In Highest 2 Lowest, Spike Lee’s vibrant (and star-studded) reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 noir High and Low, Ilfenesh Hadera plays Pam King, a woman caught in a nightmare. First, she discovers that her ambitious music mogul husband, David King (a delightful Denzel Washington), is considering risky financial moves to reclaim control of Stackin’ Hits Records, his once-dominant but now fading label. Then, their teenage son, Trey, is kidnapped from basketball practice.

What unfolds is a twisty, thrilling, often hilarious, and subtly profound crime adventure, complete with sweeping shots of Dumbo, a jaw-dropping sequence featuring an elevated train and the Puerto Rican Day Parade, and—believe it or not—a spoken-word rap battle between Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky. (Saying more about the latter’s role would spoil the fun.) Through it all, Hadera—a Harlem native with striking feline features and a rich voice—anchors the film with poise, balancing Washington’s larger-than-life energy.

A longtime collaborator of Lee’s, Hadera has appeared in Oldboy (2013), Chi-Raq (2015), and Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It, along with series like Show Me a Hero, Billions, and Godfather of Harlem, whose fourth season aired earlier this year.

Here, Hadera talks to Vogue about Highest 2 Lowest’s dreamy Cannes premiere, learning from Washington on set, and what’s next.

Vogue: Highest 2 Lowest premiered at Cannes this year. How did you approach dressing for the red carpet? What do you want to feel in those moments?

Ilfenesh Hadera: Here’s the thing—I’m 39, I grew up in Manhattan, and I know my style. I know what works for me, and if I don’t feel good in something, I won’t wear it—not for a brand deal, not to push boundaries. If you don’t feel confident, it shows. At a premiere, you’re celebrating your hard work—you should own the moment.

Cannes was interesting. I’m not a big dreamer—I set goals and stay grounded—but Cannes is a temple of cinema. There’s so much history, and I wanted the look to be perfect. I ended up at the Albright Fashion Library, and they styled me the day before I left. I’d never worn polka dots before, but I felt amazing, and it fit the moment.

Vogue: You’ve built such a strong working relationship with Spike over the years. When you get a new script from him now, how does it happen? How did this project come to you?

Hadera: Honestly, the only difference now is that I get a heads-up before my reps do. The hint is usually, “When do you go back to Godfather of Harlem? Are you free these dates?” Then I know something’s brewing.

But it’s the same process—I’ve never gotten an offer from Spike without auditioning. You have to earn the part, and I respect that. I actually prefer auditioning because it ensures we’re on the same page about the character. Kim Coleman, who’s cast Spike’s projects for years, has auditioned me for him before, so it’s familiar territory.Here’s a more natural and fluent rewrite of your text while preserving the original meaning:

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I’ve known him for 15 years, and he cast me in this project. Spike was very upfront about it—he told me, “This is Denzel’s decision. He’s an executive producer on the film, he brought me the script, and you’re his leading lady. So just do your thing. Put in the work.”

Oh my God, yeah. Our auditions were at 40 Acres (Spike’s production company), which has always felt like home to me, so I walked in feeling completely comfortable. And I was really happy with the work I did—that’s all you can hope for after an audition.

Were you already familiar with the Kurosawa film?

Early in our relationship, I asked Spike, “Give me a list of your must-see films.” Growing up, my parents watched movies—they had movie dates—but cinema wasn’t a huge thing in our house. Spike gave me a list, and it had a lot of Kurosawa: Ran, Rashomon, Seven Samurai. But I’d never seen High and Low. When Deadline announced Spike was doing this reinterpretation, I rushed to watch it, thinking, Let me see if there’s a role for me—selfishly, of course. So I’d seen it before my audition.

Your main scene partner is Denzel. What was that dynamic like, since you’d never worked together but both had strong ties to Spike?

It’s funny—Spike has mentioned that he and Denzel have worked together a lot, but their last film was Inside Man. You wonder, will they just fall back into sync, or will they need to reconnect? But they picked up right where they left off. Spike is such a great collaborator. His director’s chair doesn’t say “director”—it says “coach.” And that’s how it feels, like you’re part of a team.

Denzel and I had time in rehearsals and on set to talk and play around. There were moments when he’d ask me about my process, and if someone my age had asked, I might’ve said, “Let me do my thing.” But when it’s Denzel, you’re like, Damn, I’m still learning. Last year, in an interview for Gladiator, he said actors have three seasons: to learn, to earn, and to return. It’s clear Denzel’s in his return phase—he’s a teacher and a leader on set.

A big part of the film takes place in David and Pam’s apartment—it’s like a chamber piece, with lots of dialogue and people. How was that, given your ensemble experience?

Amazing. There are no bad apples on a Spike Lee set. Some of the cast I already knew—Dean Winters, from New York circles and nightlife. Jeffrey Wright had just come off American Fiction, which my grandmother and I watched three times. I’ve been a fan of his forever. And LaChanze, who plays one of the detectives—between setups, it felt like theater, hanging out with actor friends backstage.

What do you look for in a role these days? What grabs you?

I recently read a script for a Taylor Sheridan project. I didn’t get it—my friend Juliana Canfield did, and I’m thrilled for her. But the role was a wife who’s also this badass, passionate, grenade-throwing, amazing Child Protective Services…

(Note: The original text cuts off here, so I stopped at the same point.)

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This version keeps the conversational tone while smoothing out phrasing and making it more natural. Let me know if you’d like any further refinements!I love playing complex characters with depth, inner conflict, and their own compelling stories—roles that really challenge me as an actor.

Physical transformations for a role would be amazing too. Changing your body for a part is a tough but rewarding challenge. And I enjoy any project that requires learning new skills, whether it’s mastering a katana or picking up knitting—it’s all part of the fun.

Outside of work, I find joy in movement and taking care of my body. Exercise and staying active are really important to me. In a world where so much is out of our control, our bodies are one thing we can influence—through what we eat and how we move. I spend a lot of time with my fitness community, but I’m also a homebody at heart. I love relaxing with my dog and cooking—I’m a big fan of New York Times recipes. Life feels rich, whether I’m working or not.

This conversation has been edited and condensed.

Highest 2 Lowest is now in limited theaters and will be available to stream on Apple TV+ starting September 5.