Teyana Taylor is speaking candidly about how her personal experience with postpartum depression helped shape her performance in the new drama One Battle After Another. The actress and singer, 35, who shares two daughters, Rue, 5, and Iman “Junie” Tayla, 10, with ex-husband Iman Shumpert, says the role challenged her to explore the complex emotional landscape of motherhood, mental health, and self-identity.

Portraying Perfidia: A Revolutionary Woman

In One Battle After Another, Taylor plays Perfidia, a Black revolutionary and former leader of the radical French 75 group. The character navigates complex relationships with two men—Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Steven Lockjaw (Sean Penn)—while simultaneously experiencing postpartum depression after having a child.

Taylor explains that embodying Perfidia required her to “go down a rabbit hole” and understand that every woman experiences postpartum depression differently:

“How I may have handled my postpartum depression is not how the next woman has handled hers. Going into this topic, I realized I needed to step outside of myself and see the different ways it affects people.”

Through this process, Taylor explored the nuances of Perfidia’s struggles, from feeling unseen and unheard to grappling with her sense of self-worth.

Navigating Power, Selfishness, and Motherhood

According to Taylor, Perfidia’s response to postpartum depression was shaped by feelings of neglect and objectification:

“It resulted [in] her feeling like, ‘Okay, I need to be selfish and show up for myself, even at the expense of leaving my own child.’ But who are we to judge how she handles postpartum depression after being ignored?”

Taylor also notes that the role required her to explore themes beyond postpartum depression, including selfishness, power, and the consequences of one’s decisions.

“I definitely love that this movie was able to shake the table and create that healthy dialogue,” Taylor told PEOPLE.

By taking on this role, Taylor hopes to spark conversations about mental health, motherhood, and the challenges Black women face when navigating societal expectations and personal struggles.

A Career of Bold Choices

Teyana Taylor has consistently chosen roles and projects that push boundaries. From her music to her acting, she has embraced opportunities that challenge stereotypes and open dialogue. In addition to her role as Perfidia, Taylor recently earned her first Grammy and Golden Globe nominations, marking another milestone in her career.

With One Battle After Another, Taylor continues to use her platform to shed light on important social issues, showing that art can be both entertaining and transformative.