Hailee Steinfeld may be ready to swap the spotlight for the director’s chair, and she has Ryan Coogler to thank for that.
The 28-year-old actress stars as Mary in Sinners, a period horror film set in 1932 Mississippi, directed by Coogler and co-starring Michael B. Jordan, Jack O’Connell, Delroy Lindo, and rising newcomer Miles Caton. But for Steinfeld, the real transformation wasn’t just on screen. It was behind the scenes, watching Coogler work with such intensity and care, that changed her view of filmmaking altogether.
When asked whether her time on Sinners sparked a desire to direct, Steinfeld didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely,” she said. “Directing has always been something I’ve been intrigued by, and you work with someone like Ryan, and it’s impossible not to feel like you have to do that.”
Still, she joked that following in Coogler’s footsteps isn’t exactly easy. “There’s Ryan Coogler, so why would I? I’d just have to call him for everything, to have him do it all.”
Creed fans are already familiar with Coogler’s directorial talent, but for Steinfeld, his greatest gift is how he works with actors. “What I loved so much about working with him was it’s like he was an actor in another life,” she explained. “The way that he speaks to actors, the way that he works with them, the way that he writes for them, there’s a difference.”
She described the creative process with Coogler as deeply collaborative and constantly evolving. “The conversations were endless, the questions were flowing constantly both ways,” she said. “Every time I thought I had a clear understanding of a scene, Ryan would come and throw something in there that just broke the whole thing open again, whether it was blocking or a single line. The process of developing this character didn’t end.”
While Steinfeld hasn’t committed to a specific genre for her directorial ambitions, she credited Sinners with expanding her perspective. “It’d be tough to pinpoint one,” she said. “But with Sinners fresh on my brain, it’s made me realize you can have a million things in one and still make it feel cohesive and grounded. I’m inspired by the idea that it doesn’t have to be one thing.”
Known for her breakout role in True Grit, her fan-favorite turn in Hawkeye, and music hits like “Starving,” Steinfeld is no stranger to creative versatility. But Sinners may mark the beginning of a new chapter, one where she calls the shots, not just takes them.
Whether or not Steinfeld steps into directing full-time, one thing is clear: working with Ryan Coogler has left an imprint. And if Sinners is any indication, her next move, on or off-screen, will be one to watch.
