Netflix’sThe Six Triple Eighthas an impressive cast who have starred in a wide range of acclaimed movies. TheTyler Perry-directed Netflix movietells the story of the 6888th Battalion, the only all-female and all-Black unit to serve overseas during World War II. They achieved the incredible task of sorting through 17 million pieces of backlogged mail in less than 90 days, thus reopening lines of communication, and boosting morale.The Six Triple Eight’s castis led by Kerry Washington, who plays Majority Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 6888th Battalion.
Other key figures fromThe Six Triple Eight’s true storyinclude the 6888th Battalion’s Lena Derriecott, played by Ebony Obsidian, with the movie following her journey before joining the unit, along with her life during and after her service. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Sam Waterston), First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (Susan Sarandon), and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune (Oprah Winfrey) also play pivotal roles in the story, despite their limited screen time. Each of these actors, alongside other cast members, has starred in movies with positive reviews and that have won or been nominated for prestigous awards.
Descendants
Cast
Descendants, directed by Kenny Ortega, is set in a modern kingdom where the teenage son of King Adam and Queen Belle offers redemption to the children of classic Disney villains, including Maleficent’s daughter Mal and Jafar’s son Jay.
InThe Six Triple Eight, Sarah Jeffery plays Dolores Washington, one of the members of the 6888th battalion. Jeffery’s most acclaimed movie is the 2015Descendants, which has a 90% Tomatometer score onRotten Tomatoes. She plays Princess Audrey, who is the daughter of Princess Aurora inDescendants' world.Descendantsbecame a beloved Disney Channel franchise, in large part because of the success of the 2015 movie’s casting and music.
The Six Triple Eight Ending Explained: Who Wrote The Bloody Letter & What It Said
Tyler Perry’s new Netflix movie The Six Triple Eight is based on a true story from World War II, and the movie ends on a powerful note.
The popularity of the 2015Descendantsand of Jeffery’s performance led to her reprising the role of Princess Audrey in the spinoffDescendants: Wicked Worldand inDescendants 3, the final installment oftheDescendantstrilogy. WhileDescendantswas positively received and helped build a successful franchise, it pales in comparison with the more critically acclaimed and award-winning movies that many of Jeffery’sThe Six Triple Eightco-stars have appeared in over the years.
The Color Purple
The Color Purple is a drama directed by Steven Spielberg, based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Set in early 20th-century rural Georgia, the film follows the life of Celie, played by Whoopi Goldberg, as she overcomes a series of hardships and personal struggles. Featuring notable performances from Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover, The Color Purple highlights themes of resilience, sisterhood, and the quest for self-identity.
In Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker’s novelThe Color Purple, Oprah Winfrey plays Sofia Butler.Winfrey’s performance as Sofia earned her an Academy Award nomination, one of 11 nominations that the movie received. As the strong and confident Sofia, who stands up for herself in a horrific situation, Winfrey delivers a powerful and memorable portrayal of the character, and it remains one of the best performances of her film career.
The Color Purplewas remade as a movie in 2023, with Oprah Winfrey being one of its producers.
This version of the movie is widely considered to be a worthy adaptation of Walker’s novel, with Winfrey’s performance being a key element of what makes the story work as a film. However, unlike some of herThe Six Triple Eightco-stars, who were nominated and won Academy Awards for their best movies, Winfrey did not win an Academy Award forThe Color Purple. Some questionable choices in Spielberg’s direction also prevent it from ranking higher.
The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields is a historical drama directed by Roland Joffé, centered on the harrowing experiences of journalist Sydney Schanberg and his Cambodian aide Dith Pran during the Khmer Rouge regime. Starring Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, and John Malkovich, the film depicts their efforts to document the brutal conditions and struggle for survival amid the political turmoil in Cambodia.
While Sam Waterston is best known for playing Jack McCoy in the long-running television seriesLaw & Order, his best movie isThe Killing Fields. The story, which is based on real events, revolves around two journalists, the American Sydney Schanberg and the Cambodian Dith Pran, in Cambodia during Pol Pot’s ethnic cleansing campaign known as “Year Zero.” Waterston plays Schanberg in an emotional performance that led to an Academy Award nomination.
The Killing Fieldsis a tragic and moving story that highlights both the horrors of war during Year Zero and the power of friendship between Schanberg and Pran. Waterston is not just a supporting character, but is one of the two principal individuals at the forefront of the story. While it is the best movie and one of the best performances of Waterston’s career, it isnot quite as memorable as Waterston’s television roles, which have more so defined his acting legacy.
Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained follows Jamie Foxx’s Django, a Black slave who is freed before becoming a bounty hunter. After meeting German dentist-turned-bounty-hunter Dr. King Schultz, Django sets off to free his wife from the cruel and charismatic plantation owner Calvin Candie. Christophe Waltz stars alongside Foxx, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kerry Washington rounding out the cast of Tarantino’s revisionist Spaghetti Western.
Quentin Tarantino’sDjango Unchainedis anall-time great revenge movieas Django Freeman, a former slave, fights to reunite with his wife, Broomhilda “Hildi” von Shaft (Kerry Washington). Django teams up with a German bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Seeing Django and Schultz killing the plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) and those loyal to him is deeply satisfying, with these ruthless and bigoted characters being among the most vile in any Tarantino movie.
Django Unchainedis the ultimate story of revenge, featuring some of the most over-the-top and unforgettable action in all of Tarantino’s filmography.
Django Unchainedis the ultimate story of revenge, featuring some of the most over-the-top and unforgettable action in all of Tarantino’s filmography. Washington’s performance as Broomilda is also strong and conveys the necessary emotion for a character involved in such extreme torment and peril. That being said, some elements ofDjango Unchainedhave aged poorly, and the movie’s strengths are not able to override some of its problematic features.
Little Miss Sunshine
Little Olive’s dream is to take part in the Little Miss Sunshine contest. To do so, she embarks on a funny and moving journey with her father, uncle, grandfather, brother and mother. The family has to race against time to ensure that Olive arrives on time and is able to give the performance created by her grandfather.
Little Miss Sunshinetells the tale of the dysfunctional Hoover family who travel to California to support Olive (Abigail Breslin) and her opportunity to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine children’s beauty pageant. The Hoover family’s journey is equally heartfelt, hilarious, and tragic, making it a true emotional rollercoaster.Little Miss Sunshine’s emotionaland ultimately beautiful story led to a Best Picture nomination, a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award win for Alan Arkin, and a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award for Michael Arndt.
Dean Norris, who plays the antagonistic General Halt inThe Six Triple Eight, is State Trooper McCleary inLittle Miss Sunshine. McCleary pulls the Hoover family over during their challenging trip to the Little Miss Sunshine contest.Little Miss Sunshineis arguably the best movie on this list, but since Norris' role is so minor, it is unfair to rank it higher than some of the other terrific movies that the cast ofThe Six Triple Eighthave been in, and where they have much more prominent roles.
If Beale Street Could Talk
Based on the novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk stars KiKi Layne as Tish Rivers, a young woman living in New York City with her boyfriend Fonny in the 1970s. When Fonny is accused of a crime he did not commit, Tish sets out to prove his innocence and get his exonerated before the birth of their first child. Stephan James, Regina King, Brian Tyree Henry, and Ed Skrein also star.
After the success ofMoonlight, Barry Jenkins' next movie wasIf Beale Street Could Talk, which adapts James Baldwin’s novel of the same name. Clementine “Tish” Rivers (KiKi Layne) and Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt (Stephan James) are a couple that are in love. However, the life they are building for themselves is upended when Fonny is accused of a serious crime that he did not commit. Ebony Obsidian plays Adrienne Hunt, one of Fonny’s sisters.
Mufasa: The Lion King Review - Disney’s Prequel Gamble Pays Off Thanks To Barry Jenkins' Compelling Vision
Even with a few flaws, Barry Jenkins' Mufasa: The Lion King has enough heart and depth to stand on its own feet and surpass its 2019 predecessor.
If Beale Street Could Talkholds an impressive 95% Tomatometer score onRotten Tomatoes.It is a powerful adaptation of Baldwin’s novel with stunning cinematographythat continues to prove Jenkins is one of the most talented directors of the modern era.If Beale Street Could Talkis an outstanding film and the only reason that it does not rank higher is that Obsidian has more of a supporting role, with her performance not being as central to the story.
Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise is a 1991 drama directed by Ridley Scott, featuring Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise. The film follows the journey of two friends on a road trip that spirals into unexpected and intense circumstances, challenging their friendship and transforming their lives. Brad Pitt makes an early appearance in a supporting role, helping to cement the film’s enduring legacy.
