Jordan Peele says “white dudes” need not apply for lead roles in his films.
The director of the hit horror movies “Get Out” and “Us” told a Hollywood audience this week that he’ll be keeping lead roles segregated to black people only for the foreseeable future.
“I get to cast black people in my movies,” he said Monday at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, The Hollywood Reporter noted. “I feel fortunate to be in this position where I can say to Universal, ’I want to make a $20 million horror movie with a black family.’ And they say yes. I don’t see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie.”
The director noted, for all intents and purposes, that movies with white leads are predictable.
“Not that I don’t like white dudes, but I’ve seen that movie. It really is one of the best, greatest pieces of 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.”
THR reported “loud applause and shouts of agreement” for his stance.
“Us” grossed over $70 million in North America over the weekend.
The film stars Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke as a couple who defend themselves from Doppelgängers.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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