Miles Caton On Making His Acting Debut With ‘Sinners’, Touring With H.E.R., And His Love For Blues Music

Everyone loves a breakout star.

Whether it’s in the realm of film or music, audiences worldwide often find themselves enamored with the ‘a star is born’ narrative –– seeing someone plucked from obscurity into a grand spotlight that introduces them to the world.

Such is the case for Miles Caton, whose searing, soul-baring performance as Sammie Moore in Sinners has sent critics and audiences alike into a frenzy. Directed by two-time Academy Award-nominee Ryan Coogler, the blockbuster marks Caton’s arrival on the world stage — and he’s more than ready for the moment.

Though to call Miles Caton an overnight success would be to miss the full story. Raised in Brooklyn in a household where music was not just background noise but a way of life, Caton showed signs of a rare gift from the moment he could speak. At just two years old, he stunned family and friends with his vocal abilities; and by the time he was a boy, he was performing for national audiences on Bobby Jones Gospel, holding his own alongside gospel music’s finest. 

Over the years, his voice carried him to stages large and small, quietly laying the foundation for his now-booming career, eventually allowing him to tour the world at 16 with Grammy-winner H.E.R. It was through he learned firsthand what it meant to command an audience night after night, developing the ability to tell a story not just with lyrics but with soul –– with that same dedication and reverence for the craft now shape his approach to acting. 

Yet if you’ve seen Sinners, you’ll see that Caton doesn’t just play Sammie Moore — he ultimately becomes him, channeling the same authenticity that has defined his music career into a performance that feels lived-in, electric, and entirely unforgettable.

In this exclusive interview with Billboard Philippines, Caton opens up about how he booked his first-ever acting gig with Sinners, how H.E.R. helped him to get the audition, and how his passion and experience as a musician over the years prepared him for the role. 

Billboard Philippines: Tell us all about your character in Sinners.

Miles Caton: Sammie is the 19-year-old cousin of Stack and Smoke. He is a blues musician, through and through. He uses his experiences and his day-to-day life to inspire his craft. When he links up with his cousins, he is trying to prove to them that this is the life he wants to live. He wants to go out there and show people what he has to offer. They build a juke joint, and he gets to show people his talent. 

Did you identify with the character of Sammie –– with what he’s going through?

I think Sammie’s definitely growing throughout the whole story. He’s got big dreams, big aspirations. He has this vision of what the world looks like, and I think he’s just trying to navigate that. But little does he know that there are a lot of things that he doesn’t know… 

I think Ryan [Coogler] basically just wanted him to grow throughout the story. For the most part, I feel like the character was already mapped out. But he really allowed me to bring myself to the character and really become Sammie. In a lot of ways, I identify with him. I feel his overall ambition—he’s got a lot of will, he’s got a lot of heart and a lot of drive to do what he wants to do. 

And I feel like his father’s steering him in one way, his cousins are expecting him to fit into their plan, but he’s trying to navigate things for himself. And I feel like that’s something that I went through growing up, just trying to find my own path and be who I want to be.

How did you get the role?

I have grown up as a musician, it’s in my family, and I have been singing my whole life. The last couple of years, I have gotten the opportunity to tour with H.E.R., since I was 18-years-old. We did a global tour with Coldplay. H.E.R. actually told me about the audition, and I sent a tape in for the part, and then I got a call back. It was my first acting audition ever. 

So, how did you get your start in music?

The first song I learned was taught to me by my aunt. “Born By The River” by Sam Cooke. I was probably three or four years-old when I learned it. When I was older, I started posting on Instagram and I was making different videos for YouTube. I had a song that went viral, it was Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” It was used in Jay Z’s short film 4:44. And then from there, I kept singing and performing at different places. When I was 16, the opportunity to sing with H.E.R. came to me. That relationship has taught me so much.  

What was it like auditioning for Ryan Coogler? 

I did a self-tape and sent that in. I got a call back after that and I sent in a video of me playing the guitar. Then I flew out to LA and did an in-person chemistry read with Michael B. Jordan and got to meet with Ryan Coogler. In the beginning of that process, I was [so] nervous, because these are guys I have looked up to for a long time. Getting to talk to them was so great. 

Well, obviously you did well! Once you got the part and started filming, how was working with Michael B. Jordan?

Working with him was really dope. He taught me a lot about the craft. This is something that is new for me. Walking in and learning from someone at his level is really special. He taught me the importance of diving into the character and making your own interpretation of the script — breaking it down and getting to the bottom of why the character is who they are. 

Were there any inspirations for your blues singing style, and even in the way that Sammie speaks?

Musically, the people I drew from were Buddy Guy, Son House, Muddy Waters. I studied their take on the style and the craft and made it my own. With regard to the accent, I have to shout out my dialect coach. I worked with her through the entire process. 

The process for that was digging into Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy and listening to their audiotapes and their interviews, and we broke down how they said certain words. The blues has a very melodic style and sound. You can hear it in the way people speak. They have melodic speaking. We used those audios to pick up the dialect and study it.

What would you say to younger audiences who may not be familiar with blues music?

Take a dive into it! It’s the root of where a lot of other musical genres came from. If you go back, you can find where some of your favorite artists have gotten their influences from. This movie brings everyone together, and I think that everyone will take something from this movie. Everyone can relate to it. It’s about highlighting Black culture and the things we have dealt with. Seeing how blues music started and where it has led us.

Listen to Miles Caton’s vocals on the soundtrack of Sinners below: