“Y’all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out? It’s kind of long but it’s full of suspense.” That’s how a teaser trailer for the upcoming comedy-drama Zola started when it was released last August. Now, the official trailer is finally here.
What started as a viral Twitter thread back in 2015 is now slated to become a cinematic blockbuster. The movie, co-written by Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O’Harris, follows A’Ziah King (Taylour Paige), also known as Zola, a Detroit waitress in for an interesting turn of events after the start of her friendship with Stefani (Riley Keough). After Stefani invites her on what was proposed as a fun “hoe trip” of partying in Florida, Zola is thrust into a two-day tailspin with nameless pimps, Tampa gangsters, and an idiot of a boyfriend.
When ESSENCE chatted with Paige earlier this year, she said “I was honored and humbled that they felt like I could illuminate the light that was Zola. I feel great responsibility to be as intentional as I can about the characters I play and what they’re trying to say. Some of them are going to be unlikable and, hopefully, you’ll question why. That’s what art is supposed to do. It’s supposed to ruffle your feathers. As long as I’m telling the truth of who that person is, I’m doing the work.”
O’Harris even took to Twitter to express his excitement: “I’ve been waiting to go on this hoe trip for damn near 6 years…let’s go.”
Check out the full trailer below for a sneak peek into the world of sex work and trafficking from the lens of a Black woman. Zola is slated for release Summer 2021.
Photo Credit: A24