BET+ continues its streak of powerful, boundary-pushing storytelling with Fighting to Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story, a riveting biopic that brings to life the extraordinary rise, fall, and rebirth of Dwen Curry. Part crime saga, part emotional odyssey, the film follows Curry’s transformation from a sought-after celebrity stylist to the leader of an underground operation—before facing the ultimate reckoning behind bars.

At the heart of this gripping tale is Dyllón Burnside, best known for his breakout role in Pose, delivering a tour-de-force performance as Curry. For Burnside, this was no ordinary role—it was a chance to step into the kind of deeply complex character that actors dream of.

“Every actor wants to play a gangster,” he says, referencing iconic figures like Scarface and Frank Lucas. “This is my version of that. This is my American Gangster. This is my Godfather, my Scarface.” But beyond the allure of the role itself, there was something deeper—a chance to have a conversation with the community at a pivotal moment in time.

“When I watched Trap Queens and saw Dwen’s episode, I realized this was a serious story. It was a chance not only to show people what I can do as an actor but to have an important conversation—especially now.”

 But Fighting to Be Me isn’t just a crime story—it’s a journey of self-discovery, love, and identity.

From the Spotlight to the Underworld

Set against the backdrop of early 2000s celebrity culture, the film explores Curry’s meteoric rise in the fashion world, styling the likes of LisaRaye McCoy, Mariah Carey, and DMX. The industry adored her. Her eye for style was unmatched, and her name carried weight in Hollywood circles. But behind the designer labels and red carpets, Curry was entangled in a world far more dangerous—one that eventually led to her incarceration.

“When I was in prison, I just started writing and reflecting,” Curry recalls. “I was like, you can’t make this shit up. I’ve been through too much, and it needs to be told.”

Her story wasn’t just compelling—it was urgent.

“I felt like God was guiding me in that direction. He said, ‘Now, okay, you did it that way—getting money. Now you’re getting ready to do it this way. I’m getting ready to show you the right way to do it. But you gotta be tolerant. You gotta be patient. And you have to be obedient.’”

Patience, obedience, humility—qualities she had to embrace as she stepped into a whole new world of storytelling. But she knew the story deserved to be told.

“It’s a great story, and it’s a great love story. And it’s not just about the man—it shows the family dynamics, between my mother, my uncle, my friends. It’s incredible.”

A Story of Identity and Power

Beyond its true crime elements, the film is a powerful exploration of gender, self-love, and resilience. Curry’s personal evolution—from identifying as a gay man to fully embracing her identity as a transgender woman—is woven throughout the narrative. It’s not just about survival; it’s about self-acceptance, about stepping fully into who you are.

One of the film’s most poignant themes is the idea of self-affirmation, something Curry learned early on. She remembers a daily ritual instilled by her mentor, Butch:

“We had that ‘love thyself’ mirror… we always said, ‘You are fierce. You are fabulous. You are beautiful.’”

For Burnside, this message extends beyond the film. “We all need to stand in the mirror and affirm our beauty, our power, our strength. Because things are hard. We’re in a really divisive and difficult time in the world, and we need to be reminded of who we are. And we can’t wait for someone else to do that for us.”

For Curry, those affirmations were survival.

“My self-esteem was really low. Growing up in Detroit wasn’t easy. You get scarred from all the verbal abuse—‘tar baby, black monkey, ugly.’ But Butch helped me. We had to remind ourselves who we were before we stepped outside.”

The love extended beyond herself—it shaped the people around her, especially the GG crew, the group of younger hustlers she took under her wing.

“When it comes to the GGs, we were really a family,” Curry says. “They were younger, and I guess I have this motherly instinct—I had to cultivate them. I didn’t want them out in the streets doing things unbeknownst to me. They were watching me, trying to figure out what I was doing, and I had to make sure they learned about loyalty. That was everything.”

Loyalty. Survival. The power of self-love.

Why You Can’t Miss This

What makes Fighting to Be Me so compelling is its raw honesty. Curry herself played a pivotal role in bringing her story to the screen, starting from handwritten pages she penned in prison. More than just a biopic, it’s a deeply human story—one that challenges, inspires, and reminds us of the power of reinvention.

“I want people to understand who they are,” Curry says. “You have to love thyself, regardless of what anybody else thinks about you. And most importantly, it’s not how you fall down—it’s how you get up. I’ve had emotional roller coasters in my life, but now I’m on the rise again. And I want people not to get discouraged. I want them to be inspired. I want them to say, ‘Dwen did it, I can do it too.’”

She pauses before adding with a knowing smile:

“I don’t want mine to be the only story. I want everybody to have a story.”