Bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi has called the highly anticipated movie adaptation of her book 'Children of Blood and Bone' 'the worst thing I have ever had to live through' in a new video statement on social media. She also said she 'never wants to hear' about the project again, sharing claims of being 'antagonised behind the scenes'.
Author's Emotional Video Statement
In a video posted to Instagram from her bathroom, Adeyemi began: 'What I'm about to share is not a secret to the people involved. It's a reality that I've had to live with for about a year and a half, and everyone involved, at least at the highest level, has been made aware of this reality, and they haven't done anything to make it better. If anything, they've only antagonised me, and I accept that.' She added: 'But I also accept if I don't say something, I think it's just going to be worse.'
Adeyemi alleged that she left the film set 'hyperventilating and sobbing' and claimed she is 'still being antagonised behind the scenes'. 'I'm not going to speak on what I endured to make it through the young adult trilogy, and I'm not going to speak about everything that I also suffered through or endured to make the adaptation a reality. I'm actually only going to speak about what happened after I left that set of my own film adaptation, hyperventilating and sobbing. There are many witnesses, so it's not really a secret,' she said.
Impact on Author's Health
Voice breaking, she continued: 'I came back to America and suffered such severe somatic pain and so many panic attacks. I knew it was so bad that I would never ever be able to watch this film, and I made peace with that. But as it is being marketed, and as I am still being antagonised behind the scenes – which is where I hoped all of this would stay – it's become apparent to me that that reality needs to at least be made known, so that you guys can understand how this film, which I worked on to make it a little better for us to be alive, is also the worst thing I have ever had to live through.'
Adeyemi insisted she didn't 'wish to speak on it anymore' but accepted that she wasn't sure that was possible as she understood 'that I have a public presence, and that this is a global project'. She added: 'It's probably useless posting a video. I really don't know. I don't do things like this, but I also understand that being silent about it is making the pain a lot worse. And even though it feels awful to share this, it's better to share it and have it known and understood before I see a bunch of you for this new book. So please understand, I never want to hear about this project again. I don't have anything to say about the people who made it. I do not care anymore. I'm trying to move on. This video might make it worse, but I don't know how it can be any worse. So I'm just going to share that and let it live.'
Previous TikTok and Blocking of Lead Actress
The video came after Adeyemi shared a now-deleted TikTok in early July with screenshots of messages she sent to unidentified recipients on Instagram, urging them to support her by purchasing 'any edition of the trilogy at local independent children's bookstores'. She had promised in a previous message: 'There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work. That is all.' Those messages were dated June 25, with the next screenshot suggesting a feud between Adeyemi and the film's star Amandla Stenberg, 27, has been brewing for over a year. In a text to Stenberg on February 28, 2025, Adeyemi wrote: 'Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me.' Underneath, an iPhone notification said, 'You blocked this contact.' It's unknown whether Stenberg attempted to reply before being blocked, but a fraction of her previous message is visible, reading in part: 'My only hope was to reconnect as human beings.'
Stenberg's Previous Comments on Colourism
Last year, around the time Adeyemi messaged Stenberg, the 'Love, Simon' star posted her own TikTok responding to colourism backlash, having been accused of 'stealing roles from dark-skinned women', since many readers noticed her character Princess Amari is described as having 'dark copper skin' in the book. Stenberg insisted Adeyemi supported her joining the film, saying: 'I had the opportunity to meet Tomi, the novelist, for the first time. Then, she goes, "Amandla, I want you to know that when you were a little girl and were cast as Rue in The Hunger Games, and you had these racist remarks thrown at you because people said that Rue's death wouldn't be as sad because you're a Black girl — that inspired me to write this series so that Black girls like you and Black girls of all shades could have a story written about them." We just started crying, and I said to myself, "God wants me here!"' Stenberg has since deleted that video.
Film Details and Cast
The adaptation boasts a star-studded cast including Viola Davis, Sir Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Damson Idris, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Thuso Mbedu as Zélie Adebola. Amandla Stenberg plays Princess Amari. The story is set in an African fantasy kingdom and follows a young woman on a quest to reclaim magical powers stolen from her, alongside her brother and the king's daughter and son. The movie is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, known for 'The Woman King'. The release is scheduled for January 15, 2027, following Paramount's acquisition of the story, thought to be one of the biggest young adult publishing deals ever.
Adeyemi had previously spoken to Metro in 2018, revealing Davis and Sir Idris as two of her top picks for the future film. She said: 'There's still some screen crushes that I would fall to my knees and cry [over], like if Viola Davis was Mama Agba. Every time I see an interview and John Boyega starts chanting I'm like – OK, he's Tzain. Idris Elba was the picture I had over my screen when I was writing the King Seran scene. So he's the one person that I thought, if he doesn't do this I'd feel kind of silly because it was kind of written for you, of you and about you. Not that I think he's an evil king but I pictured him when I had to write that scene!'
Metro has contacted reps for Paramount, Adeyemi and Prince-Bythewood for comment.