Alien,Blade Runner, andGladiatorare generally considered to beRidley Scott’s best movies. These movies are phenomenal and heavily influenced each of their respective genres, but Scott’sThelma & Louise, starring Susan Sarandon, is an equally exceptional movie. Sarandon plays Louise while Geena Davis plays Thelma, with their story becoming a gripping crime drama grounded by the strength of the leading characters' friendship when their road trip takes an unexpected turn.
Both Sarandon and Davis are excellent inThelma & Louise, with both receiving Academy Award nominationsfor their performances. It is one ofSusan Sarandon’s best moviesand allows her to capture a wide range of emotions in a story that excels in its humor and drama.Thelma & Louisealso became an important feminist movie. While it is one of Sarandon’s best movies, there is another cinematic project of hers that proved to be even more compelling.
Selma
Selma is a historical drama film that retells the tumultuous three-month period when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marched with others from Selma to Montgomery to rally for voting rights in a historically significant march for civil rights. The film chronicles the prejudice and challenges faced by Dr. King and the violent opposition he faced in the name of peace and equal rights.
Directed by Ava DuVernay,Selmatells the important story of the Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches that took place during the Civil Rights Movement in 1965. While David Oyelowo plays Martin Luther King Jr., Oprah Winfrey plays Annie Lee Cooper, who was also a prominent civil rights activist. By giving focus not only to King, but also to Cooper,Selmaputs a spotlight on some lesser-known civil rights activists who were integral in the fight for justice and equality.
Selmareceived an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
Selmahas a near-perfect Tomatometer score onRotten Tomatoesof 99%, making it the highest-rated movie in Winfrey’s career. WhileSelmatells the story of real historical events from 1965, showing the important progress that was made, the movie’s themes do not shy away from the fact that considerable work still needs to be done for the activists' dreams to be fully realized. Winfrey’s performance as Cooper is an important part of conveying this message.Selmais Winfrey’s best movie, but it is outranked by two movies where members ofThe Six Triple Eight’s cast have larger roles.
Our Song
Our Song, released in 2000, centers on the lives of three female high school students in Brooklyn, who are members of the Jackie Robinson Steppers Marching Band. The film explores their bond and the tough decisions they confront when their school is shut down for asbestos removal.
Kerry Washington is well-known for her acting in the hit ABC seriesScandal. More than a decade before she first played Olivia Pope, Washington starred inOur Song. She plays Lanisha Brown, one of three best friends who live in the same housing project and are part of their community marching band. It is a coming-of-age movie that explores the many challenges of adolescence in an emotional way during a summer in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Our SongisKerry Washington’s best movie. There is a realism and sensitivity to it that is imbued in Washington’s performance, both in exploring Lanisha as an individual and in her friendships with Maria Hernandez (Melissa Martinez) and Joycelyn Clifton (Anna Simpson). Due to the popularity ofScandal,Django Unchained, and other movies and television series Washington has starred in,Our Songdoes not always get the recognition it deserves. There is one movie even more memorable, though, in which a member ofThe Six Triple Eightcast won an Academy Award for their performance.
Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking, directed by Tim Robbins, stars Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen Prejean and Sean Penn as death row inmate Matthew Poncelet. Based on true events, the film explores themes of redemption, justice, and the death penalty as Sister Helen forms a relationship with Poncelet while providing him spiritual guidance and navigating complex moral questions.
InDead Man Walking, Susan Sarandon plays Sister Helen Prejean, who begins meeting with Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn), a convict who has been sentenced to the death penalty. Despite his arrogance, bigotry, and the horrific crimes he is convicted of, Sister Helen sees humanity in Matthew, forms a bond with him, and begins advocating for him to have a reduced sentence. It is a deeply thought-provoking movie anchored by Sarandon and Penn’s riveting performances.
Dead Man Walkingis a movie that is not only captivating to watch, but one that lingers with the viewer long after the credits roll.
Sarandon won the Academy Award for Best Actressin recognition of her performance as Sister Helen. She won over Elisabeth Shue, Sharon Stone, Meryl Streep, and Emma Thompson. In addition to the weight of Sarandon’s Academy Award win,Dead Man Walkingis a movie that is not only captivating to watch, but one that lingers with the viewer long after the credits roll, given the subject matter, the performances, and the direction ofThe Shawshank Redemptionstar Tim Robbins. These elements make it the best movie starring the cast ofThe Six Triple Eight.
The Six Triple Eight
The Six Triple Eight is a World War II drama about the US Army’s all-Black, all-women battalion tasked with sorting a massive backlog of 17 million undelivered letters to American soldiers. They must complete the mission within six months, showcasing their resilience and crucial contributions during the war.
