Left, Khalil Joseph, March 2015; Right, Humberto Leon and Jesse Williams at the Music is My Mistress premiere party on February 9, 2017.

Left, by Owen Kolasinksi/BFA/Rex/Shutterstock; Right, courtesy of Donato Sardella/Getty Images/Kenzo.

Kahlil Joseph, the writer-director who co-helmed Beyoncs epic visual-concept album, Lemonade, has debuted his latest work of arta film for the French luxury brand Kenzo.

The auteur has partnered with Kenzos creative directors, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, to make an original short film, Music Is My Mistress, that features the labels chicest looks from their spring/summer 2017 collection. Greys Anatomy star Jesse Williams stars as a lost music manager searching for an African luminary played by newly minted Golden Globe winner Tracee Ellis Ross (from TVs Black-ish).

The film is about blackness, Joseph told Vanity Fair at a special screening party held at L.A.s Underground Museum on Thursday night. He went on to explain that his objective was to portray African-Americans realistically on-screen in the way they move, talk, and interact with people.

The theme of blackness is also prevalent in Lemonade. Since working with Beyonc on her visual spectacle, the Grammy-nominated director says his life is relatively the same. Hes just thankful that the opportunity to work with his close pal finally came to fruition.

I have known Beyonc through friends for a while, and we had talked about working together on stuff in the past, said Joseph, who has also worked with Kendrick Lamar and film director Terrence Malick. Lemonade was the one that just made sense to work together. It was an important and personal story.

For Williams, who is an outspoken human-rights activist, creating a piece of art like Kenzos short film is more important than ever now that uncertaintyand fearis gripping the nation in the Trump era.

The art community means a tremendous amount in times of bliss and in times of peril. The world is in a very contentious moment right now, and its all the more important now for people to be able to create daring, inclusive, forward-leaning material that is challenging for the status quo, Williams told Vanity Fair. Artists shake shit up and they drive the conversation and establish a new stake in the ground. Its so important to keep on doing this.

But some critics believe celebrities and artists should keep their political opinions to themselves, saying they live in a privileged world and have no real understanding of the issues faced by others. Williams strongly objects to that idea.

Actors should talk and to continue to speak up about politics. Acting is a job. A career. If Im a plumber, can I only fix pipes? If Im a teacher, can I only teach? If thats a rule, its fucking bizarre and ridiculous, he explained. I cant care about being a member of the electorate and what happens in the legislative office? Its asinine. I have been a politically active, social-justice activist my whole life, and I happened to have started acting. I think people should do what they want to do.

Williams, who made headlines in June for a speech he gave at the B.E.T. Awards, vows to fight relentlessly against social injustice and to continue to provide entertainment through his acting career.

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Original post:
Beyonc's Lemonade Director Enlists Grey's Anatomy's Jesse Williams for His Latest Fashion Spectacle - Vanity Fair