Ryan Coogler’s latest movie, Sinners, is generating some serious buzz. Between its box office success (a debut of $48 million in the United States and Canada) and rave reviews from viewers and critics alike (a whopping 98 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes), Sinners is sure to become one of the defining films of 2025 — and maybe even beyond.
But did you know that there’s a familiar face amongst the film’s stars? Edmontonians may have recognized Peter Dreimanis, AKA Peter Dreams, AKA the frontman of Canadian alternative band July Talk.
From music to acting
Peter Dreimanis was born and raised in Edmonton and formed July Talk with co-lead singer Leah Fay Goldstein in Toronto in 2010. Since then, the group has won three Juno Awards for alternative album of the year and toured with names like Billy Talent, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, and more. July Talk is best known for their explosive live performances and songs that contrast each singer’s unique voice; Goldstein’s is light and melodic, while Dreimanis’ is low and gritty.
It was Dreimanis’ haunting cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Bad Moon Rising that caught director Ryan Coogler’s attention. Dreimanis was visiting home in Edmonton when he got the call inviting him to audition, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Meet Bert
Aside from July Talk’s music videos, Sinners is Dreimanis’s acting debut — and what a debut it is! He plays Bert, one half of a KKK-couple whose lives are interrupted when a mysterious stranger arrives at their doorstep begging for help. The trio then set out to wreak havoc on a Black juke joint owned by the Smokestack twins (Michael B. Jordan), while singing a few Irish folk songs along the way.
With wide, deep-set eyes, pale skin, and a lanky build, Dreimanis already has a fantastic look for a horror movie, but it’s his quiet and careful approach to acting that makes his character seem truly sinister. He also exchanges his usual rock ‘n’ roll rasp for a haunting bass that he lends to on-screen songs that unite his clan of vampires.
“The trio is sharing not only a mind, but a musical spirit,” he said in a promotional interview. “And then, of course, once you drench us all in blood…”
It may have been Dreimanis’ first acting role, but it won’t be his last — he’s set to star alongside bandmate and partner Goldstein in the upcoming Canadian film Middle Life.
If you haven’t seen Sinners yet, what are you waiting for? See what all the hype is about at a theatre near you.
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