*Margaret Avery still remembers the first time she read the script for “Riverbend,” the 1989 action drama about three Black Vietnam veterans who lead a Southern town to stand up to a racist sheriff.
“I thought, OK, this is another ‘Spook Who Sat by the Door’,” she says, recalling the controversy that once surrounded stories about Black resistance. “I didn’t think it was going to go very far, but it’s a great message.”
What ultimately drew her in was who was behind the camera. “There were Black producers involved… 35 years ago, that was quite an accomplishment,” she says. “That’s what attracted me.”
“Riverbend” will screen in Los Angeles on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 7:30 PM. The special one-night-only event takes place at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, presented in a new 35mm print by the American Cinematheque.
“It’s just so wonderful to hear that they dug this up out of history,” Avery says. “It’s very relative to today.”
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Avery’s own life shaped her connection to the story. “At 13 years old, I was thinking I would change the world and wound-up getting bit by German Shepherd dogs, wanting to sit at a countertop in a café in the South,” she recalls. “I’ve always had that activist spirit — wanting to fight back for justice.”
That spirit made “Riverbend” personal. “We can’t fight in that way anymore,” she says. “We have to be smart. Love is much more powerful than evil. We just have to keep our faith and determination — think about what our ancestors went through.”
After her Oscar-nominated turn in “The Color Purple”, Avery says work slowed down. “I didn’t work for two years because of lack of opportunity,” she recalls. “Women — particularly women of color — we’ve been so limited in our careers.”
When Riverbend came along around 1990, it checked several boxes. “It was work, it was meaningful, and it was produced by Black filmmakers,” she says. “That was rare.” Still, Avery remembers the industry barriers vividly.
“I’ve had casting directors tell my agent, ‘We love her in ‘The Color Purple’, but we need somebody who can really speak good grammar,’” she says. “What does that even mean? Meryl Streep can do all kinds of accents, and that’s OK. But when we do it, they think that’s who we are.”
Today, she celebrates the progress — especially more Black casting directors working across networks and streamers.
But she says there’s still a long way to go. “I’m looking for the Black actress who goes from film to film to film and isn’t limited to just playing in ‘Black stories,’” she says. “She could be a CEO or a leader — and the film should be marketed internationally, just like white films.”
Avery also laughs when recalling one of her favorite “Riverbend” memories. During filming, she waited in her trailer, ready for her next scene.
“Finally, I get this little meek knock,” she remembers. “They said, ‘Miss Avery, would you come out of the trailer?’ I thought, did they think I was a prima donna?” She laughs. “You don’t know how people perceive you.”
Her fondness for her co-star, the late Steve James, is tender. “He was my leading man — such a sweet guy,” she says. “It was a privilege to work with him. His passing was such a loss.”
Now, Avery is focused on producing, though she admits it’s not easy. “Wearing this new hat, it is difficult,” she says. “There are projects studios like, but they’re reluctant to give a green light. Until we’re in those decision-making positions, it’s going to be hard to progress.”
For now, she’s just grateful “Riverbend” is being seen again — restored, recognized, and remembered. “I hope people will come out,” Avery says with a laugh. “My friends and I might need to carpool, because Lord knows I don’t want to be driving to Santa Monica at night. But it’ll be worth it.”
From the column: Black in the Green Room By Keith L. Underwood – Follow: @mrkeithlunderwood (IG), @blackinthegreenroom (IG), YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook
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