Passing | Official Trailer | Netflix

Adapted from the celebrated 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, PASSING tells the story of two Black women, Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga), who can “pass” as white but choose to live on opposite sides of the color line during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in late 1920s New York. After a chance encounter reunites the former childhood friends one summer afternoon, Irene reluctantly allows Clare into her home, where she ingratiates herself to Irene’s husband (André Holland) and family, and soon her larger social circle as well. As their lives become more deeply intertwined, Irene finds her once-steady existence upended by Clare, and PASSING becomes a riveting examination of obsession, repression and the lies people tell themselves and others to protect their carefully constructed realities.

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Passing | Official Trailer | Netflix

[rambayoo]

Alexander Skarsgård is so good at playing despicable husbands.

[lizmaryortiz]

If you haven't read the story yet PLEASE DO! It's a fast read but so powerful, the ending will leave you shook. It's "Passing" by Nella Larson, an amazing black writer!

[Theafrotimes]

The soundtrack is a piano piece by Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, an Ethiopian Nun, known for her piano playing and compositions.

[melissaarchibald]

Those complaining about how the actress doesn't really "pass" for white, perhaps the point is for her to not quite pass? From the trailer, the film seems to suggest that passing is unnatural and uncomfortable. We as the viewer feel that strangeness. It reminds me of the Atlanta episode when Donald Glover was in white face. The unhuman look of his character added to the episode's unsettling nature. This film seems to lay heavily into atmosphere as part of its storytelling.

[MrGonzoDT]

Glad to see Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou’s music reaching a wider audience. She’s one of Ethiopia’s greatest pianists.

[laurenlaker]

for everyone commenting how the actress isn't "white passing" consider this. The book, and I presume the movie, is set in 1929. Italians were considered people of color back then. Our lens has changed in the last 100 years, so keep that in mind

[kipmcmillan]

Ruth Negga is such a fascinating character actress... and Tessa Thompson has grown her talents so much in recent years... A powerful subject with 2 powerful ladies.

[juliamillikin]

Oh this looks beautiful. And the black and white esthetic to match the content of the movie is gorgeous. Cant wait to watch!

[JerzCe]

I am 48years old. My Great Aunt passed until the late 60's- early 70's "BLACK POWER MOVEMENT BABY!" But, she would take my Mother to places and say she was her maid's daughter. She used her privileges' to benefit her family. But, I couldn't imagine the stress and fear that came along with that life. I loved my Aunt May Belle and her sacrifices (By using whiteness to help her family) THEN coming out to her employers and walking off her job...The guts she had to finally be able to be her true self!!!

[Maleah.mp]

OMG the fact that Tessa Thompson voiced this book on Audible and now she’s in the movie is getting me so excited!

[creativecredence]

"I'm not like you, Rene. To get what I want there isn't anything I wouldn't throw away" is the most beautiful irony. Very enjoyable film.

[SRoyal]

Tessa Thompson is a force to be reckoned with! Ruth Negga steps up to the plate. These two women are worthy of all the accolades they receive! Just brilliant work.

[chrissie]

I love that this is getting talked about. Colorism is still pretty active in my life today, especially growing up and seeing in stores, ads, TV, and movies that people would say would be "promoting diversity" would be light-skinned black women with straight or wavy hair--basically further ingraining in young black girl's minds (and society in general) that if you passed the "paper bag test", you're attractive and can have more opportunities. I'm glad to see things very slowly moving toward the right direction, but we have so much more to go.

[astroetro]

“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!”
― Ted Grant


CAN'T WAIT!!!

[aaronblaylock]

My great grandfather used to go to town and vote with the white men in Texas before blacks were allowed to vote. He never separated from his people or denied who he was but I think he enjoyed sticking it to the system in his own way.

[MissJ]

Being black and white passing, I understood every little secretive word said, facial movement, the way Clare says “let’s go up to my room where we can talk freely about this”, “does he know”, everything. She did amazing on this movie. Forever grateful she released it.

[mixeduniverse]

"We are all passing for something or another...." Poignant!

[_abracadabra]

I think the casting is conscious, deliberate, and brilliant. Our 2021 eyes can see that they have African ancestry, but they were casted to show the precariousness of the passing phenomenon itself. If tanned white actresses like Angelina Jolie (whose New Orleans mother most likely passed) and Mandy Moore portrayed these characters (or truly white-looking biracial actresses like Jessica Alba and Rashida Jones), the fear aspect of being outed wouldn't be as palpable.

[dr.braxygilkeycruises]

*Shut up and take my money,
OMG, I can't wait for this movie! My Mom "passed" for almost 40 years. She used to tell us about the nightclubs and movie theaters she would go to but my Aunt (who was dark skin) couldn't go.

Later, Mom got diabetes. Eventually that led to dialysis, which made her skin darken just enough to where she started looking like a light skinned Black woman. I would tease her and say, "Hey, what happened to the white chick that raised me?!"🤣 I miss my mom. She died last year.

[northernsoutherngirl]

Cannot wait to see this. I've read quite a few actual accounts of our people doing this. I think people in New Orleans have a slang term for this called "passe-blanc" (passing for white).