*Sonequa Martin-Green and Kenric Green have built their careers on powerful performances, but their latest project, “Sarah’s Oil,” marks a turning point—both professionally and spiritually.
The married actors star as Joe and Rose Rector, the parents of Sarah Rector, whose astonishing rise to wealth in the early 1900s remains one of the most overlooked chapters in American history. But for the Greens, the film is not just a history lesson—it is a statement of purpose.
While promoting the film, the couple made it clear that stepping into the Rectors’ lives felt ordained. “It influenced us in so many ways, more than can be listed,” Martin-Green said, reflecting on how their marriage shaped their onscreen dynamic. “There was a trust, a security, and an intimacy already built between us, so when it came time to do the work, everything was laid out.”
That foundation, she said, allowed them to work in a space of gratitude rather than pressure. “We just allowed God to take over and do what He wanted to do with it.”
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But beyond their connection as scene partners, “Sarah’s Oil” offered the Greens something deeper alignment. After years of individually navigating Hollywood, this project became the catalyst that helped them define their shared artistic mission. Through the story of Sarah Rector, they found confirmation that their careers were shifting toward purposeful, faith-centered storytelling.
Martin-Green describes the project not only as a film but as a cultural intervention. “These kinds of stories cultivate awareness and shift paradigms,” she said. “Black history is not separate from American history—it is American history. It’s a travesty that this story hasn’t been told before.”
For Kenric Green, learning the details of the Rector family’s real story wasn’t just educational—it was spiritual.
“When things are omitted or the narrative has been changed, it keeps us from moving forward,” Green said. “Engaging with the truth—especially truth that’s been buried—allows us to grow. It opens the door to pushing ahead as a people.”
That connection between truth and faith is central to how the Greens now view their creative responsibility. Their production company, Rock and Fire Productions, was built around that principle: uplift spiritual truth, highlight overlooked history, and center stories that inspire transformation.
“With Rock and Fire, this is exactly the kind of story we want to tell,” Martin-Green said. “There are many more like Sarah Rector—stories that were ignored or erased. We want to be part of the shifting of minds and hearts.”
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For Green, the work is about stewarding what they’ve been given. “We want to trade ignorance for knowledge, knowledge for understanding, and understanding for wisdom,” he said. “That’s the calling. That’s what keeps us aligned.”
Even the filmmaking process itself strengthened their spiritual walk. The couple repeatedly referenced moments on set where they felt guided, protected, and encouraged—not only by each other, but by their shared faith.
“It changed us,” Martin-Green said. “It brought us closer to each other and closer to Him.”
The project also reaffirmed the kinds of artists they want to be: ones who measure success not by numbers or accolades, but by obedience and impact.
Green put it simply: “If I only ever told stories like this as an actor, I’d be fulfilled.”
While “Sarah’s Oil” carries historical and cultural weight, its making became a testimony of the power of purpose-driven storytelling—something the Greens hope will characterize the rest of their careers.
The couple praised director Cyrus Nowrasteh and young lead Naya Desir-Johnson for helping create an atmosphere where that purpose could flourish. But the heartbeat of the film remains the same: faith, truth, and legacy.
“Being part of putting this story out there is a gift in and of itself,” Martin-Green said. “This is the kind of work we were meant to do.”
“Sarah’s Oil” is now in theaters nationwide.
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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