Why It Makes Sense That There Are Black Actors In “The Rings of Power”
Like many things, like animals and people, they always evolve. When the first humans walked the Earth, they originated from Africa and were all black.

Jacob is stuck in a rut. Fogged out and depressed after a break up, he seeks a spiritual reset: trying DMT. His search leads him to South Pasadena, where he enlists the help of a spiritual healer named Laura. After being invited into her sacred temple it becomes clear that Jacob’s case of the blues may be a symptom of a bigger problem. Laura cleanses him with bells, sananga and other holistic divine healings. But, it is not enough. She discovers a great darkness in Jacob’s aura and urgently pleads for him to partake in a taboo ritual. Could this cure what ails him? Reluctant yet desperate, Jacob agrees to a ceremony that will leave him changed forever.
Like many things, like animals and people, they always evolve. When the first humans walked the Earth, they originated from Africa and were all black.
Suppressed intergenerational family trauma and healing, warm welcome to the Marvel Cinematic Universe team, and Awkwafina's humor really make this film the real MVP.
When diverse representation is featured on-screen, it oftentimes comes with strings attached that undermine the message they were trying to send. This can be attributed to the fact that behind-the-screen, the industry primarily does not reflect the breadth of diverse difference that is present in daily life. That’s why when something as powerful and authentic as Minari comes along, it is both incredibly wonderful and needs a large audience to witness it.
“And I think to myself….what a wonderful world”. Louis Armstrong sang about this notion via his classic 1967 song, an ode to witnessing elements of our life that should be but some reminders of exactly what that concluding line of each verse indicates. Now we see our contemporary realities and, just being honest, it makes a sentiment like this seem SO overtly far away….perhaps even impossible….to accept or believe could be. It sounds harsh, but again, so much of what is occurring speaks not to beauty, but bedlam.
If you’ve been itching for a sign to finally go on that unforgettable summer camping trip, this is it.
What seems like such a simple story of survival is so much more than that—it’s a story of family, and of war, and of destruction. It’s painful to watch, but not in a bad way. It makes its audience reflect on their own actions, and in how they are complicit in the sufferings of others as the adults in this film are. Grave of the Fireflies does not hold back from being heartbreaking, and it shouldn’t. It tells a message that needs to be heard decades after the war, and a story that cannot be forgotten by history.