A powerhouse in the world of performance art, dance, and film, Okwui Okpokwasili brings her singular presence to The Woman in the Yard, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the psychological horror film. Known for her boundary-pushing work in experimental theater and storytelling, Okpokwasili’s involvement in the Blumhouse production hints at a role that is both enigmatic and deeply unsettling. While details about her character remain under wraps, her history of delivering intense, thought-provoking performances suggests that she will be a key figure in the film’s eerie and suspenseful narrative.
This isn’t her first foray into the Blumhouse universe. She also has appeared in another Blumhouse/Stephanie Allain production — the film The Exorcist: Believer. However, in the Universal Pictures film The Woman in the Yard, she is the titular character that has the characters guessing as well as us, the audience, wondering what her true motives are. Black Girl Nerds, along with a small group of journalists in Athens, had the opportunity to speak with Okpokwasili about her character while filming on set. She couldn’t disclose much, given that most of what we know about the woman is covered in a shroud of secrecy — pun intended.
When asked what drew Okpokwasili to the script, here’s what she had to say:
“What stood out to me was the sense of grief. And the extreme of grief. And also centering a Black family around a moment of devastation, and a Black woman who’s at the helm of this family who is not performing the way Black women are supposed to perform, right? They’re supposed to handle every violence, every rupture, with an incredible amount of power and resourcefulness and resilience, and this woman has none of that. And so that was very compelling to me.”
Stephanie Allain in her interview with BGN echoed these same sentiments about Danielle Deadwyler’s character as Ramona, stating that she is multilayered and has a lot going on but not in a 2-dimensional way that we often see depicted in horror movies. Allain described Ramona as “very vulnerable, very naked and not trying to carry all the weight.”
In the film Okpokwasili is sitting, wearing a black shroud over her face, in the Georgia heat for a significant period of time. And this is for several shooting days. “I can feel it in the dress that I’m in, that whole black thing that’s a whole architecture right there that feels like a portal or a slit in time,” Okpokwasili adds.
As previously mentioned, Okpokwasili has worked with Blumhouse and Stephanie Allain before.
“They seem to get teams together that are deeply collaborative. People are super patient, super curious. So that’s the energy. In terms of a Blumhouse-like spirit on the film, nobody’s in the way of what you see get done.”
Okpokwasili also added that Stephanie Allain is known for getting some sage and saging the set. She referred to the producer as having “some spiritual sense.” When asked what it was like working with her, Okwui adds, “She doesn’t bother you, but she says some nice things every now and then, it makes you feel good.”
Okpokwasili elaborates further: “First of all, it’s just all these beautiful Black women in the soil, of this whole thing. I feel quite a bit of comfort and care. It’s easy, because people are doing the work, and it feels good.”
But The Woman in the Yard is not exactly a feel good movie. It’s an intense psychological thriller. That trailer surely has us expecting that we are going to be on the edge of our seats. With The Woman in the Yard, Okpokwasili continues to push the boundaries of storytelling, bringing her distinct artistry to the world of psychological horror. Her presence in the film, alongside a powerhouse cast led by Danielle Deadwyler, signals a gripping and thought-provoking narrative that will leave audiences unsettled long after the credits roll. As the mystery of her character unfolds, Okpokwasili’s ability to command the screen with intensity and depth is sure to make her role one of the film’s most haunting elements.
The film premieres in theaters everywhere March 28, 2025.
