Amazon MGM Studios Casts Shakirah DeMesier in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
“They had already filmed Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and sent it to editing, and, while they were watching the film, they said, ‘We don’t have a mother — a representation of what she looks like, who she was,’” Shakirah DeMesier said. DeMesier landed the ethereal role of Khadijah in Amazon MGM’s feature film after production had already wrapped, joining a nationwide theatrical release that stars Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali as her onscreen husband, Latif.
The film premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, centering on an assassin, widower, father, and devout Muslim navigating grief and faith. DeMesier’s management team received the unexpected audition call while she was mixing a cocktail for a guest at The Upper Room, the Ponce City Market location she co-founded in Atlanta.
Auditioning Without Lines for Director Bassam Tariq
The remote audition presented unusual hurdles for the New Jersey-raised performer, who moved to Atlanta eight years ago. Speaking of the experience, DeMesier noted her preference for in-person rooms over the 20-minute Zoom call she conducted directly with director Bassam Tariq and the casting director.
“So when I had the 20-minute audition, it was prompts and improv during the whole thing,” DeMesier described. “There was no preparation.”
Because the role of Khadijah contained zero lines of dialogue, the casting process relied strictly on presence, stillness, and availability. The very next morning, DeMesier boarded a flight to New York to film all of the mother’s scenes. She did not meet co-star Mahershala Ali until they reunited on the red carpet for the world premiere in Toronto.
Channeling Personal Loss Into the Role of Khadijah
DeMesier’s portrayal draws from deep personal experience following the death of her mother, who passed away from cervical cancer a decade ago after DeMesier served as her caregiver. She shared that the loss is something one never truly gets over.
“She was the first love of my life. And it was almost like she was the closest thing, to me, to God,” DeMesier said. Filming the role allowed her to honor that history: “I could really remember everything that my mother has given and everything that she was. And to be able to embody that in this film is an honor for me and me paying homage to her.”
Building Community and Expanding Film Projects in Atlanta
Outside of her acting credits, which include the television series The Other Black Girl, DeMesier maintains deep roots in the Atlanta business and creative sectors. She and her business partner operate two Midtown Atlanta locations of The Upper Room—at Ponce City Market and Colony Square—serving as a café-bar-hybrid that features spirits from Black-owned makers.
“Atlanta is so Black, and I love that. It’s provided me the opportunity to open a bar. I don’t think that’s something I could have done in New York or New Jersey as easily,” DeMesier said. On the cinematic front, she is currently focused on Little Shasha, a family comedy short film about growing up Haitian in Irvington, New Jersey, which is in post-production with plans for the festival circuit.
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