Mosaku brings deep humanity, activism, and ancestral power to every role she takes on. Her performances transcend genre, turning horror and thrillers into vessels for truth and social change. She’s not chasing scares—she’s channeling something real.
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There’s a reason that BAFTA-winning actor Wunmi Mosaku is becoming a household name across the globe, and it’s not just because of her significant roles in major Hollywood franchises such as Marvel’s Loki and Deadpool, and Black Mirror. Mosaku has made a name for herself as someone who brings dedication, focus and a whole lot of heart to every role she portrays and every cause she champions. From her impactful advocacy and how she’s been reconnecting with her Nigerian roots, to her rising stardom and what it was like working with award-winning director Ryan Coogler (Creed, Black Panther) for her upcoming leading role in Sinners, BUST sat down with Mosaku to learn more about the multi-talented actor both personally and professionally.
When getting to know Mosaku, it’s hard to know where to start. With so many achievements under her belt and so many more to come, we start our conversation with the actor by discussing her upcoming film, Sinners, where Mosaku embodies the role of Annie, a powerful healer who is not only central to the story of the film, but to the heart of the film as well. A supernatural thriller set in the 1930s Jim Crow South, Sinners follows the story of twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) returning to their hometown for a fresh start, after which they are faced with an unknown supernatural evil that is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Generally speaking, the film truly has every ingredient to be a huge blockbuster success; Mosaku, Michael B. Jordan, vampires—what more could movie buffs ask for? This, in addition to the carefully crafted and thought-provoking script, was a project she couldn’t turn down.
“During my first meeting with Ryan, he sent me my first scene in the film, and I just was blown away by the quality of the writing and the storytelling in a few short pages,” said Mosaku. while discussing the relationship between her character and Jordan’s, Mosaku expressed, “Without it being clumsily done, I knew so much about these two people. I felt so deeply for them, and I just loved them and I loved their relationship. It was literally, I don’t know, six pages, and I said to him, ‘Thank you for writing something that has gotten me so excited about our industry again.’”
With a reinvigorated love for storytelling thanks to Coogler, Mosaku jumped at the chance to be a part of sharing such a thoughtful, layered, and critically important story. “The script is really just perfect,” stated Mosaku, “Nothing was superfluous, nothing was wasteful, everything was economically necessary and done with grace.”
The script was just the beginning of an exciting and inspiring filming experience for the actor. Mosaku credits the community she built during the filming process as being foundational in maintaining a supportive and fun environment on set, even when the Louisiana bugs were driving everyone mad. “That was such a challenge. Obviously, there’s blood and prosthetics and all those things are really uncomfortable, but you kind of get used to those things as an actor,” she says. “But the bugs…you know we had all this beautiful oil on our skin and that kind of glowing, sweaty, juke joint makeup, and we’re trying to pretend like we’re not getting bitten to shreds.” Bugs and all, Mosaku recounts the Sinners set as one centered in humor, grace, support, and creative freedom.
Fans of Mosaku will note that she’s no stranger to the horror genre, with her 2020 film His House being regarded as one of the best horror films of the decade. Surprisingly, Mosaku was not originally interested in the horror genre, but through working on projects like His House and Sinners, she’s become drawn to films that use horror as a tool to tackle, showcase, and dissect systems of power.
“I’m not a horror fan, and I wasn’t a superhero fan either,” says Mosaku. “I think the first monumental changing points in that for me were Get Out and Black Panther, and all of a sudden seeing that horror can address the horrors of humanity. It can be really thought-provoking and really change one’s perspective on humanity and culture and what we’re experiencing. It almost lets other people experience the horrors of racism, of inequality, of systemic oppression.” Mosaku elaborates, stating “Prior to Get Out, I didn’t even know horror could do that. So I guess you can say I’m a horror fan now. But in some ways, I don’t even think of His House as a horror film, because the message is so acute and so strong. By the end, I forget about the horror aspects and I’m only left with the emotional aspect. I feel the same with Sinners. Sinners isn’t horror per se; it’s so many different genres. At the end of our read through I was left on the verge of tears. It didn’t feel like a horror vampire period piece, it felt like a piece that represented the depth and the breadth of humanity.”
