Zazie Beetz became a household name through her role in the critically acclaimed series Atlanta and films like Joker. Born in Berlin to a German father and African-American mother, she spent her childhood between the shifting landscapes of Berlin and Washington — two environments marked by cultural complexity and constant transformation. Together with photographer Eric Johnson, we returned to the streets of Washington Heights to explore the dualities that have shaped Beetz’s identity. Long known for its Afro-Caribbean and Latinx communities, the neighborhood becomes a stage for Beetz to move between different selves: fluidly navigating individuality and adaptation, presence and performance.
Her ability to slip between codes of identity, shaped by her bi-cultural upbringing, is mirrored not only in her on-screen work but also in the story’s visual arc. The fashion seeks to reflect this spectrum: in one look, she channels a quiet island fantasy in a pale blue wool set with an open midriff and vintage fur shawl, balanced by sandals that bring in a soft, everyday nonchalance. In another, she becomes a heightened version of herself: a fur coat paired with lace-up leather trousers evokes early 2000s music video heroines, while in a latex coat worn with a floor-length embellished sequin skirt and high jewelry transforms a routine stop at the corner store into a cinematic moment. And in a final look — draped in a skin-tight latex dress, reclining across the hood of a car — she steps fully into a superhero persona, owning the street with unapologetic force.
These contrasts — between diva and downtime, between statement and softness — mirror the push and pull of performance and authenticity. Shot through Eric Johnson’s raw, intimate lens, the story finds power in its hybridity, and beauty in every contradiction.