‘The Woman King‘ Star Sheila Atim Finds Healing in Response to ‘Sinners‘ Role
Sheila Atim’s portrayal of Elizabeth in the controversial film Sinners sparked a powerful and unexpectedly healing response,revealing a deep longing for nuanced portrayal of Black women,the actress revealed in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The fervor surrounding her performance in The Woman King, which opened in April and is now streaming on HBO Max, hasn’t immediately translated into a flood of new roles, but Atim says the experience has clarified her priorities and reinforced the importance of patience.
Atim described a feeling of collective recognition and gratitude for the character of Elizabeth,noting,”To see that kind of woman just fully loved and appreciated,the wisdom appreciated,the nurturing appreciated,the sexiness appreciated,the darkness,the naturalness,everything appreciated…I didn’t realize how lonely it felt until I felt like,’Oh,we are all feeling this love together.'” this outpouring of positive response was particularly impactful, as Atim navigates a period of selective role choices following the film’s release.
Despite a ”quiet year” with numerous scripts arriving that didn’t feel right, Atim is adhering to advice from Sinners co-star Michael fassbender: “Just wait. Hold your nerve because things will come that you don’t necessarily want to do that you feel like you should because you should keep working and keep the momentum up.” Her husband has become a key support in maintaining this resolve, consistently reminding her to ”Hold your nerve. We’ve got this.Just wait.”
Two upcoming projects align with Atim’s discerning approach: Aaron Sorkin’s The Social reckoning,a follow-up to The Social Network,and the Apple adaptation This Is how It Goes,a psychological thriller. The latter project reunites her with Idris Elba and emerged from a conversation with her husband about exploring new genres. ”Idris came in with this offer, and my husband had said, ‘What do you want to do next? I think this kind of genre woudl be great for you.’ And I hadn’t even thought about that…I’d been like, ‘That would be cool, but is anyone going to cast me as that?’ And then Idris called.”
Atim emphasizes the non-linear nature of her career and the value of remaining grounded. She credits lessons learned from working with Annie, a fellow actress, for reinforcing the importance of intentional pacing. “I don’t want to trip myself up moving to fast,” Atim stated. “That was a big lesson I learned from Annie. Don’t move too fast.”