Kendrick Sampson is undeniably having a massive year. Fresh off playing music legend Quincy Jones in the Michael biopic, the talented actor is gearing up to portray yet another monumental historical figure.
Sampson is set to take on the iconic role of Malcolm X in the gripping new political thriller Killing Castro, which will make its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Set against the volatile backdrop of the Cold War in 1960 New York, Killing Castro explores a city drawn into a tightening web of surveillance and political tension. The film follows the intense convergence of the CIA, the FBI, and the Mafia as they close in on Cuban leader Fidel Castro (played by Diego Boneta) following his arrival at the United Nations.
Hollywood legend Al Pacino plays a CIA operative actively orchestrating a covert plan to eliminate the Cuban leader.
The thriller’s stakes are raised when Castro unexpectedly relocates to Harlem’s historic Hotel Theresa. The catalyst for this move? An exclusive invitation extended by Malcolm X (Sampson).
This pivotal moment stages a highly charged encounter between Black liberation politics and Cold War geopolitics. By mixing historical drama with the pacing of a psychological thriller, the film reimagines this fleeting historical flashpoint as a site where global tensions are negotiated through intimate, high-risk encounters.
Killing Castro weaves together the perspectives of various individuals caught in the crossfire of surveillance and shifting allegiances.
The ensemble features Xolo Maridueña as a young translator whose proximity to the leaders and growing curiosity begin to complicate the boundaries between trust and duty. Alongside him, KiKi Layne stars as a hotel worker who unwillingly becomes a participant in the widening political web.
The cast is rounded out by Nicole Beharie, Logan Marshall-Green, and Alexander Ludwig. Get your tickets to the Tribeca Film Festival here.
