“Y’all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out? It’s kind of long but full of suspense.”
Thus began the odyssey of one A’Ziah King, aka ZOLA. From acclaimed writer/director Janicza Bravo, Zola’s stranger-than-fiction saga, which she first told in a now-iconic series of viral, uproarious tweets, comes to dazzling cinematic life.
Zola (newcomer Taylour Paige), a Detroit waitress, strikes up a new friendship with a customer, Stefani (Riley Keough), who seduces her to join a weekend partying in Florida. What at first seems like a glamorous trip full of “hoeism” rapidly transforms into a 48-hour journey involving a nameless pimp, played by Colman Domingo, an idiot boyfriend, some shady guys in Tampa, and other unexpected adventures in this wild, see-it-to-believe-it tale.
In this exclusive clip obtained by Latina, Colman Domingo plays a pimp, unknown by name, and hands over a pack of cash as symbolism of his appreciation for Zola’s actions the previous night. Zola — still enthralled with the situation — takes the money. This is just the beginning of a story, that is — as she puts it — “long but worth” reading. The scene provides a sneak peak into the complicated twists and turns that Zola finds herself in throughout the film.
The director of Zola, the film, Janicza Bravo, is a fellow Latina. Janicza, born to Panamanian parents, spent her childhood between Brooklyn and Panama. And the star of this scene, Colman Domingo, has roots in Guatemala through his father’s side and has spoken on the importance of his Afro-Latin identity.
Zola is playing in theaters near you.
