Zola is finally making its way to theatres! After it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last year, the Taylour Paige-led film, which is based on a now-infamous 2015 Twitter thread, will be premiering this summer. We got our first glimpse at the highly anticipated trailer [1] earlier this week, and we can confirm that it is every bit as wild as it sounds.
The A24 film is written and directed by Janicza Bravo. Back in 2018, Bravo spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the casting process for the titular role of Zola, explaining how she instantly knew Paige would be perfect [2] for the role. "I'm at a coffee shop in LA and in walks this girl. I'm entranced and can't stop staring. It's the way she sits in her body. It's agency. It's self-possession . . . everything that drew me to telling this story," she said. "One year later, she auditions, and I knew instantly — like, I knew it then: After seeing 700 girls, the one meant to be finally walked in."
Keep reading for everything we know about Zola so far.
Who Is in the Zola Cast?
Taylour Paige stars as the titular Zola [4], while Riley Keough plays a sex worker named Stefani. The film also features Nicholas Braun [5] as Stefani's boyfriend, Derrek; Colman Domingo as Stefani's pimp, X; Ari'el Stachel as Sean; Jason Mitchell as Dion; Nelcie Souffrant as Gail; and Ts Madison as Hollywood.
What Is Zola About?
Zola is based on an iconic 2015 Twitter thread [6] and follows the story of Aziah "Zola" Wells, a former waitress at Hooters, and a sex worker named Jessica, who embarked on a wild road trip to Florida that involved stripping, prostitution, drugs, and murder.
When POPSUGAR chatted with Paige last year, she explained that Zola is much more than a stripper saga. "Regardless of what people do for a living, this is someone's life. Zola is a fully realised woman making her own decisions — she's not this one-dimensional stripper," she said. "This is the story of a Black woman existing and trying to make things happen and afford life when it's exhausting and you're having trouble getting by. Why wouldn't a 20-year-old try and make $5,000 in one night instead of working in a restaurant?"
When Will Zola Be Released?
Zola originally debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020, but it will be released theatrically on 30 June.