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J. Alphonse Nicholson has long made waves on stage and screen, from his compelling performance in P-Valley to powerful turns in Just Mercy and They Cloned Tyrone. But with his latest project, Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green, Nicholson takes a transformative leap behind the camera, making his directorial debut with a deeply personal, spiritually resonant one-man show turned film.
In conversation with Black Girl Nerds, Nicholson opens up about the journey of bringing Freight to life, the ancestral grounding behind his performance, and how he’s using art to break generational cycles, on and off screen. He also discusses his role in the upcoming HBO series Lanterns, J. Alphonse Nicholson steps into a powerful new dimension, portraying John Stewart’s father, John Sr., a man forged by history, hardened by duty, and deeply layered beneath the surface.
BGN: And congratulations too on your directorial debut with this film.
Nicholson: Thanks.
BGN: What led you to go behind the camera, and what was it about this project that made you say yes to directing?
Nicholson: I’ve been wanting to get behind the camera for a while. This piece is interesting because it’s a combination of theater and film. I’ve been going to plays with my buddy Joseph since 2008 — well, really 2012. It’s been a journey, from New York to L.A.
Being a director in theater is so different from directing in film. I brought all my experience from being on set and shadowing directors for weeks, whether it was P-Valley or Just Mercy. Watching these people inspired me to want to put stories together.
I knew there was always a director in me. Coming from the stage, I had directed a few plays, including a one-man show for someone else. When you’re doing a one-man show, you’re essentially directing yourself, doing all that work at home. So that part of my brain was already working.
Bringing that knowledge into film and TV, and then partnering with Joelle Taylor—who helped me and who also worked on They Cloned Tyrone, which was here at ABFF a couple years ago, was incredible. We also brought on Lindsay Armstrong, an amazing editor who did Young. Wild. Free. Shout out to my good sister, Tabitha Brown, who came on board as our lead investor. She really made it happen.
BGN: That’s beautiful. What initially drew you to the character of Abel Green, especially given the story’s exploration of reincarnation and spiritual evolution?
Nicholson: I had been working with Howard Craft, the writer of Freight, for many years. He’s an amazing playwright and a professor at the University of North Carolina. I fell in love with his work.
Originally, Freight was written for an older man. I was 22 when he first wrote it. It started as a five-minute piece inspired by a painting—Slow Down Freight by Rose Piper. That initial minstrel piece was what I first saw, and I told him, “Brother, you gotta let me do this.” It was rich, intense, and gave me a chance to really flex my acting range.
At first, we could only perform it for five people at a time in front of the painting at a museum. I took that piece to New York, used it in auditions, and told Howard, “This should be a full-length play.” He came back five or six weeks later with The Five Incarnations of Abel Green, and I was blown away.
The piece takes you through a journey of a Black man in America from 1910 to 2010 in a witty, not-on-the-nose way. I was completely engaged. It stretched me—90 minutes on stage, solo. That became my masterclass in acting. It trained me and gave me the chops to eventually take that work to Broadway.
BGN: So well done. Was there a common emotional or spiritual thread you maintained across all five versions of Abel Green to help ground your performance?
Nicholson: Great question. The common thread was my ancestors. I could hear them and feel them while performing, especially my father and grandfather. The women in my life too, my aunties. That energy has always been a part of my work as a theater artist.
The first time I really felt it was while filming Just Mercy. I walked into a room with Michael B. Jordan and felt my dad squeeze my shoulder. Like he was saying, “You got it, baby.” That opened me up emotionally.
With Freight, you have to be grounded and breathing. You have to let your ancestors hug you through the process. It’s about making this man’s journey relatable. We’ve all been scammed. We’ve all felt duped. We’ve all worn the metaphorical “blackface” to perform.
Every incarnation — from the minstrel to the FBI informant — I could relate to. They were grounded in reality, but also playful and familiar, like people we knew growing up. And understanding their backstories deepened the performance. So yes, my ancestors, and my real-life experiences, guided me throughout.
BGN: Speaking of real life, what did you discover about yourself — emotionally and spiritually — through playing this role?
Nicholson: So much. You can’t hide from the truth in your life. If you don’t face it, you can’t move forward in a peaceful, fulfilling way or build real connections.
Being an actor — and doing Freight — taught me that. To be a good actor, you have to work on being a great person, father, and husband.
I learned I had to face fears, take accountability, and stop repeating the same mistakes. Who knows how many lives we’ve lived already? Hopefully, I can learn the lesson this time and finally reach Saturn.
