Sonequa Martin Goes Toe to Toe with Fame

The first two words uttered in the gripping adolescent drama Toe To Toe motivate one girl to excel, but they also turn campus life upside down as fingers start pointing.

For young actress Sonequa Martin, the role of Tosha, an earnest African-American high school senior from Anacostia, one of DC’s more impoverished areas, who excels on the lacrosse field, playing her first lead role in a feature film was both exciting and daunting.

“Well,” Martin admits, “I was beyond excited to be a part of the project. I had fallen in love with the script and with the character, and I understood and appreciated the writer/director’s vision. I was inexperienced at the time. Toe To Toe was my first feature film. I had graduated college less than a year before I was cast, so I was definitely asking myself, ‘Will I be able to do this?’ It was a challenge, and I grew exponentially because of it. I’m so, so grateful for it.”

With recurring roles in shows such as “The Good Wife” and “Army Wives,” Martin clearly is attracted to parts of empowered women. “I've always been drawn to strong female characters, especially when you can see their vulnerability. I feel so blessed to have landed in stories where interesting women are in the forefront, because it doesn't happen that often. It’s so refreshing!”

Born in a small town in Alabama, becoming an actress is hardly an everyday occurrence and one even her own family doubted. But like her character in Toe To Toe , Martin is one determined individual.

“That was actually one of the main things that spoke to me about the character. I was so inspired by her determination, and I did relate to it. I was very much the same way my senior year of high school, living in this teeny tiny town in Alabama, fighting to get out and go somewhere bigger and be someone better. And I am still the same way now — I’m very driven when it comes to my career and my future.”

Toe To Toe is a good example of what true independent film should be. An official selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, it doesn’t have ‘big name’ actors or a big budget. It marks the narrative debut of writer/director Emily Abt, recently selected as one of Variety’s ‘Top 10 Directors to Watch.’ And it has a positive message which Martin hopes isn’t lost on viewers.

“I hope audiences walk away with a new respect for people with different cultures and backgrounds. I hope they take a look at their own inner circles and, if they do have interracial or intercultural relationships, challenge them to be deeper, and if they don't have those relationships, ask themselves why. I hope parents are encouraged to open up more dialogue with their children about sex and race. I hope young audiences are inspired to be more determined about their futures, and inspired to fight for their goals with a sense of integrity.” ▼