Mahershala Ali and John Cho Talk Faith and Fury in "Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother"

Mahershala Ali and John Cho spoke about their film Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother at Deadline's Contenders Film Los Angeles event, alongside director Bassam Tariq and Rafiq Bhatia, a member of the band Son Lux. Deadline reported the panel on 14 November 2026.

Ali plays Latif, a staunch Muslim father of three, the youngest of them an infant. Latif is also a contract killer. After the death of his wife, he struggles to square his faith with the work he does for a living.

Cho plays Hwan Yoon, a viral preacher who leads a religious extremist group. Deadline describes Latif as devout but more forgiving, and Yoon as devout but intolerant. The two men share a faith, and the film sets them against each other over how that faith should be lived.

Tariq said the story grew out of a frightening night in his own family. His wife was sent to the emergency room unconscious with an infection two days after giving birth to their son.

Ali offered a view on the film's central idea during the panel. He said that what can be dangerous about religion is the way people interpret it, and how they can end up believing in their own righteousness.

Contenders events bring cast and filmmakers in front of audiences during awards season, when studios and distributors are deciding which films to push. The panel gave the audience a first, direct look at how the people who made the film talk about it.