One of the most offencive tropes in horror movies is that the Black characters die first. Tim Story's upcoming horror comedy, "The Blackening," sets out to find out what happens when all the characters are Black. "We can't all die first," the film's tagline reads. The movie, which hits theatres on June 16, focuses on a group of Black friends staying at a remote cabin in the woods who are targeted by a masked killer on Juneteenth weekend. In order to stay alive, the group must play a game called "The Blackening" that makes them question their own and each other's Blackness. As part of their first task, the group must sacrifice who they think is the "Blackest," which leads to chaos as the friends argue over who's deserving of the title.
The premise of the film was based on a 2018 short film of the same name by 3Peat. In a 2022 interview with Collider, Dewayne Perkins (who cowrote both the theatrical and short film) said he hopes "The Blackening" will help viewers break down familiar character tropes. "The goal of the movie is to constantly break down your assumptions of these characters by constantly forcing depth," he told the publication. Story reiterated this statement in an April press release by saying, "This film really shows that Black people are not a monolith — there are so many different things that define us, but also bring us together."
"The Blackening" is made up of a star-studded cast, including Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, and Yvonne Orji. If you love them as much as we do, then scroll through the slideshow to learn all about their love lives.
1Grace Byers
Image Source: Getty/ Arturo Holmes
Grace Byers is married to her "Empire" costar Trai Byers. Shortly after meeting each other on the set of "Empire" in 2015, the couple began dating and then got engaged that July while celebrating Grace's birthday in Chicago. They tied the knot a year later in April 2016, and according to TMZ, the pair exchanged their vows on the beach at Grand Cayman Island.
Six years after getting married, the couple revealed in October 2022 that they were expecting their first child together. Grace subtly announced the news by holding her baby bump while attending the opening night of Trai's "The Piano Lesson" on Broadway. Their son was born in April 2023.
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2Jermaine Fowler
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Jermaine Fowler has been in a long-term relationship with makeup artist Meagan Hester since 2014. The couple have two kids together. Their daughter, Thebe, was born in July 2017, while their son, Mars, arrived in February 2020.
In May, Hester dedicated a sweet Instagram post to Fowler and their kids. "This is us, my family. @jermainefowler and I have been in a very committed relationship for almost a decade. We have two beautiful children that we are so in love with. Though it's not a perfect relationship, not once have I ever strayed from the biggest blessing that we have ever been [given]," Hester wrote alongside a photo of her family. "Relationships are work, raising kids has definitely been the most challenging but beyond rewarding. Thankful for my children and [their] unconditional love that [has] taught me so much."
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3Melvin Gregg
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Melvin Gregg is also in a happy, committed relationship. The "American Vandal" actor has a girlfriend named Bobbie Leigh Nelson, who is the mother of his two kids. Their first son, Mars, was born in June 2020. At the time, Gregg announced the happy news on Instagram by calling Mars "the greatest gift." "I always dreamt of being a dad, so much so that I feared it would never happen," Gregg wrote. "But then she got pregnant, not just any she but the girl of my dreams, the only 1 I could ever imagine being with! And then I found out we were having a boy! Bro I felt like it was too good to be true."
The couple welcomed their second son sometime in 2022. "Gave my boys something I always wanted… a brother ❤️," Gregg captioned a photo of his kids in April.
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4X Mayo
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We don't know much about X Mayo's personal life, however, based on her Instagram, she appears to be single and currently focussed on her career. She used to be a staff writer for "The Daily Show, and in 2020, she earned an Emmy nomination for her work on the series. After being on the show for three years, X Mayo left her position in 2021 to focus on acting. She's appeared in shows like "Strangers," "The Good Doctor," "American Auto," and "Swarm." Apart from "The Blackening," X Mayo has been in the movies "The Farewell" and "Finding 'Ohana."
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5Dewayne Perkins
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Dewayne Perkins doesn't appear to be dating anyone, however, he has opened up about his dating history. In a July 2019 stand-up special for Comedy Central, Perkins recalled the time he came to terms with his sexuality. "I realised that I was gay at a pretty young age, but also realised that in certain environments, it was not OK to be gay, so I was in the closet for quite a bit of time," Perkins said. "I remember the exact moment my gayness was solidified. I was dating this girl named Raven, and it was the day I lost my virginity."
Perkins came out to his mother and four sisters before coming out to his father. "I brought my boyfriend to my nephew's birthday party, and my father asked, 'Who's that guy?' And I was like, 'That's my boyfriend.' He said, 'You're gay?' And I said, 'Oh my God, I forgot to tell you,'" Perkins said in a June 14 interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
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6Antoinette Robertson
Image Source: Getty/ Jamie McCarthy
You may recognise Antoinette Robertson from shows like "The Haves and the Have Nots," "Dear White People," and "Diggstown," as well as movies like "Late Bloomer" and "Block Party." While Robertson's star continues to rise with every project, we don't know much about her dating life.
In a May 2018 interview with Revolt, Robertson once talked about her experience with interracial dating. "I did, and it was an interesting 'bring you home to family' kind of situation," she told the publication. "I have a Jamaican mother. Little conversations went over his head. He'd say, 'Wait, what are they talking about?'"
Since then, Robertson hasn't given an update about her current relationship status, but it appears she's single.
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7Sinqua Walls
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It doesn't seem that Sinqua Walls is in a relationship, either. The "American Soul" actor is focussed on his acting career at the moment. In 2022, Walls starred in the horror film "Nanny," which was written and directed by Nikyatu Jusu. That same year, he also appeared in the crime thriller "Alice" alongside Keke Palmer, Jonny Lee Miller, and Common. The actor's most recent project was the sports-comedy film "White Men Can't Jump," which also starred rapper Jack Harlow.
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8Jay Pharoah
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Jay Pharoah is most known for his work on "Saturday Night Live." The comedian, who's famous for his impressions of Barack Obama, Will Smith, and JAY-Z, has also appeared in a number of films and TV series like "2 Minutes of Fame," "Resort to Love," and "A Black Lady Sketch Show." Despite having been in Hollywood for years, Pharoah's relationship status remains a mystery to fans. Based on his Instagram, it's possible he's either single, or just prefers to keep his personal life out of the spotlight.
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9Yvonne Orji
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Yvonne Orji's "Insecure" character, Molly Carter, may have gotten her happy ending on the show, but who's the actor dating in real life? Well, it appears Orji has remained single ever since her breakup with NFL player Emmanuel Acho in 2020, per Essence.
Despite things not working out with Acho, Orji reassured fans on her "Jesus & Jollof" podcast that she's OK because she knows she'll eventually find love again. "I just have to say, the reason why I am so good and so happy is because I know how God works," Orji said. "You can be like, 'Aw man, but I thought this was it! I thought this was the one!' God be like, 'Oh, that's what you thought? I got the goods for you.'"
