Mila Davis-Kent on Bringing Her ‘Black Deaf Girl Magic’ to ‘Creed III’ (2024)

It’s been a big week for Mila Davis-Kent, the 10-year-old actor who stars opposite Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson and Jonathan Majors in “Creed III.”

Last Monday, she was getting glammed up for the film’s Los Angeles premiere, decked out in a hot pink, custom Elie Saab dress and throwing faux punches for photographers outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Inside the theater, Davis-Kent joined Jordan to introduce the film.

“I just want to say I’m so lucky to be a part of this cast, this wonderful family. I got to work with wonderful people that I met,” Davis-Kent signed to the crowd, alongside her interpreter. “I hope that you enjoy the film, and I really hope that it will inspire you to learn American Sign Language.”

Today, “Creed III” is the number one movie in the world, raking in $58 million domestically and crossing $100 million worldwide.

“It’s been a humbling experience,” Davis-Kent captioned a post on Instagram (the first line of her bio reads: “Black Deaf Girl Magic”). “I am so honored to be part of the historical film representing inclusiveness and diversity that made the world feel like it’s normal to be Black and Brown, Deaf and use American Sign Language.”

In the film, Davis-Kent plays Amara Creed, daughter of Jordan and Thompson’s Adonis and Bianca Creed, born at the end of “Creed II.” For the third film in the franchise, the filmmakers conducted a nationwide search for the right actor to play the critical role. In April 2022, Variety exclusively announced that the newcomer – who, like her character, is deaf – had been cast in the role, marking an important instance of representation.

At every stop along the press tour, Davis-Kent has charmed audiences, TV hosts and and journalists. Her interview with Variety at the film’s press junket was no exception.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” she signed, wrapping up a quick snack between interviews as I sat down with the youngster’s translator to my left.

What followed was an adorable conversation about the experience of acting in her first film (Davis-Kent also appeared in a 2022 episode of “The Resident), how she hopes “Creed III” creates more considerations for Deaf moviegoers and Amara’s possible future in the continuing “Creed” universe.

What does it mean to have this moment of representation for so many young people like you?

Inclusivity is so important. Because of this movie, we now have an opportunity to show the Deaf community, and I feel so proud to be a part of that. I want to really recognize Michael B. Jordan for allowing us to have this opportunity and to showcase our Deaf community because it’s something I love so so much.

This is very much a father-daughter story with Adonis and Amara. What is the most important lesson Michael taught you either on camera or behind the scenes?

Working with Mike, he really helped explain what the movie was about. It’s not just, you know, a simple movie about boxing, but he really explained the story line that made me understand more about my character.

If I wasn’t sure exactly what to do in a moment, Michael would come over and help and assist me. It can be really challenging at some times, but Mike really helped me a lot. And that made me feel more familiar, and not as confused or lost on set.

On Instagram, you shared a video tearing up when you saw the “Creed III” billboard in Times Square. What does it mean to have this as your first movie role?

Oh, wow. Yeah, that moment, when I looked and me and Mike and Tessa on that billboard, I was like, “Wow, that’s actually my face, on a big poster, and everyone can see it!” I was so excited, but at the same time, I was completely shocked. I was just so stunned.

I knew that this movie would help the Deaf community be seen, so seeing that billboard made me feel so much satisfaction of being part of this film and proud at the same time. I was just so happy that the entire night I was just up so excited.

You also posted about going to see “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and being excited to find a screening that was captioned. How do you hope that this film helps Hollywood focus on being more accessible?

I want more movies to have captioning. So many times, we want to go to the movies, and there’s no captions; we end up purchasing a ticket, and then we have to buy or get a device that has a little screen that we have to hold in our chair or near a cup holder, look at the screen and then look back at the movie. It can be really time consuming and kind of hard.

But “Creed III” comes with captioning; “Wakanda Forever” came with captioning, so I really feel that’s how it should be going forward. Because that’s how Deaf people can enjoy the movies just like others. It would make it just so much more enjoyable, and they would feel included.

We don’t want to feel pushed to the side or forgotten about. If you give us access, we can enjoy the films just like everyone else, and that would be very, very exciting and satisfactory for all of us.

Michael has said this is just the beginning of the “Creed”-verse. What would you want to see from Amara in the future? We already saw a hint of Muhammad and Laila Ali — she could be the next big boxing champion.

Well, if there was a “Creed IV,” I would love to see Amara, older, grown up and maybe becoming a boxer like her dad, copying Mike’s footsteps. She looks up to her dad so much; she’s daddy’s little girl in this movie. I would love to see Amara develop as a character, and I would love to see her be more like her father, but at the same time, maybe she could do some things that included her mother’s personality as well, because she has both qualities of her parents.

Maybe Amara could end up challenging Damian’s daughter in the next film. That would be fascinating, right? I hope that happens. Fingers crossed.