What’s going on, folks? I just finished watching Fences — a brilliant film, brilliant script, written by the great August Wilson. Watching it, I have to say: Denzel Washington, masterclass. Viola Davis, masterclass. Stephen McKinley Henderson, masterclass. Mykelti Williamson, Russell Hornsby — all masterclass.

But from my point of view, the weakest performance in the film was Cory Maxson. The rhythm, the vibe, the swagger — something felt off. That’s not a knock on him as an actor. It’s just what stood out to me when I watched the film.

And I think it gets at something bigger: accent and culture are not the same thing.

A lot of people think authenticity is about getting the voice right. It’s not. Culture is rhythm. It’s cadence. It’s mannerisms. It’s how people joke, argue, react, move, and carry themselves. It’s all the little things that never make it onto the page.

If I took you to a Black church, you’d see exactly what I mean. Somebody’s singing and people shout, “You better sing.” A preacher gets going and somebody says, “He’s preaching now.” Somebody cooks a great meal and people say, “You put your foot in that.” Those aren’t just phrases. They’re cultural instincts.

When an actor comes from that culture, they can bring those little touches into a performance naturally because they understand them from the inside. They don’t just know the words—they know the rhythm behind the words.

That’s why some performances feel seamless. Not because the actor is more talented, but because there’s a natural alignment between the actor and the community being portrayed. The performance doesn’t feel studied. It feels lived.

That’s what I felt watching Fences. Everybody on screen was operating in the same rhythm, and Cory felt slightly outside of it. Not enough to ruin the film. Not enough to make it a bad performance. Just enough that I noticed it.

That’s my critique. The cadence felt off.