Finding the human aspect of every film she’s in is a key piece of Mosaku’s practice and method as an actor. Mosaku’s career is truly wide-ranging, from appearing in blockbusters backed by multibillion-dollar fandoms to more intimate films, with equally important messages, such as Damilola, Our Beloved Boy (for which she won a BAFTA for in 2017). “I find that no matter the budget, I approach every role in the same way. I’m always a nervous wreck to start,” jokes Mosaku. “I’m always anxious about doing my best and making sure that I don’t fall into the traps of being scared of going too small and backing away, or being scared to be bold and brave. I find that in anything, whether it’s Deadpool or Passenger. My motto is “Always work harder,” because they all matter equally, if nothing else because at the end of the day, they’re all going to be seen, whether by millions of Marvel fans or on Netflix or on BBC Three. People are going to see it, and that can be the reason why you get your next job or why you don’t get your next job.”
While Mosaku has a deep care and respect for her work and each character she portrays, she also has a profound love for her advocacy work. Throughout the years Mosaku has been an outspoken advocate for reproductive health, ranging from spreading awareness about sickle cell disease, for which she took part in a fireside chat with former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to discuss how SCD affected her reproductive health journey, to her work as an ambassador for ActionAid, an organization that seeks to provide women in the global south with economic justice and even offers initiatives to provide women and young girls access to period products and to end period poverty.
Mosaku powerfully stated, “For me, all this work really connects to my identity as a Black woman, especially in regards to sickle cell disease. I was able to learn a lot about the disease and what therapies were available during our journey to parenthood, since my husband and I both have sickle cell trait. I do fear, especially with the way things are politically now, that there is just not the choice and the freedoms and the financial availability for so many people to make choices that are best for them and their families and their health.”
Overall, what motivates Mosaku to do this work is a deep concern for the well-being of humanity and protecting people’s autonomy. “I want people to be safe. I want people to have a choice, and I want them to be safe. Sometimes that means you just have to put yourself out there, and as scary as it is, try to help to move the change along.”
Mosaku discussed ActionAid specifically, and how she feels a particular passion toward the organization’s work with women and girls. “Regarding Action Aid and empowering women and girls, I think the big thing is financial freedom. I think that regardless of if you are a woman or a girl in the global south or someone in America, financial freedom and not being dependent on men and being able to make choices on your behalf—I think that’s such a big thing. I love how ActionAid gives women and girls, first of all, a safe place to go to if they’re in danger, and then also enables them to have financial freedom, giving them tools and skills to make sure that they don’t have to go back somewhere that’s unsafe.”
Throughout Mosaku’s work, it is clear to see how her passion for equity, justice, and love for the human spirit runs through many facets of her life, from her career as an actor to her work as an advocate and activist.
On the topic of empowerment, our chat came full circle with Mosaku reflecting on her work portraying Annie in Sinners, and why the similarities between herself and her character were so impactful. “Annie has empowered me,” expressed Mosaku. “Who she is, this hoodoo, conjure woman, healer, priestess, lover, mother. I find myself asking a lot, what would Annie do? Because her wisdom, her groundedness, her power, her heart, is so strong and palpable and visceral and tangible, and I feel like I learned so much about myself through her.” Mosaku elaborates on the diasporic nature of her journey with Annie, stating, “I learned so much about my heritage as a Nigerian born in Nigeria, raised in England, and feeling really detached from my motherland. I found myself so much more grounded and felt so connected to my motherland in Louisiana, in New Orleans. That city is magical. The people are magical. The food is magical. The culture is so powerful.”
The actor continued to reflect on the time she spent with her character, focusing on how the role empowered her own exploration of her ancestry and heritage. Ending our conversation on an exceptionally powerful note, Mosaku revealed, “You know, I had a feeling that Annie was going to change my life, but I didn’t know it was going to be in such a profound, deep way that I have felt so connected to Nigeria, my culture, my language. I’ve been doing Yoruba lessons for the last five years and ever since I came back from Louisiana, let me tell you I can speak Yoruba! I’ve been speaking Yoruba in my mom’s house, I can actually communicate a whole conversation with her. I think that playing Annie really grounded and rooted me in something in my ancestry in a way that I had never felt before.”
Mosaku’s journey as an actor and advocate is deeply intertwined with her commitment to storytelling that challenges, empowers, and uplifts. Through her work in Sinners and beyond, she continues to use her platform to honor history, explore identity, and advocate for justice—proving that her impact extends far beyond the screen.
Photographer: Ashley Randall
Makeup: Uzo
Hair: Vernon Francois
Stylist: Shameelah Hicks
