With her fascinating journey from Dakar to Hollywood and carefully chosen roles, she continues to establish herself as a force within the industry.
PHOTOS: Raul Romo
TALENT: Anna Diop
STYLING: Marc Eram at A-Frame Agency
MAKEUP: Robert Bryan for Exclusive Artists using Lancôme
HAIR: Sabrina Porsche at Highlight Artists
WORDS & PRODUCTION: Jasmine Perrier
STYLIST ASSISTANT: Lauren Gray
SPECIAL THANKS: The lede Company
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Anna Diop is on fire
It’s somehow uncommon for Anna Diop to stay in one place. The Senegalese-American actress was born in Dakar, grew up in Houston, and went to New York before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. “I was just thinking about this last week,” she says in response to a question about what home means to her. “Home has become an emotional place for me, more so than a geographical place. It’s become any moment where I’m sat across someone who I feel like I share something with — either in ideals, values, [or] humor. I’ve even felt like I’m home when I’m on set. And of course, when I’m around friends and family.” When we first met Diop back in 2020 (1), she had just visited family in Texas and was about to return to the set of Titans in Toronto after months of shutdown in the industry. One pandemic and two Hollywood strikes later, she is thriving and busier than ever. “One of the producers on Titans told me years ago, ‘No matter where you are or what you are doing — you can go anywhere.’ And it was something I needed to hear at the time because I wasn’t sure how I’d make the leap into films or into the caliber of work that I wanted to be a part of.”
1. Anna Diop was invited to interview actress Lesley-Ann Brandt for Grumpy Magazine.
Diop fell in love with the craft through theater at a young age and has worked her way up for almost two decades. “I hope I’ve gotten better as an actor,” she exclaims. “I watched a scene from my first series a few years ago and just cringed. [It was] so bad. I was green and had a lot to learn. But that’s the exciting thing and one of the things I really love about acting — you grow with it, you become better as you go, and the discoveries within it are endless.” She started out with smaller television appearances before landing series regular roles and eventually making waves as Starfire on Titans. And in many ways, Diop is not just a superhero on screen. By the time the DC Comics-based show came to an end after four seasons, the actress was hard at work branching out and showing her range, while carving out space for Black stories to be told thoroughly and authentically. “One of my goals has always been to demystify Black womanhood,” she says, crediting her mom and aunts for shaping a world without any barriers around her. “Senegalese women are the most vibrant, animated, unapologetic human beings you will ever meet. So growing up watching these women was an incredible lesson in what’s possible — both in make-believe and in life.”
“I so love the work I’ve done so far. And I’m really learning how integral community is in my life. So I hope to remain doing the caliber of work I’m doing, alongside brilliant creatives while having people around me in my personal life who I love, trust, and can grow with.” In Nikyatu Jusu’s thriller Nanny, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022, Diop delivered a mesmerizing performance as a migrant woman from Senegal who is hired to look after the daughter of a wealthy couple in Manhattan. The role gave Diop a chance to tap into her dual heritage and channel her own experiences. “I hope to reflect back to the world the incredible complexities, joys, strengths, and beauty of Black women,” she says. “I find myself drawn to people who share a dual life experience in some way — either other first-generation people or people who grew up moving between different countries or cultures,” she says. “I feel like being a part of more than one culture expands your worldview. It makes space for more understanding and empathy.”
Thereafter, Diop found herself exploring a “more subdued” heroine — and the titular character’s love interest — in Jeymes Samuel’s biblical comedy-drama The Book of Clarence (2). “I think [the movie] is a gorgeous example of original storytelling. And that’s something we have to keep fighting for and protecting.” After seeing the director’s first film [The Harder They Fall], Diop knew that she wanted to work with the filmmaker. “Jeymes is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. And the experience was as vibrant, musical, and brilliant as he is. Working with him felt like a big moment in my career because for a long time, that simply wasn’t at my fingertips.” In The Book of Clarence, the actress appears alongside a star-studded cast led by LaKeith Stanfield. It created a workplace that helped foster a sense of belonging, although Diop reveals she doesn’t fully feel it just yet. “There are moments when I come across individuals within the industry — actors, directors, brand executives — that will tell me that I’ve done work that they’ve seen and appreciated. And in those moments I feel a bit seen and moved by what they’re saying because these are people who I also highly regard. But belonging for me will take more time.”
2. THE BOOK OF CLARENCE is already available to rent, buy digitally, or own on Blu-ray/DVD in the US. The film is coming to theaters in the UK on April 19.
Next up for Diop is a return to the thriller genre with Nadia Latif’s The Man In My Basement, starring opposite Willem Dafoe and Corey Hawkins. She remains vague about her part in the production, but it will be yet another role showing off her versatility. “Though [Varinia in The Book of Clarence] spoke her mind and had a quiet strength about her — she wasn’t as upfront and energetic as Narciss, the character I play in The Man In My Basement. Narciss is a very career-driven woman who goes after what she wants and doesn’t mince words.” Similarly, Diop possesses self-awareness and a strong sense of direction when it comes to navigating her acting career. And she stays hopeful even in the face of an unwritten future. “Finding your next project has always been a challenge for me. It reminds me of that saying: ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same.’ I’m still auditioning, still looking out for the next best project, still stressed and wracking my brain about how to produce the best audition for the things I care about. Now the roles and the projects are bigger, but the pursuit remains the same.”
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