For #Till star @DanielleDeadwyler– who plays Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till– telling one of the darkest stories in American history required finding joy off-camera. “The weight of the material was always present, so it was imperative for us to counterbalance the great mother lode with levity,” the Atlanta native tells W in our annual Best Performances issue. “We were laughing all the time, cracking on each other. It was really beautiful to have both, because Black life can’t exist without the balance.” At the link in bio, meet the rising talent everyone is talking about. - Photography: @jamie.hawkesworth Styling: @saramoonves Writer: #LynnHirschberg Hair: @anthonyturnerhair Makeup: @luciapicaofficial Manicure: @michellesaundersjames Set Design: @gillemills Production: @ctdinc W VOLUME ONE: THE BEST PERFORMANCES ISSUE