In the movie, Smith stars as Brandon, a Los Angeles teenager that is trying to graduate high school while also taking care of his younger siblings amid his mother’s battle with mental illness. Brandon “often uses his art as an escape from the confines of his subdued day-to-day life,” according to the official synopsis. When Cassidy (Capri), “a bedazzled bad girl dripping in confidence, freedom, and danger,” walks into Brandon’s life he “seamlessly slips into the role of Clyde to her Bonnie as they make their way down an increasingly perilous path.”

Cassidy is an empowered fashionista who rocks vibrant and eclectic styles. She turns Brandon’s world upside down and challenges him to have fun instead of always doing what’s expected of him. Smith and Capri radiate chemistry throughout the film, which is “Insecure” and “Love Life” director Thembi Banks’ feature debut. The pair’s connection is evident throughout the movie, which is an entertaining and exciting look into what happens when you decide to step outside the lines.
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Lathan stars as Janice, Brandon’s mom who is diagnosed with a mental health disorder, in “Young. Wild. Free.” The “Brown Sugar” actress tells Black Love that she was initially drawn to the role because of the opportunity to explore mental health in the Black community in an unique way.
“Every character demands a different process. The first thing I wanted to work on was what she looked like,” Lathan says about her character. “She’s one of these women that you see — she changes her wigs like we change our earrings. That’s just her. She smokes. She doesn’t have time to take care of herself. It was about investigating what mental health issues people are going through. I have people in my family who deal with mental health issues and just really wanting to make that authentic for [Janice].”
“Young. Wild. Free,” which is co-produced by Confluential Films, shows how traits can be passed down from generation to generation within a family. In many ways, Lathan could relate to Janice’s journey.
“I think part of the reason I became an actress is to work through the trauma,” Lathan says with a laugh. “That’s one of the beauties of being an artist is that you turn all of that pain and that trauma into something beautiful. For me, acting has been very therapeutic for my life. I always say to people ‘think of a therapist like you think of a personal trainer.’
She continues, “You work on your body, you go to the gym; there’s no shame in that. The world we live in right now is tough and we need help. It makes sense, to me, for everyone — at least at some point in their lives — to have somebody who’s objective who can help you navigate that. I use these characters to kind of heal.”
Smith echoes his co-star’s sentiments, sharing that while he’s never been in therapy, he feels that his journey has shaped him and influenced his character’s development. The actor says that it’s “kind of inevitable to a degree.”
“I have discovered a lot of those [family traits] and I’m proud to begin working through a lot of those as well, and identifying what they are because a lot of time you just don’t know,” he shares. “And then you look back and do the self-work and you’re like ‘oh, that’s why I do that.’”
Capri adds that she too has experienced generational attributes in her own life. The experience helped her connect with her character, Cassidy, who is unapologetic in her search for freedom and fulfillment.
“Everything is energy no matter who it’s coming from, a family member or not, and it’s never destroyed — only transferred,” Capri explains. “Spirituality, I get from my grandmother and my great-grandmother. In this film, you see so many different energies and so many people absorbing other people’s energies, and that’s why certain people react in the film a certain way.”
“Young. Wild. Free” will be available to stream on BET+ on Thursday, June 27.
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