Mark my words;Dominique Fishbackis going to be a household name very, very soon. (And if I had any say in Oscar nominations, it’d be happening one month from now.) Fishback stars inShaka King’sJudas and the Black Messiahas Deborah Johnson (nowAkua Njeri), a young woman who’s taken byFred Hampton’s (Daniel Kaluuya) ideology and goals, and also sparks a connection to Chairman Fred on a personal level. WhileJudas and the Black Messiahwell highlights the scope of Chairman Fred’s influence and the great value of his dedication to the movement, it’s through the intimacy of his relationship with Deborah that the film also successfully conveys the personal stakes involved in this fight for freedom.
Ever sincechatting with Fishbackand a few other members ofThe Hate U Giveensemble back in 2018, I’ve been eager for a long form conversation with the rising star about her commitment to her craft, and now thatJudas and the Black Messiahis available to watch on HBO Max, that time has finally come. Fishback joined us for an episode ofCollider Ladies Nightand she most certainly didn’t disappoint; her journey is oozing with hard work, passion and gratitude every single step of the way, beginning with her refusal to let anyone else decide what she can and cannot achieve:
“I had played basketball in high school. I played football. I did a lot of things. I was valedictorian and I was prom queen, right? [Laughs] So I was really trying to understand all of the levels and layers that we have inside. If somebody tried to limit me and say, ‘Oh, you’re able to’t do theater and basketball. You have to choose,’ I’d be like, ‘No I don’t. I can do it all. Why do I have to choose?’ So I really believed [in] all these things I had inside and so when I started leaving Brownsville to go to Manhattan to learn about theater, it really opened my mind as a spoken word poet and a stage actor, and it did influence me to go to Pace University.”
Not only has Fishback spent years pouring her heart into her work in front of the lens, but she’s also taking a cue from those around her in order strengthen the environment on set behind it as well:
“Donnie [Wahlberg], Method Mad on The Deuce, Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, [what] they all had in common was they celebrated the people coming with them and they uplifted. Because it’s really daunting. It can be really daunting, and to show faith in somebody or to give that kind of energy and that support and that kind of love, is something that I take with me always and I always want to pay it forward. So when I see somebody new or that’s looking around, I’m willing to help them. ‘Oh yeah, do you need help with something?’ I’m always trying because I remember when I was afraid and I was like, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing.’”
If Fishback ever crosses paths with an up-and-comer looking for advice in the work ethic department, there’s no doubt that individual will be in the best possible hands. While Fishback appears to be brimming with confidence in every project I’ve seen her in, sometimes doubt does creep in. Here’s the concern she raised toJamie FoxxandJoseph Gordon-Levittwhile makingProject Power:
“I remember talking to Jamie and talking to Jospeh Gordon-Levitt about the idea of coasting. How do you ensure you’re not coasting? I don’t want to wake up a month from now or three months from now and see the movie and feel like, ‘Oh, that day I didn’t give my all,’ you know what I mean? So how do I make sure I’m not coasting? I asked Jamie if it ever feels easy because, I’m not gonna lie, it was feeling a little bit easy. The circumstances were hard, the hours, the weather, all of those type of things, but tapping into Robin didn’t feel like such a soul turning event. And I remember asking Jamie and he said, ‘Do you watch basketball?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, sometimes.’ He said, ‘When Steph Curry runs down the court and he shoots a three and it goes in, he doesn’t question himself as to why it went in. It’s because he’s been practicing, he’s been doing it for so long and it’s in him, just like it’s in you. You’ve been doing it so long and you have it, and so you don’t have to worry about that.’ And I was like, “Oh my gosh! Okay, [a load] off my shoulders.’ And with Jospeh Gordon-Levitt, he was like, ‘The fact that you’re even asking about coasting, I don’t think anybody who coasts would even be aware to ask that question and so I don’t think you could ever do that, you know what I mean?’ And I was like, ‘Ok, cool.’ Because I was like, I’m not writing everything out. I’m not doing this whole ordeal about it, and I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t throwing away an opportunity.”
I’m with Gordon-Levitt on this one. If you’re concerned about “coasting,” there’s a good chance you’re not even capable of doing it to begin with. For even more proof of Fishback’s limitless potential, be sure to check out our full Collider Ladies Night conversation in the video at the top of this article or in podcast form below. Her journey is packed to the brim with inspiring displays of determination and dedication, all fueling my faith that she’ll have many more big opportunities coming her way.
