Arriving in theaters on October 14, Till tells a story that has long been part of American history, but which many Americans still do not fully grasp to this day. The biopic introduces 14-year-old Emmett Till (played by Jalyn Hall, All American) as he embarks on a visit to his cousins in Mississippi, unaware that a simple friendly interaction on his part will result in his brutal murder. But the film goes far beyond that initial tragedy and follows his mother Mamie (Danielle Deadwyler, Station Eleven) as she moves hell and high water to make his killers pay.

Director and co-writer Chinonye Chukwu crafts Till as a tale of perseverance and caution, making it clear that the work Mamie began is far from being completed. But her burden is not one she carries alone, and she is joined by her mother Alma (played by Whoopi Goldberg), husband-to-be Gene (Sean Patrick Thomas), and estranged father (Frankie Faison). But even as a community forms around her, it soon becomes clear to Mamie that it will take much more than that to see justice done.

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Screen Rant spoke with Goldberg about the importance of sharing Emmett Till's story with the world, the relationship between Mamie and her mother, and how proud she is of costars Danielle Deadwyler and Jalyn Hall.

Whoopi Goldberg Reflects On Mamie Till's Legacy

whoopi goldberg in till

Till was such a heartbreaking and yet important story. It's just as relevant today as when it happened. Why was it so important for you to not only be in it, but also involved as a producer?

Whoopi Goldberg: Well, because they asked me to be part of it, and I said yes! But the story's never been told, which is kind of shocking when you think about it. It's never been told, and yet we still see the same kind of systemic racism starting to creep back into our everyday lives. We fought really hard to prevent this kind of thing from continuing to go on, and now we're slipping backward.

I think it's important for people to see it, and recognize what it looks like, and what systemic racism leads to. Because it leads to hate against LGBTQ folks; it leads to hate against women, hate against Asian folks, Native Americans. Name it; it leads to the hate of. I am very happy that we were able to bring this movie out after many years of trying to get it up and running. We're saying, "Here's what happens when you let systemic racism run amok. This is what it does."

I love how the film really highlights what Mamie did in the aftermath and what she contributed to the cause of civil rights. You play her mother, and a lot of what she does has come from her upbringing. What is that like for you to be playing such an important role in this story?

Whoopi Goldberg: I think a lot of what Mamie did came from her really sort of figuring it out as she goes, because, you know, I tell her "Don't go. Don't go down there. Don't do this." And she's like, "Well, I have to. This is what I have to do for my son." And I say to her, "Well, what about you? You're my kid, why are you doing this?"

The best part about it is the mother-son relationship and the mother-daughter relationship. Because many of us have mothers; many of us have sons. And the relationship of parent-and-child does not shift, no matter how old they get. My kid is older, and yet I still yell at her. "What are you doing? Don't do that." But now she yells back. [laughs]

One of the best things about this was getting people to understand that it's a universal story. It really isn't just about one person. It's about us all. I love that, because I'm a believer that you have to try to get the word out to the world, as opposed to just here.

Absolutely. Jalyn's such a wonderful talent. What is it like to get to watch this younger generation evolve? You are a mentor, in a way.

Whoopi Goldberg: They were doing it before I showed up. Between [Danielle] and Jalyn, there's not a bad performance in the bunch. There's just not a bad performance anywhere. It's such an honor to work with them, because it makes you better.

About Till

whoopi goldberg & danielle deadwyler in till

The true story of Mamie Till-Mobley's relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, who was brutally lynched in 1955 while visiting his cousins in Mississippi.

Check out our other Till interviews here:

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Till arrives in theaters on October 14.