BGN: Wow, powerful. We’re Black Girl Nerds, so I have to ask: You’re playing the young version of John Sr. in Lanterns. We’re excited about that series! Can you share a little bit about your character and his relationship with John Stewart?
Nicholson: I can’t share too much, because they’re keeping the show quiet. But I can say it’s been awesome to work on. I’m working with Aaron [Pierre] and Jasmine Cephas Jones, who plays my wife on the show. It’s this cool mix of a period piece and modern-day storytelling.
I’m in multiple episodes and have a strong presence in the story. I’m really excited to be in my “father bag” now playing a dad. My son just graduated 8th grade, and my stepdaughter’s at NYU studying acting. So stepping into father roles is meaningful.
We’re still filming. I just flew back from North Carolina for my son’s graduation, went to L.A. to shoot, and now I’m here in Miami. I’ll be back filming again on Friday. We’re almost done. Shooting wraps in July. I’ve got one more episode to go.
BGN: Final question. If your soul were repeating lives to learn a lesson, what do you think that lesson would be?
Nicholson: It would be to learn how to forgive your parents for the things they didn’t know how to tell you or teach you. As you get older and become a parent yourself, you realize how those things impact you.
You learn the value of being transparent with your kids so they aren’t naive to the world. So yes, learn to forgive your parents, and break the cycles they didn’t know how to.
Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green premieres today at the 2025 American Black Film Festival. The festival runs June 11th – 15th in South Beach Miami.
The post Legacy and Light: J. Alphonse Nicholson on ‘Freight’, Fatherhood, and Stepping Into the DC Universe appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
J. Alphonse Nicholson has long made waves on stage and screen, from his compelling performance in P-Valley to powerful turns in Just Mercy and They Cloned Tyrone. But with his latest project, Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green, Nicholson takes a transformative leap behind the camera, making his directorial debut with a deeply personal, spiritually resonant one-man show turned film.
In conversation with Black Girl Nerds, Nicholson opens up about the journey of bringing Freight to life, the ancestral grounding behind his performance, and how he’s using art to break generational cycles, on and off screen. He also discusses his role in the upcoming HBO series Lanterns, J. Alphonse Nicholson steps into a powerful new dimension, portraying John Stewart’s father, John Sr., a man forged by history, hardened by duty, and deeply layered beneath the surface.
BGN: And congratulations too on your directorial debut with this film.
Nicholson: Thanks.
BGN: What led you to go behind the camera, and what was it about this project that made you say yes to directing?
Nicholson: I’ve been wanting to get behind the camera for a while. This piece is interesting because it’s a combination of theater and film. I’ve been going to plays with my buddy Joseph since 2008 — well, really 2012. It’s been a journey, from New York to L.A.
Being a director in theater is so different from directing in film. I brought all my experience from being on set and shadowing directors for weeks, whether it was P-Valley or Just Mercy. Watching these people inspired me to want to put stories together.
I knew there was always a director in me. Coming from the stage, I had directed a few plays, including a one-man show for someone else. When you’re doing a one-man show, you’re essentially directing yourself, doing all that work at home. So that part of my brain was already working.
Bringing that knowledge into film and TV, and then partnering with Joelle Taylor—who helped me and who also worked on They Cloned Tyrone, which was here at ABFF a couple years ago, was incredible. We also brought on Lindsay Armstrong, an amazing editor who did Young. Wild. Free. Shout out to my good sister, Tabitha Brown, who came on board as our lead investor. She really made it happen.
BGN: That’s beautiful. What initially drew you to the character of Abel Green, especially given the story’s exploration of reincarnation and spiritual evolution?
Nicholson: I had been working with Howard Craft, the writer of Freight, for many years. He’s an amazing playwright and a professor at the University of North Carolina. I fell in love with his work.
Originally, Freight was written for an older man. I was 22 when he first wrote it. It started as a five-minute piece inspired by a painting—Slow Down Freight by Rose Piper. That initial minstrel piece was what I first saw, and I told him, “Brother, you gotta let me do this.” It was rich, intense, and gave me a chance to really flex my acting range.
At first, we could only perform it for five people at a time in front of the painting at a museum. I took that piece to New York, used it in auditions, and told Howard, “This should be a full-length play.” He came back five or six weeks later with The Five Incarnations of Abel Green, and I was blown away.
The piece takes you through a journey of a Black man in America from 1910 to 2010 in a witty, not-on-the-nose way. I was completely engaged. It stretched me—90 minutes on stage, solo. That became my masterclass in acting. It trained me and gave me the chops to eventually take that work to Broadway.
