Jordan Peele has now scored two box office smash hits with black characters at the forefront – and he has no plans to stray from his vision.
“The way I look at it, I get to cast black people in my movies. I feel fortunate to be in his position where I can say to Universal, ‘I want to make a $20 million horror movie with a black family.’ And they say yes,” Peele said Monday at a conversation series at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in East Hollywood, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.
Lupita Nyong’o, Evan Alex, Shahadi Wright Joseph.Claudette Barius/Universal Pictures
“I don’t see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie. Not that I don’t like white dudes. But I’ve seen that movie. It really is one of the best, greatest pieces in this story, is feeling like we are in this time – a renaissance has happened and proved the myths about representation in the industry are false.”
Us, thehighly-anticipated follow-upto Peele’s smash directorial debutGet Out, premiered this weekend, pulling inmore than $70 millionin North America.
David M. Benett/WireImage
The horror flick – which stars Lupita Nyong’o as the matriarch of a family fighting to protect itself against blood-thirsty doppelgängers – is just the latest for Peele, who opened up about his unconventional career path.
Jordan Peele.Universal Pictures
The star said he was forced to turn down a spot onSaturday Night Liveyears ago due to a contract with MADtv – and that the frustration lit a fire that eventually led to him making movies.
Peele recalled locking himself in a room and smoking marijuana in order to plot his revenge when it dawned on him that he wanted to be a producer.
“These producers are making these decisions about art and comedy and they don’t know anything about art and comedy,” he said, according toThe Hollywood Reporter. “I want to be a producer and bring my artistry and they’ll all be sorry.”
RELATED VIDEO: Jordan Peele Talks “Get Out” Win & How Whoopi Goldberg Inspired Him
His first foray behind the camera,Get Out, earned more than $250 million worldwide, according toBox Office Mojo, and earned him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Peele currently has several other projects in the pipeline, including a“spiritual sequel”to the 1992 horror filmCandyman, and a stop-motion animated comedy calledWendell and Wildthat’ll reunite him with Keegan-Michael Key.
source: people.com
