‘Operation Aunties' Tisha Campbell, Melissa De Sousa, Amiyah Scott & Wendy Raquel Robinson Detail The VigalAUNTIE Justice Of New Film [Exclusive]

Black America Web

09-07-2025

There's a difference between watching chemistry on-screen and feeling it behind the scenes, and with Operation: Aunties , it's clear this cast didn't just play ride-or-dies, they lived it. Directed by Emmy-winning actress Wendy Raquel Robinson and starring Melissa De Sousa (The Best Man), Tisha Campbell (Martin, Act Your Age), and Amiyah Scott (Star), the upcoming ALLBLK original follows three women who take on a digital-age trafficking ring with brains, bravery, and Black girl grit. Source: Operation Aunties / ALLBLK
The film follows a professor-turned-cyber-vigilante who teams up with her detective bestie and tech-savvy niece to take down a trafficking ring hiding on the dark web. It's action, intellect, and auntie instinct rolled into one high-stakes mission. Before the film premieres on July 11, I had the chance to chat with the stars, and their bond was loud and clear from the start.
Operation: Aunties follows Dr. Carol Cleavers (Melissa De Sousa), a professor and blockchain expert whose family is shaken by an attempted trafficking incident. When law enforcement drags its feet, Carol takes matters into her own hands—teaming up with her ride-or-die best friend, retired detective Sharon O'Hara (Tisha Campbell), and her tech-genius niece Aminah (Amiyah Scott). Together, they become cyber-age vigilantes, navigating the dark web, coded networks, and high-stakes danger in pursuit of justice.
Some sets are all business—but this one ran on sisterhood, support, and laughter.
'We had so much fun,' Melissa De Sousa told BOSSIP's Lauryn Bass. 'We had too much fun. Wendy is our fun leader… I've worked with Wendy 20 years ago, and so we came back together. It was like a reunion.' Source: Operation Aunties / ALLBLK
She continued to explain the amazing bond and camaraderie shared on set, which you can see is true in the post-movie credits.
'Tisha, I had never worked with, but I've met Tisha—we've been in this business together for the years. So I was just so excited to finally work with her. And then we met Amiyah. I saw her on Star. I loved her on Star, and she's just so beautiful and sweet… Playing her aunt was so easy, because I just immediately felt like family with her. We just connected on a beautiful level, and that's very rare in this business.'
While the camaraderie was natural, the script's tech language required some real homework. Source: Operation Aunties / ALLBLK
'I definitely had to read up,' Melissa admitted. 'I looked at definitions, because I don't know anything about cryptocurrency or the dark web… even after reading the definitions, it was so hard to stick in my brain. I'm just so far removed from, like, current world… even memorizing the lines was kind of hard for me. It really was because it was so technical.'
Wendy Raquel Robinson, who directed the film and helped shape the script, shared how far the team had to go to make the material click:
'That script was so out there. I said, 'Listen, nobody's going to identify with this. I don't care who it is—Steve Jobs would come up out the grave and say help me.' But we had to really make it—not only in layman's terms. We still kept it elevated, but we wanted to connect with the audience as much as possible.'
Tisha added that her role in the movie felt close to home.
'My whole family is blue collar… police officers, captains, lieutenants. Some are military. So I'm around it all the time—but this was still different.'
Movies are popping up quickly these days! This shoot was quick—ten days flat—but the demands were heavy, especially when it came to nailing the dialogue. Source: Operation Aunties / ALLBLK
'Like, I wanted to cry some days because of the technical stuff I had to say,' Melissa shared. 'Because I was scared… we have to get it done. And I was so stressed because I could not remember it. I've never said these words… so foreign to me.'
However, according to Amiyah Scott, the environment helped balance the intensity:
'I think that the comfortability on the set made things a lot easier. I felt like we were all focused on the same goal. I feel like we had a great vibe. So though it was short and though it was intense at times, I think that we really coasted through it, because we were all tunnel-visioned on the same goal, everybody.'
Wendy added that, at times, the laughter took over.
'When you got these two funny ladies clowning, I was like, 'Y'all, please come on. We gotta bring it back.' There were moments… even myself, they would wrangle me in. Thank God I had a great AD who just kept us online.'
When it came time to reflect on the story's larger impact, each woman made it clear: this isn't just another action comedy. It's representation done right. Source: Operation Aunties / ALLBLK
'It's just so nice to see African American women not be labeled,' Tisha said. 'To be their authentic selves—intellectual, smart, funny, comedic, dramatic… you have it all in one. And there's action as well. I just want people to see us.'
Wendy added how timely this movie is.
'There is so much going on in this world… to be aware, to be present, to watch your back, to be vigilant, to be a vigilante. This story is grounded in truth.'
Melissa emphasized how true this story is and how it's needed.
'Stories like this have happened and continue to happen. Bringing the tech world with people of color—I think is important, because we're not seen in that space. I'm happy about that and proud of that.'
After watching a special screener of Operation: Aunties, I can say firsthand that the film is current, creative, and full of contrast. The integration of real-time chats and onscreen messages made it feel refreshingly new. One minute I was laughing, the next, I had to hit pause and sit in shock… because what? The pacing kept me on the edge of my seat.
The production looked clean, the women looked so good, and their performances delivered—because they're all seasoned actresses who know how to hold attention. Seeing them together on screen was not only entertaining, it was powerful.
But what hit hardest? The portrayal of Black women in STEM. These characters weren't watered down. They were successful, intellectual, and well-spoken without ever sounding Eurocentric. They owned tech, their careers, and their voices. That kind of representation isn't just refreshing—it's necessary.
Beyond the performance and plot, Operation: Aunties reminds us that we can't afford to ignore where technology is taking us. It's time to have real conversations—not just about the dangers of the dark web, but about cryptocurrency, AI, digital privacy, and how they intersect with our daily lives. This is the new era. It does exist–and people need to be aware.
Operation: Aunties premieres Friday, July 11, exclusively on ALLBLK. This one's for the group chats, the aunties, the techies—and anyone tired of seeing Black women boxed in.
The post 'Operation Aunties' Tisha Campbell, Melissa De Sousa, Amiyah Scott & Wendy Raquel Robinson Detail The VigalAUNTIE Justice Of New Film [Exclusive] appeared first on Bossip.
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'Operation Aunties' Tisha Campbell, Melissa De Sousa, Amiyah Scott & Wendy Raquel Robinson Detail The VigalAUNTIE Justice Of New Film [Exclusive] was originally published on bossip.com