BGN: So well done. Was there a common emotional or spiritual thread you maintained across all five versions of Abel Green to help ground your performance?
Nicholson: Great question. The common thread was my ancestors. I could hear them and feel them while performing, especially my father and grandfather. The women in my life too, my aunties. That energy has always been a part of my work as a theater artist.
The first time I really felt it was while filming Just Mercy. I walked into a room with Michael B. Jordan and felt my dad squeeze my shoulder. Like he was saying, “You got it, baby.” That opened me up emotionally.
With Freight, you have to be grounded and breathing. You have to let your ancestors hug you through the process. It’s about making this man’s journey relatable. We’ve all been scammed. We’ve all felt duped. We’ve all worn the metaphorical “blackface” to perform.
Every incarnation — from the minstrel to the FBI informant — I could relate to. They were grounded in reality, but also playful and familiar, like people we knew growing up. And understanding their backstories deepened the performance. So yes, my ancestors, and my real-life experiences, guided me throughout.
BGN: Speaking of real life, what did you discover about yourself — emotionally and spiritually — through playing this role?
Nicholson: So much. You can’t hide from the truth in your life. If you don’t face it, you can’t move forward in a peaceful, fulfilling way or build real connections.
Being an actor — and doing Freight — taught me that. To be a good actor, you have to work on being a great person, father, and husband.
I learned I had to face fears, take accountability, and stop repeating the same mistakes. Who knows how many lives we’ve lived already? Hopefully, I can learn the lesson this time and finally reach Saturn.
BGN: Wow, powerful. We’re Black Girl Nerds, so I have to ask: You’re playing the young version of John Sr. in Lanterns. We’re excited about that series! Can you share a little bit about your character and his relationship with John Stewart?
Nicholson: I can’t share too much, because they’re keeping the show quiet. But I can say it’s been awesome to work on. I’m working with Aaron [Pierre] and Jasmine Cephas Jones, who plays my wife on the show. It’s this cool mix of a period piece and modern-day storytelling.
I’m in multiple episodes and have a strong presence in the story. I’m really excited to be in my “father bag” now playing a dad. My son just graduated 8th grade, and my stepdaughter’s at NYU studying acting. So stepping into father roles is meaningful.
We’re still filming. I just flew back from North Carolina for my son’s graduation, went to L.A. to shoot, and now I’m here in Miami. I’ll be back filming again on Friday. We’re almost done. Shooting wraps in July. I’ve got one more episode to go.
BGN: Final question. If your soul were repeating lives to learn a lesson, what do you think that lesson would be?
Nicholson: It would be to learn how to forgive your parents for the things they didn’t know how to tell you or teach you. As you get older and become a parent yourself, you realize how those things impact you.
You learn the value of being transparent with your kids so they aren’t naive to the world. So yes, learn to forgive your parents, and break the cycles they didn’t know how to.
Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green premieres today at the 2025 American Black Film Festival. The festival runs June 11th – 15th in South Beach Miami.
The post Legacy and Light: J. Alphonse Nicholson on ‘Freight’, Fatherhood, and Stepping Into the DC Universe appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
Already making a splash in the anime world, Netflix sets its sights on Korean animation and introducing its first original Korean animated film. The trailer for Lost in Starlight dropped earlier this month, and we’ve received news that the main characters in the English cast has been cast by way of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Justin H. Min!
Set in Seoul in the year 2050, Lost in Starlight introduces the romantic tale of aspiring Mars astronaut Nan-young and reluctant musician Jay. According to Netflix, it is a film that blends retro and cyberpunk styles; it depicts a uniquely sentimental journey of love and ambition, capturing the spirit of today’s youth.
Capturing a sweet snapshot of the leads’ love on Earth, the key art sets the stage for their story as they prepare to be 225 million kilometers apart. Spotted on the left is Nan-young’s robotic companion — the high-resolution detector aiding Mars exploration research — harmonizing beautifully with the nature around them, blending the analog and cutting-edge elements of their world.
As Nan-young advances in her Mars research, Jay rediscovers his passion for music, encouraged by her support. However, when Nan-young gets a second chance to go to Mars, the couple must face a poignant separation. How will they navigate this challenge?
Lost in Starlight, with voice performances by Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung (English voice performances by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Justin H. Min) and the visionary direction of Han Ji-won, promises to captivate audiences with its emotional depth and stunning original soundtrack. The film premieres on May 30, only on Netflix.
