Grace Byers was never into doing horror. The actor, known for her roles as Boo Boo Kitty in Empire and Quinn in Harlem, initially had other ideas for roles in her future, preferably ones that didnt involve her dying in the first 15 minutes.

But The Blackening, which premiered in theaters June 16, set a different precedent. The film, based on a viral sketch created by improv group 3Peat, follows a group of Black friends as their cabin trip in the woods is interrupted by a murderer who plays too much (literally). Byers was a fan of the original sketch when it first premiered on Comedy Central in 2018. But her team wasnt sure if shed take a chance on The Blackening.

I got quite a few horror scripts over the years, and Ive always told my team and Ill be like, No, Im good. Im not really the biggest horror buff. I cant sleep at night if I watch too much stuff in that realm, Byers said. She loved the script, written by 3Peats Dewayne Perkins and Harlem writer Tracy Oliver.

Its smart. Its funny. It tackles the tropes in Black culture when it comes to horror films. Its something that we havent really seen before, she said. Since premiering over the holiday weekend, The Blackening, which cost Lionsgate $5 million to make, brought in $7 million. It premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in September, becoming a crowd favorite. Directed by Tim Story, it also stars Antoinette Robinson, Melvin Gregg, Jermaine Fowler, Sinqua Walls and X Mayo.

Byers, who plays Allison, said the films subversive approach to dealing with the generic, morbid fate of Black people in horror is what makes The Blackening special. She said though its a horror, the film is filled with moments of joy. She said those moments are what help her decide her roles.

I think Ive only gotten more specific in my desire, she said. Its not just a rat race. Its not like, how can I get the next project? Its how can I change the world with the next project? How can I affect people in a positive way with the next project?

For I Run This, Byers discusses her decision to audition for The Blackening, dismantling tropes in film and why she wont teach anyone to play Spades.