Exclusive: 40 Acres Cast Interviews with Danielle Deadwyler, director R.T. Thorne, Michael Greyeyes, and Leenah Robinson
Hitting theaters on July 2 from Magnolia Pictures is 40 Acres, a bold, no-holds-barred action-thriller from debut filmmaker R.T. Thorne starring acclaimed actress Danielle Deadwyler. 40 ACRES is set in a famine-decimated near future where a former soldier (Deadwyler) and her family struggle to safeguard their farm as they make one last stand against a vicious militia hell-bent on taking their land.
Written by R.T. Thorne, Glenn Taylor, Lora Campbell, the cast also includes Kataem O'Connor, Michael Greyeyes, and Milcania Diaz-Rojas, and Leenah Robinson.
In the film, after a plague eradicates all animal life, famine spreads across the globe leaving society at war and in ruins, but the Freemans are surviving — even thriving — on their ancestral farm so long as they dispatch the occasional raiding party. But what good is surviving the end of the world if it means snuffing out your own humanity? Former soldier Hailey (Deadwyler) made that choice years ago, believing that isolation was the only way to protect her family. She and her partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes) fled the collapse along with their children, fenced them off from the world and trained them to fight (and, yes, kill). But now Hailey’s eldest Emanuel (Kataem O’Connor) is a young man, and when he meets a young woman (Milcania Diaz-Rojas) in the forest beyond the fence, his need for human contact could place the whole family in jeopardy.
Deadwyler recently starred in the Blumhouse/Universal feature "Woman in the Yard", in which she stars and serves as executive producer. Her past projects include Netflix's feature adaptation of August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" and the action-thriller "Carry On". Deadwyler is best known for her starring role in the award-winning film "Till", portraying Emmett Till's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. Her performance garnered her the 5 2022 Gotham Award for 'Outstanding Lead Performance',
the 2022 Critics Choice Association's Celebration of Black Cinema & Television Actress Award for Film, and the 2022 National Board of Review Breakthrough Performance Award. Deadwyler can also be seen in Season Four of FX’s “The Bear,” A24's "I saw the TV Glow", the Netflix limited series "From Scratch", and the Emmy-nominated limited series "Station Eleven" for HBO Max, for which she was nominated for a 2023 Film Independent Spirit TV Award in the category of 'Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series'
R.T. Thorne is a Canadian filmmaker known for his bold visual style and commitment to equality in the industry. His notable works include the Emmy-nominated, 12-time Canadian Screen Award winning series "The Porter" for CBC & BET, and the award-winning Hulu original "Utopia Falls." His bold visual style and character-driven approach have earned him multiple award wins across short film, music videos and television, including being named the 2023 Playback Magazine Director of the Year.
Greyeyes recently filmed the first season of Kurt Sutter's "The Abandons" for Netflix, opposite Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson, premiering in 2025. Greyeyes also played Rainbird in the Universal/Blumhouse adaptation of Stephen King's "Firestarter". His other credits include HBO's "True Detective" and "I Know This Much is True", Tyler Sheridan's "1923", and the independent horror film "Blood Quantum", for which he won Best Leading Actor at the Canadian Screen Awards.
Leenah Robinson is an Indigenous Canadian actress, notably recognized for her role as Baapuxti in Paramount's "1923", where she worked alongside Aminah Nieves, Harrison Ford, and Helen Mirren. She is of Mohawk descent from Six Nations of the Grand River, Haisla from Kitamaat, BC, and Heiltsuk from Bella Bella, BC. Robinson's other notable roles include "Fakes" for CBC/Netflix, "Bones of Crow" for CBC, and "Skymed" for Paramount+.
Blackfilmandtv.com's Wilson Morales talks to Danielle Deadwyler, director R.T. Thorne, Michael Greyeyes, and Leenah Robinson on 40 Acres.
