Who Is Miles Caton? Meet the Actor, Singer From Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners'
The rising star is making his acting debut in the supernatural period film, where he performs alongside Michael B. Jordan.
Miles Caton's name is about to be everywhere. The rising actor and R&B singer is making his feature film debut in Ryan Coogler's Sinners, a supernatural period movie, as Sammie.
In the new film, Caton portrays the teenage cousin of Smoke and Stack, who's a sharecropper and son of the town's preacher. His dreams of becoming a blues musician are made a reality when he's recruited by Jordan's character to perform at their juke joint. However, it's Sammie's music that sets off a supernatural chain reaction. This alone makes Sammie a significant character in the story, and Coogler wasn't going to choose just anyone to play this role. He needed someone like Caton to deliver a powerful performance, both musically and cinematically. He's featured singing on-screen and in the Sinners soundtrack for "I Lied To You."
Off-screen and in real life, the R&B artist is the son of gospel singer Timiney Figueroa, and Caton had been singing since being a child. Music is in his DNA, and he has been performing since he was two years old. Caton's musical talent earned him praise from other gospel greats like Fred Hammond, Faith Evans, Erica Campbell, and Bishop TD Jakes. The rising star has also toured as the supporting act for Oscar and Grammy-nominated artist H.E.R. before he graduated from high school. The musician released his first single in 2023 called "This Ain't It," which he performed on The View.
In an interview with Variety, Coogler revealed what his first impression of Caton was and why he knew the 20-year-old fit Sammie's character perfectly. “You could just tell the kid was special—like, as a person," Coogler said. “He was a good enough singer that he didn’t have to finish high school, but he did anyway. There was something to that. I was like, ‘Oh, man, we’ve gotta bring this kid in.’”
Artists First announced in January 2025 that they've signed Caton to join the talent management and production company, so people can expect more music from the singer to come.
The Sinners movie premieres April 18 and stars Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Li Jun Ji, Omar Benson Miller, Wunmi Mosaku, and Jayme Lawson. The premise of the film follows twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, portrayed by Jordan, as they return to their hometown during the Jim Crow era to start a juke joint (or an informal bar). Set in Mississippi in 1932, the brothers must confront their troubled past as they attempt to create a safe space for the Black community in a time of racial discrimination and segregation. However, their efforts are thwarted by dark supernatural forces that have overpowered the town.
