The Inspection’s Raúl Castillo, Eman Esfandi & Aaron Dominguez on Preparing to be Marines

Writer-director Elegance Bratton’s feature-length directorial debut, A24’s The Inspection, is a raw and personal odyssey of self-acceptance and belonging. Based on his real-life experiences, Bratton’s film follows Ellis French (played by Jeremy Pope), a young queer Black man, who joins the Marine Corps during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell“ era. Having been homeless after his homophobic mother (played by Gabrielle Union) kicked him out at 16, French is seeking a sense of belonging and purpose, but finds himself struggling with his identity when he falls for his drill instructor, played by Raúl Castillo. Actors Eman Esfandi and Aaron Dominguez play French’s fellow recruits Ismail and Castro in the film. During their interview with Collider’s Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub, the trio spoke on filming in Mississippi, the methods director Bratton employed to provide the necessary head space for the actors, and which films they watched to prepare for their roles. They each