Praise This | Official Trailer | Peacock Original

In a rare occurrence in a feature-length film, Praise This has a majority-Black cast. “It was such an honor and a pleasure to just be surrounded by my people, work with my people, and get to show up every day and be surrounded by just beautiful melanated kings and queens and others,” Washington said.After three months, I think, naturally, we became a family, just because we were there [in Atlanta] together for so long.”

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Although the Bakersfield, Calif., native doesn’t categorize herself as a singer—even though she’s living out her dream of being one by showing off her vocals in the film—her co-stars Chloe Bailey, Koryn Hawthorne, Loren Lott, and Jekalyn Carr are some of the strongest female vocalists in the music industry, making the film a spectacular musical filled with riffs and runs that will take the audience back to their gospel roots.

When asked what people should take away from Praise This, Washington sat up, thought for a minute, and used the opportunity to let viewers know—especially church-going, God-fearing saintsthat this movie is a comedy, and meant to be lighthearted rather than taken as a mockery of God or the Black Christian community.

“I want people to just enjoy life and enjoy each other and not to take everything so seriously,” she said.We’re making fun of the experiences that we’ve all had in church. We all know those church people that just say the craziest things and do the craziest things but it doesn’t mean they don’t love Jesus.”

You can check out Jess, Sam, and the rest of the choir’s journey in Peacock’s Praise This, now streaming on the platform.