British actor Daniel Kaluuya is set to have a statue erected in his honor in his hometown of London. The statue will depict the iconic 'Sunken Place' scene from Jordan Peele's critically acclaimed horror film Get Out, where Kaluuya's character Chris falls into a hypnosis-induced abyss. The unveiling is scheduled for this month, coinciding with both Halloween and the UK's Black History Month.
Get Out is a satirical commentary on racism in America, shedding light on the lived experiences of Black Americans. Kaluuya, the 35-year-old Oscar-winning star of Black Panther, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Nope, gained widespread recognition for his breakout role in Get Out in 2017. He was selected from a poll of 5,000 British film fans as the actor they most wanted to see as part of the 'Scenes in the Square' trail in Leicester Square, securing one-fifth of the votes.
Since 2020, the Heart of London Business Alliance and Westminster City Council have managed the 'Scenes in the Square' statue trail, which has quickly become one of London's most popular free tourist attractions. The trail features bronze statues of some of the world's most beloved film characters and iconic scenes. Kaluuya will join statues of Mary Poppins, Gene Kelly, Harry Potter, Charlie Chaplin, Paddington Bear, Wonder Woman, and most recently, the Game of Thrones iron throne, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Indiana Jones.
According to Variety, the artwork will symbolize modern cinematic success and British talent. 'We are thrilled to welcome Daniel Kaluuya and Jordan Peele’s Get Out to our Scenes in the Square lineup as a celebration of a modern cinematic success and homegrown British talent,' said Mark Williams, deputy chief executive for the Heart of London Business Alliance. 'It points to a bright future for our trail, with Kaluuya as a chosen symbol of the future of entertainment, and it is a pleasure to be able to spotlight such a pioneering film.'
Kaluuya is currently involved in the Barney movie, based on the purple dinosaur from the 90s children's show Barney & Friends. He is attached to produce the project, which he described as 'heartbreaking' in a 2020 interview with Entertainment Weekly. 'Barney taught us, ‘I love you, you love me. Won’t you say you love me too?’ That’s one of the first songs I remember, and what happens when that isn’t true? I thought that was really heartbreaking,' Kaluuya said. 'I have no idea why but it feels like that makes sense. It feels like there’s something unexpected that can be poignant but optimistic. Especially at this time now, I think that’s really, really needed.'
