Is God Is gives former HBCU baller Xavier Mills more spotlight

Is God Is gives Xavier Mills another major moment as the former HBCU athlete continues building his acting career.

Mills, a former Winston-Salem State basketball player, appears in the new Amazon/MGM thriller alongside Emmy-winning actor Sterling K. Brown. In Is God Is, Mills plays Brown's son, adding another high-profile credit to a growing résumé.

Xavier Mills builds momentum

The Greenville, NC native has been stacking roles across sports, drama and thriller projects. Many viewers first saw Xavier Mills as football player Nishan Leonard on Hulu's Chad Powers. He is also set to return for season two of that series.

Mills' athletic background remains part of his screen identity. The former HBCU basketball player told The Black Wall Street Times that athletics helps him understand "the discipline and sacrifice" needed for sports roles. He said he trains with that mindset so he can capture how athletes move and compete.

Is God Is brings major opportunity

Is God Is may be his biggest film opportunity yet. The movie, adapted from Aleshea Harris' award-winning play, follows a revenge-driven story centered on family trauma. The cast includes Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox and Erika Alexander.

For Xavier Mills, working with Brown became a learning experience. He compared the process to basketball, saying he approached the role as being on the same team with veteran performers. He said Brown showed him the value of being relaxed, prepared and aware of the camera.

HBCU roots, Hollywood future

Mills' path from HBCU basketball to Hollywood shows range. He has already appeared opposite Wanda Sykes in Undercard. He is also expected to appear in Netflix's Fight for 84 this fall.

Now, Is God Is places Xavier Mills in a project with respected names and serious emotional weight. It also gives another HBCU product a chance to show that life after sports can still include bright lights.

For Mills, the mission remains bigger than one role. He told The Black Wall Street Times he wants audiences to know that his foundation is faith. His work in Is God Is is another step in that journey.

The post Is God Is gives former HBCU baller Xavier Mills more spotlight appeared first on HBCU Gameday.

HBCU Gameday

This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 1:19 PM.