage, which is hard to get over for anyone who has experienced it.

Wunmi Mosaku further spoke about this showstopper scene and whether it was a challenge to portray it in a period film such as Sinners:

"I don’t think doubt ever crept into any of our minds from the moment we heard Ryan Coogler was doing an original project. He is such a keeper of culture and cinema, and now, music. He just thinks so deeply that doubt never crossed my mind while being involved in this, and I can guarantee that every single actor and crew member felt the same."

Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan and Wunmi Mosaku, is in theaters now.