Diksha Sundriyal
In Hulu’s ‘Washington Black,’ we follow the titular character, who goes through a tumultuous journey starting from his childhood as an enslaved person to becoming an accomplished inventor who dreams of changing the world. The character, known as Wash, thinks back on his past while also trying to forge a new path ahead for his future, which eventually, he cannot envision without Tanna Goff. He meets her at the dock as she steps off the ship from England, and their first meeting is enough to show Wash that he has found a kindred spirit in her. The feeling is reciprocated as Tanna has been through quite a journey and is looking forward to carving a place for herself in the world on her own terms. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Tanna Goff is Brought to Life by Iola Evans
In the books, Tanna Goff is introduced as a biracial woman whose father is English and her mother is from the Solomon Islands. In the show, the role is played by Iola Evans. Born in Reading, England, to Kenyan and Welsh parents, Evans is known for her work in projects like ‘Choose or Die,’ ‘The 100,’ and ‘Out of Darkness.’ When she was cast in the role of Tanna, she turned towards Esi Edugyan’s novel, ‘Washington Black,’ and immediately felt connected to Tanna, whose struggle to find a place for herself, when she comes from two different worlds, was familiar to her. The actress had previously tackled the depth of biracial identity in the 2018 play, ‘An Octoroon,’ by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, which also served as her stage debut.
Still, there was a distinctness in Tanna’s journey that was alluring to Evans. She found it “nice to play a character who just wants to be her whole full self, which is like, Why can I not be that?” The actress revealed that she found connections between her own exploration of “racial identity and some of the privileges and challenges that come with being racially ambiguous,” referring to Tanna’s situation, where her father tells her to keep the Black part of her identity a secret, as it could cause trouble for her. Evans added that she learned a lot of lessons from Tanna’s journey, especially in terms of being “aware of the limitations in [her] experience” and understanding the different relationships that people have to their own Blackness.
Apart from finding roles that challenge her on a personal level, the actress also wishes to use her platform as an actor to talk about climate conservation and other important issues. She believes in living a life where she tries “to do minimal harm—I don’t think you can do no harm—and try to always lead with curiosity. I really hope for the future that we can find a bit more of a sustainable way to live with each other and our environment.”
The Fictional Tanna Goff’s Backstory is Expanded in the Hulu Show
The character of Tanna Goff was originally created by Esi Edugyan for her novel, ‘Washington Black,’ which refers to historical events and people to create a fictional narrative. While the novel sets the ground for Tanna’s story, it doesn’t really delve into as much depth, considering that most of the narrative is focused on the protagonist. While turning the book into a series, its creators wanted to give each character their own arc throughout the season, which allowed them to expand Tanna’s character beyond Wash’s story. This meant that some parts of her narrative had to be changed, including the ending, but at the end of the day, it gave more meaning to the character, her journey, and her struggles.
Apart from her own feelings and experience about biracial identity, Iola Evans added to the character’s story by expanding upon the aspects of her life that still remained vague, like Tanna’s mother, who passes away years before she sets foot in Nova Scotia. Evans revealed that when imagining Tanna’s mother, she thought of a god-like figure, and was inspired by the Yoruba goddess Oshun. In the same vein, she brought her own imagination to expand the dimensions of her character and to make her an even more interesting person.
Her dedication to presenting the role as humanly and authentically as possible was applauded and appreciated by the show’s creators and her costars. Sterling K. Brown, who stars in and executive produces the series, called Evans “wickedly fierce,” pointing out that she was the “perfect person to bring [Tanna] to life” because of the fire that they both share, elevating the character from a mere damsel-in-distress to an empowered woman who fights for what she believes in and has agency over her own life, no matter how much others want to control her. This realisitic approach to Tanna grounds her in reality, even if she was forged in imagination.
Read More: Washington Black Ending Explained: Why did Titch Abandon Wash?
