EXCLUSIVE: Teyana Taylor and Sherri Shepherd dish on sisterhood and social struggles in Tyler Perry's 'Straw'

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of virtually interviewing Teyana Taylor and Sherri Shepherd, who are part of the principal cast of Tyler Perry’s thriller, “Straw”.

Now these phenomenal women are legends in the industry - and not just for acting.

Taylor is a respected singer, songwriter, model, dancer, choreographer and music video director, while Shepherd is also a daytime talk show host as well as podcaster and comedian. 

Engaging with them, even briefly, was mind-blowing. Especially with it being about a project that undeniably carries Perry's signature ability to portray poignant stories of socioeconomic hardship.

He’s proven his Midas touch in his popular "Madea" franchise and “Good Deeds”. 

“Straw” dropped on Netflix yesterday. It centres on Janiyah Wiltkinson (Taraji P. Henson), a single mother with a sick little girl, who is having the worst day.

Her landlord is threatening to throw her out if she doesn’t pay her overdue rent. Her manager at the local grocery store where she works as a cashier fired her for taking longer than she promised, as she had to rush to her daughter’s school while on duty.

Amid trying to get back to work, a cop hits her car and blames her for it while also threatening to kill her. As she pleads for her salary, so she can pay her rent and give her child $40 for school lunch, two thugs arrive to rob the store. 

What follows is a series of unfortunate events and misunderstandings that lead to her being wanted for murder.

She doesn't help her situation when she holds a teller at gunpoint to cash her cheque - a situation which mushrooms into a tense standoff with law enforcement.

On the actresses' thoughts on the strong social aspect of the script and their respective roles, Shepherd, who plays Nicole, the kind-hearted bank manager, said: “You know, when I read the script, the part that I loved is that it had a social aspect to it, because I think that's what people are going to connect to.

“Taraji’s character, Janiyah, couldn't catch a break. She played by the rules, and they weaponised those rules against her. And I think that people have had those days, or you know somebody who's been through that.

“And because of that, hopefully, the person (watching) will leave with a lot more empathy and compassion than when they started.”

Taylor, who is cast as Detective Kay Raymond, agreed wholeheartedly with Shepherd’s sentiments. 

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Taylor is working with Perry. 

“Actually, my first movie ever was with Tyler Perry, so being able to work with him on his project was really like a family reunion, and we had a blast. 

“You know, being able to be directed by him is always amazing, and he created such an amazing and safe space, putting me in a position to have the opportunity to get to work with Sherry and Taraji has been amazing. 

“I’m just so happy to be a part of it,” she shared.

In the film, Taylor’s character empathises with the protagonist and, in doing so, strikes a rapport with her during the hostage situation. 

Shepherd shares most of her scenes with P. Henson. On working alongside her, Shepherd said: “It was pretty phenomenal to see Taraji be able to hold it in and let go and be at her most vulnerable.

"There were many times I forgot to say my line because I was so engrossed in what she was doing. I’m believing it. I forgot we're on a set, we're acting, we're saying lines.

“I think we all did. We kept looking at Taraji. She would put her head back and scream; a primal scream. She would cry, and I'm sitting here going, ‘How lucky am I to be able to witness this?’ And then to see it on screen, it's even more than what I saw on the set.”

Taylor added: “The sisterhood on and off set was very, very important, and it happened at a time that it needed to happen, and that's what meant the world to me.”

Henson delivers a praiseworthy performance as a struggling mother facing constant adversity, making "Straw" profoundly moving. It resonates deeply, pulling at the heartstrings.

Rating: **** a standout film with exceptional qualities.

If you enjoy this movie, you should watch …

“The Pursuit of Happyness”

Directed by Gabriele Muccino, this 2006 biographical drama stars Will Smith as Chris Gardner, a homeless salesman, with Smith’s real-life son Jaden playing his son, Christopher Jr. 

The story centres on Chris, who takes up an unpaid internship in a brokerage firm after he loses his life's earnings selling a product he invested in. His financial struggles are compounded by his wife leaving him to take care of their son. 

This one is a real tearjerker.