Look, I wasn’t mad at the incredible Korean voice cast– yet learning that Maitreyi Ramakrishnan aka Devi in Netflix’s Never Have I Ever and Justin H. Min perhaps best known for portraying Ben Hargreeves in the Netflix original series The Umbrella Academy were best cast as the star crossed lovers in the English dub got my attention for sure.
Ramakrishnan mentions in both Instagram and Twitter (X) posts of being “super excited to share that I was able to lend my voice to the English dub of this beautiful movie.” Reeading comments on the English dub trailer posted on Min’s Instagram post gave me life–my favorite being this one: “he writes he acts he sings and he DUBS i wonder what this man can’t do” by user mariellaacardoso. I am so looking forward to hearing and seeing their efforts in the dub of this gorgeous animated film, and I am going at least a few times to appreciate the voice talents in both versions come May 30th!
LOST IN STARLIGHT
DIRECTOR: Han Ji-won
WRITERS: Han Ji-won, Kang Hyun-joo
KOREAN VOICE KEY CAST: Kim Tae-ri, Hong Kyung
ENGLISH VOICE KEY CAST: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Justin H. Min
LOGLINE: In 2050 Seoul, an astronaut dreaming of Mars and a musician with a broken dream find each other among the stars, guided by their hopes and love for one another.
About Netflix:
Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services, with over 300 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
Love anime and animation? So do we! See what else we have to offer on the site via anime here!
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The post English Voice Cast in Debut of ‘Lost in Starlight’ Trailer appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Looks like I was in Canada, eh? What a time. [Obnoxious Letterkenny accent]
When: May 23-25, 2025
Where: Toronto Congress Centre
Mission Statement of Anime North: “Anime North is an anime convention located in Toronto, Canada that celebrates anime, manga, music, games and all other forms of Japanese Culture! Anime North is a proud member of the International Otaku Expo Association 国際オタクイベント協会”
Alas, this review is very short due to how little time I was able to spend on the convention grounds. Despite that, Anime North made quite an impression on me.
I would say that Anime North might be overwhelming for a newbie. The Toronto Congress Centre and affiliated hotels nearby made for an impressive amount of space. For con-goers, there was a sh*t load of things to do. A lot of it happened outside, thankfully. In addition to hundreds of cosplayers chilling and wandering, the lots had food trucks, a stage with various performances including a badass Taiko collective–Nagata Shachu – Toronto-based Taiko drumming and music group. The group were on location to perform from the opening ceremonies on Friday to the outdoor stage on Saturday to closing ceremonies on Sunday.
There were plenty of dance groups (Japanese pop and Kpop are pretty popular in Canada too) like MAMESHiBA NO TAiGUN, Oishii Oreos and memorable car show. The Itasha Car Showcase was a treat to behold in the TCC South Parking Lot just north of the Otakubaloo Stage. Presented in cooperation with Onita there were cars with all the favorite characters from Miku to Asuka, suicide doors up, and even some motorcycles.
I did enjoy the huge turnout of cosplayers. It was a little wild to witness but still oodles of fun. I was warned beforehand that much like Katsucon; this was the con to bring out the baddest outfits from your closet. I was not disappointed. I saw ball gowns, prosthetics, 3D printed weapons, and insane makeup.
I can’t say that it was my favorite convention, but to be fair I was not able to spend as much time as I would have liked in Canada. The attendees were all just as devout as the ones I’ve met in the States. Quirky, fun, sweet, and supportive to their community. I was pleased to see that it was a pretty diverse crowd, and I felt welcomed on their turf.
Theme: Plants & Flowers also held at the convention.
Theme: Plants & Flowers also held at the convention.
One random thing I noticed: I’ve never seen a doll contest at an anime convention. That was a first. I can’t say I’m a huge doll connoisseur, but they were kind of cool. The Doll North 2025 costume contest had a theme of Plants & Flowers and an active thriving community for it.
I look forward to hopefully attending again. I need to spend more in-depth time with these fabulous anime cars.
Anime North is an anime convention located in Toronto, Canada that celebrates anime, manga, music, games and all other forms of Japanese Culture!
Check on the links below for more information!
See more about the convention via their Website, Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, and TikTok pages.
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A woman’s relationship may have ended abruptly after she caught her boyfriend red-handed “microcheating.” In a viral video, Bella (@spillingtheteawithbella) shares how she was chatting with her boyfriend about dinner plans when she suddenly looked up at the TV.
“He has no idea he’s screensharing,” Bella writes in the text overlay of her clip, which earned 1.8 million views. The boyfriend is heard off-camera asking Bella, “Where you want to go for dinner tonight?”