Joi McMillon

Joi McMillon? Oh, she’s an absolute powerhouse in the world of film editing, honestly. If you’ve watched Moonlight—and seriously, who hasn’t at this point—you’ve already witnessed her magic. That movie just sort of seeps into your bones, you know? The way it’s cut, flipping between timelines and moods, is slick and haunting at the same time. That’s Joi. She’s got this knack for letting moments breathe, not rushing the audience, just giving you space to actually feel something. And then she turns around and does If Beale Street Could Talk, which, wow, is just pure poetry in motion. The rhythm, the softness, the way every shot lands with that dreamy kind of ache—she’s behind all that. But she doesn’t just stick to one style. Jump over to The Underground Railroad and it’s clear she can adapt to anything. That show is brutal, beautiful, and totally immersive, and Joi’s editing really stitches the whole thing together in this way that’s impossible to ignore. She’s not afraid to linger on pain or joy, and she knows when to pull back, too. There’s just this sense that she actually cares about the people in these stories, not just the technical stuff. It’s honestly wild how she’s helped redefine what editing can do for a film or series. Not just a name in the credits—she’s the heartbeat behind some of the best stories of the last decade.