Entertainment
‘Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words’ Director Nneka Onuorah Talks About the Superstar’s Vulnerability
Like many black women, Grammy Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion, real name Megan Pete, wears a mask. A shield, a protective armor she developed as a young person to guard her from unexpected pain and difficulties that arose in her personal life. But what happens when the armor is pierced by something that affects each Houston resident Megan Pete and superstar Megan Thee Stallion? Prime Video’s Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words, directed by Nneka Onuorah, explores the star’s rise to fame and the way her vulnerability became her biggest superpower.
“I see Megan as a feminist icon,” Onuorah told theGrio. “She represents the dichotomy and multi-faceted nature of black women all rolled into one. “And showing us that we don’t have to just show our strong side, but showing vulnerability can help us get through anything, accept our emotions and feelings, which also makes us strong.”
However, the “Savage” rapper wasn’t initially thrilled with the idea of revealing the young woman behind her confident, unflappable public persona. When they began filming the documentary in 2022, the star was reportedly reluctant to open up and let people see the trauma hiding beneath the surface of her “Megan Thee Stallion” brand.
Although the film depicts Pete’s grief over losing her father soon as a baby and her mother early in her profession, in addition to her experiences with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal thoughts, Onuorah realized that the two bonded over their conversation about boiled potato chips in a jalapeno cauldron.
“There’s a scene in the movie where Meg is, you know, talking about jalapeno chips and she’s really stressed out,” the award-winning director recalled of the moment, which took place in Las Vegas ahead of the Billboard Awards. “Me and her interacting in that scene and (it was) the first time in my life I’ve ever seen Meg without her hair and makeup team, her glam team. She just at all times worked and had people in her face. So I said this can be a probability for me to return (to the hotel) along with her and just be me and her alone.
“She just got a jalapeno chip spiral and we talked… we laughed and I think we opened up for the first time. She opened up to me emotionally and I just let the camera do its thing,” she continued.
In addition to chronicling Pete’s rise to fame, the documentary provides insight into how Megan Thee Stallion handled public criticism following her altercation with rapper Tory Lanez. In 2020, Lanez, born Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson, shot the “Body” singer in the foot, which ultimately led to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filing semi-automatic assault charges against Peterson.
Despite being the victim in the case, Pete needed to cope with social media trolls who questioned the validity of her claims. From popular industry commentators like Joe Budden to local delivery drivers on TikTok, the documentary highlights the enormous backlash the star has faced online over the Peterson trial.
“Sometimes you need understanding, especially in a world with social media and so much chaos and opposition, she just needed someone to be there for her and rock with her,” Onuarah explained. “We had a real bond. I think I offered myself to her as a safe space and let her know that (I was there) to support her and protect her and help amplify her voice. … Sometimes we laughed at the pain. These intimate moments brought us closer together.”
Ultimately, the film should remind us of the star’s humanity. As “Megan Thee Stallion,” she represents many things to many individuals – an advocate for mental health, feminism, body positivity, daring self-confidence, and more. However, Onuorah explains that the young woman behind the fame is not any different from her fans who watch her online.
“Like Megan Pete, I wish (people) would understand that this girl is under 30 and is just a regular person who has to do the same things as us…without her parents. There (were) times when we were shooting during the holidays and she (didn’t) have family to spend it with. All this is happening and she’s just an ordinary person going through it… It’s something that people should empathize with,” the director told Grio. “She’s still a young girl trying to figure it out and people can figure it out.”
Ultimately, Onuorah believes that everybody, especially Black women, can learn something from the duality exposed in the film.
“I think because Megan Pete and Megan Thee Stallion were going through something at the same time, she couldn’t rely on Megan Thee Stallion, her mask. “She really had to convince Megan Pete to step up and get empowered… now she’s truly empowered,” she added. “I feel like a lot of women need to hear this and see that our strength doesn’t just come from how tough we are or how much we avoid certain things. But how much we accept pain and sadness and how transformative it can be for us, so that we can rise from the ashes and head towards Phoenix.”