Judas and The Black Messiah, one of the most anticipated releases of 2021, premiered in theaters and on HBO MAX on February 12th. This biographical drama centers on the betrayal of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in late-1960s Chicago, at the hands of longtime party member William O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), an FBI informant. I was deeply moved by the screenwriting, cinematography, and above all, the acting. While there are numerous stellar performances, such as Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, the standout performance was Lakeith Stanfield as William O’Neal. While Stanfield does not play the lead in many of his most well-known films, such as his roles in Sorry to Bother You, Get Out, Dope, and Uncut Gems, he always manages to leave an impression on me whenever I watch him.  

This performance as William O’Neal, however, put him on another level and really demonstrates his versatility as an actor. This was such a difficult role and the way he delivered not only a convincing performance but an emotionally compelling one, was truly impressive. I think this may be my favorite performance of his to date. During a recent interview with Level, Stanfield revealed that he actually had to go to therapy after filming Judas and The Black Messiah. He said that his connection to Fred Hampton, actor Daniel Kaluuya, and the story made it hard for him to separate his real emotions from acting. Taking all of this context into consideration only makes his performance that much more impressive.

Stanfield has also stated that he didn't know if he could portray O’Neal authentically because of the struggle that accompanied playing someone who was seen as a traitor by many. O'Neal is reported to have poisoned 21-year-old Hampton to incapacitate him during the deadly FBI raid that killed him on December 4, 1969. Stanfield said that having to betray Kaluuya (who is a close friend of his), while playing O'Neal, felt “too real.”

We certainly see this played out in the actual film. Just watching the movie felt “too real” at times, and I had to constantly remind myself that I was watching actors and not the actual people the film is based on. I can’t even begin to imagine the physical and emotional toll that playing this character could have had on Stanfield. At the beginning of the film, we see O’Neal as a lost character struggling to make ends meet in Chicago. He has resorted to robbing cars, ironically impersonating an FBI agent when doing so. When he gets caught, FBI agent Roy Mitchell offers him an escape: becoming an informant. William O'Neal accepts and infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton, who has been targeted by the FBI, as his notoriety and influence rises. Over the course of the film, he gets more involved with the party and rises in rank, delicately trying to walk the fence between party activity and discreet meetings with the FBI. It becomes evident that if he were to get caught by the party, he would be severely punished and probably killed. Stanfield delivers an electrifying performance as we see the wide range of emotions that O’Neal experiences including anxiety, fear, anger, helplessness, and uncertainty.  

Audiences also feel the internal conflict O’Neal has as he struggles with feelings of guilt and regret for betraying the party and Fred Hampton, whom he grows to admire both as a comrade and a friend. Everything about Stanfield’s acting, including his facial expressions, mannerisms, body movement, and voice, was spot on in this film. I felt as though I could see the toll that being an informant had on O’Neal as he became increasingly anxious and paranoid. There is also an uneasiness whenever Stanfield is on screen, as if he is never truly safe, whether he is with Roy Mitchell, the party, or even by himself. Stanfield really dedicated himself to this role and embodied all of the angst, indecision, conflict, and helplessness that O’Neal must have felt during his time both in the Black Panther Party and as an FBI informant. After watching Judas and The Black Messiah, I am convinced that Stanfield is one of the most promising new actors to emerge in recent years, and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves and has many more spectacular performances like this ahead of him in his career for many years to come. 

Written by: Bryan Herrera | Instagram