Sarah's Oil (2025)

The film explores the life of Sarah Rector, the woman once dubbed the richest Black girl in America.

The story

Sarah's Oil is a biographical drama centered on the life of Sarah Rector. Inspired by the 2014 book 'Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America' by Tonya Bolden, the film depicts the historical narrative of a woman whose life and legacy are tied to the oil industry and the complexities of her era.

First release year

2025

Runtime (minutes)

104

Production countries

United States

Original languages

English

Directors

Cyrus Nowrasteh

Writers

Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh · writer; Cyrus Nowrasteh · writer

Cast and characters

Zachary Levi · Bert Smith; Naya Desir-Johnson · Sarah Rector; Tamala Jones · the older Sarah; Sonequa Martin-Green · Rose Rector, Sarah's mother; Garret Dillahunt · Devnan; Mel Rodriguez · Mace; Kenric Green · Joe Rector, Sarah's father; Bridget Regan · Kate Barnard; Ryan O'Quinn · Eddie Caron; Adyan Copes · Junior Rector, Sarah's younger brother; Stelio Savante · Earl; Marco Fuller · Jimsye

Genres

biographical drama; historical drama

Themes

history; biography

Tone and mood

dramatic

Premise and plot tags

biographical; historical; based on a book

Source material / true-story basis

Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America by Tonya Bolden

Reception

The film received generally positive reviews from critics and earned an A+ grade from audiences on CinemaScore.

Reported review scores

CinemaScore · score: A+ · scale: A+ to F

Production trivia

The film was moved ahead from its original December 25, 2025 date.; The film was shot primarily in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.

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