In her latest movie, “Love, Brooklyn,” DeWanda Wise steps into the role of Nicole, a single mother navigating love, grief, and resilience in one of New York’s most storied boroughs. 

Her performance brings a layered authenticity to the character, showing audiences that single mothers are more than caretakers, but whole individuals with desires, vulnerabilities, and the right to pursue love on their own terms. 

Nicole isn’t defined solely by her motherhood; instead, she balances both protecting her child and leaving room for her own heart to open again, proving that complexity can coexist with care.

Wise doesn’t shy away from grounding Nicole in lived experience, drawing inspiration from women she observed while growing up in the 90s. She gives the character a quiet strength, a protective ferocity, and a sense of radical presence that not only honors the realities of single motherhood but also expands the narrative of Black love on screen. With “Love, Brooklyn,” Wise deepens her legacy of portraying women who are unapologetic, layered, and unafraid to embrace the fullness of who they are.

This isn’t the first time one of Wise’s characters is centered in the city of Brooklyn. She first captivated audiences as Nola Darling in Spike Lee’s Netflix adaptation of “She’s Gotta Have It.” Nola was a free-spirited artist navigating love, sexuality, and independence on her own terms, becoming a modern reimagining of the iconic character first introduced in Lee’s 1986 film. 

When asked about returning to the famed borough to shoot “Love, Brooklyn,” Wise immediately reflected on the city’s layered past. 

“Something that I love about coming back to New York, specifically Brooklyn, is that the history is layered,” she explained.  

“That’s why I love the part in the film where Nicole Beharie’s character inherits her grandmother’s place. Every time you come back to Brooklyn, there’s something new, but your spots are still there.”

Wise also explored what it would look like if Nola Darling sat down with Nicole.

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“I think that Nicole would challenge Nola to be far more radically present in her own life. She’s always on the move,” Wise says. “She’s always very go, go, go, so when you’re always moving through life like that, it’s impossible to simultaneously take it all in. Nicole to Nola would be a radical presence. Nola would remind Nicole, even in her grief, to remember to have fun, joy, and [as much] adventure as possible.”

On portraying Nicole as both a mother and a woman with her own desires, Wise says:
“I witnessed it. Growing up in the 90s, you literally fit into their lives. Wherever my mother went, I went. I had an early understanding that my mother isn’t just my mother, she’s a whole individual. It was such a gift to witness. That’s what I poured into Nicole.”

Brooklyn itself serves as more than a backdrop in the film as it’s another character, alive with change and community. Wise recalls a fun moment she experienced on set with a friend, explaining how the beloved city of New York is structured in a way that allows access for spontaneous link-ups.

“When I think of Brooklyn, I first and foremost think of community,” she began. 

“That community almost always means great food. There’s a certain kind of magic you experience. There was a day on set where I was texting a friend, who was nearby, then she came and hung out on set for hours. The access, because of how the city is constructed, leaves so much room for magic, and it’s hard to replicate. Like in Los Angeles, you have to drive two hours to get some magic, and by the time you get there, you’re tired (laughs).”

Wise also spoke on how this role expanded her portrayal of love on screen. In past projects like “Fatherhood" and “The Weekend,” she’s explored different facets of love from resilience and healing to the messiness of romance. With this film, she adds another layer, showing yet again how love can take many shapes and evolve in unexpected ways.

“Part of it is the protection that Nicole feels for her child, and in trying to raise a self-affirmed, confident little Black girl, and then part of it too is the protection you feel from someone you've lost,” she said.

In the film, there are standout moments that allude to unfinished and unrequited love stories.

“I hope it communicates that it's okay when things are unresolved like that. Not everything needs to be wrapped up in a neat, friendly box. I think we often are afraid to move on to something else because we feel like there’s unfinished business, but you can move forward.”

There’s often discourse about Black love and what that may look like today. Wise shares a lens that she hopes society shifts to operate in to mitigate the debates. 

“There’s a lot of emphasis and preoccupation on our differences,” she says. “When it comes to heteronormative conversations between Black women and men; [we’re] laser-focused on these divides but not having the conversation on what the goal is. Are you looking for companionship? Start there.”

You can see “Love, Brooklyn,” as it’s set for a limited theatrical release in New York on August 29, 2025, with a nationwide theatrical release beginning on September 5, 2025.