When it comes to the connection between a mother and their child, the bond can sometimes quite literally be out of this world, and Prime Video’s Nanny showcases how strong that connection can be.
“I have so much reverence for my mother, Anna [Diop’s] mother, the mothers in our community, you know, as Black people, I think that women uphold the community, and a lot of times they don’t get the laurels or the flowers in real time that they deserve,” said film director and writer Nikyatu Jusu said in an interview with Diop for Shadow and Act. “The intuition and the ability to be strong at times of struggle, but not celebrate that struggle, giving this lead character tenderness and love and nurturing was really important to me as well.”
'Nanny' explores the world of Aisha (Anna Diop), a Senegalese woman who migrated to New York in hopes of providing a better life for her son. Y
Yet, as time progresses, she is haunted by the absence of the child she had to leave behind.
The film, a psychological horror, ultimately showcases the dark side that many people often face when chasing the American dream.
"What I loved about Aisha on the page was that you see her go through almost every human emotion," said Diop.
“Like she really goest through the gamut of emotions in this and as an actor, that was very exciting to get the opportunity to do,” she continued.
For Diop, her own mother’s story served as a catalyst for her preparation for the role.
“You see her fall in love. You see her in more joyful spaces when she’s with her best friend Sally,” she explained. “You see her, of course, longing for her son. You see her though moments of loneliness and depression. You see her try to survive and navigate and be savvy and all of these things.”
"I thought a lot about my own mother's journey when she first came to the states. She emigrated when I was six years old and she did it for the same reasons Aisha does," Diop recalled.
She added, ” I remember her being in her space and that experience of loneliness and navigating and survival and getting these jobs to make ends meet and so I’ve reflected a lot on my mother and on my own personal emotions and spaces when I’m also surviving and trying to figure things out.”
Nanny is now available in select theaters and will be streaming on Prime Video starting Dec. 16.
