Tessa Thompson & Nnamdi Asomugha are the Cover Stars of Essence Magazine

 

Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha are the latest cover stars of the new issue of Essence Magazine!

Recall that the duo are promoting their new movie, Sylvie’s Love, an upcoming Amazon romance feature that made its big-screen debut on Sunday night.

In this new issue of Essence Magazine, they talked about working together on the project, and more.

Speaking about why the movie is relevant, Tessa said it “couldn’t be sweeter.” She continued: “At a time when we’re talking about the value and dignity of Black life…it’s really great to have a [love] story that offers some escapism for audiences, and that feels sweeping and beautiful and hopeful about love. We really need those kinds of narratives.”

Speaking about showing black male vulnerability on screen, Asomugha said: “That was important for us to show especially during that time when there was a hypermasculinity that said, ‘I’m immovable.’”

And why the movie is important to her, Tessa added: “Certainly women like Sylvie existed during the time, but those stories aren’t told. I’m in a period in my career, personally, where I’m launching my own production company. I’m working as a producer, and I… stand on the shoulders of women like Sylvie who came before me—career women who were [pioneers] in a time when it was hard enough to be that as a woman, never mind as a Black woman.”

Check out their photos: