WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.980 Welcome back to The Deep Dive. Our mission here, 00:00:03.220 --> 00:00:05.740 well, it's pretty simple. We take all this complex 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:08.140 source material, you know, the articles, interviews, 00:00:08.259 --> 00:00:10.619 the analysis, and we boil it down, make it easy 00:00:10.619 --> 00:00:13.740 for you to grab the key strategic stuff. And 00:00:13.740 --> 00:00:17.219 today, we're diving deep into the career of someone 00:00:17.219 --> 00:00:20.260 truly extraordinary, a performer who, back in 00:00:20.260 --> 00:00:24.500 2021, was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential 00:00:24.500 --> 00:00:27.539 People. Yeah, and someone who pulled off this, 00:00:27.539 --> 00:00:30.339 like, astonishing award sweep that you rarely 00:00:30.339 --> 00:00:32.759 see in cinema these days. Exactly. We are tracing 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:35.159 the path of Daniel Kaluuya. He's an actor, a 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:38.380 writer, director, producer. Quite the multi -hyphenate. 00:00:38.579 --> 00:00:41.119 And his rise, it's not just about talent, is 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:43.640 it? I mean, it's a master class in smart choices, 00:00:44.140 --> 00:00:46.479 leveraging every single acclaimed role from UK 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:49.539 theater right through TV to become this, well, 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.079 unstoppable force in Hollywood. That's really 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.979 the heart of what we're digging into today. Yeah, 00:00:53.979 --> 00:00:55.579 we'll cover the timeline, the milestones, but 00:00:55.579 --> 00:00:57.539 what we're really focused on are the choices. 00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.219 Right. You know, the decision to step behind 00:00:59.219 --> 00:01:01.479 the camera, choosing that specific director over 00:01:01.479 --> 00:01:04.239 maybe something else, tackling these really historically 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:06.760 heavy roles. It's all about understanding how 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:10.420 this incredibly talented guy from a council estate 00:01:10.420 --> 00:01:13.439 in Camden Town ended up being the only performer 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:16.840 in twenty twenty one to win all five major film 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:19.819 awards for one role. Yeah. That level of consensus 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:22.519 across the board, it's just it's really rare. 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:26.739 So just to frame it. Kalyuya, born 1989, already 00:01:26.739 --> 00:01:29.579 has the big awards, an Oscar, two BAFTAs, a Golden 00:01:29.579 --> 00:01:32.379 Globe, two SAG awards. But to really get that 00:01:32.379 --> 00:01:34.260 star power... You have to go back, right? Back 00:01:34.260 --> 00:01:37.400 to North London. Understand that foundation because 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:39.280 that's where you see the versatility and maybe 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:41.500 that early drive for creative control that defines 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:43.859 him now. OK, let's start with those roots then. 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:46.879 Born in Camden Town, 1989, London, through and 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:48.480 through, the sources really point out he was 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:51.500 raised on a council estate by his Ugandan mother, 00:01:51.500 --> 00:01:54.040 along with an older sister. And for listeners 00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:56.079 maybe outside the UK, a council estate, that's 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:58.439 basically social housing. It signifies a certain 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:00.760 kind of upbringing, often working class. Yeah, 00:02:00.760 --> 00:02:03.060 and that background, it gives a very specific 00:02:03.060 --> 00:02:05.299 kind of energy, doesn't it? Especially to his 00:02:05.299 --> 00:02:08.240 early work. And what's really interesting or 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:12.199 maybe poignant is that family dynamic. His father 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:15.840 lived in Malawi and they had like zero contact 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:20.500 until Daniel was 14. Wow, 14. Yeah. So that absence, 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:22.620 maybe combined with growing up fast in London, 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:26.060 you can argue it feeds into that groundedness, 00:02:26.139 --> 00:02:28.340 that intense emotion you see later in his roles. 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:31.199 Makes sense. And education -wise, he's a proper 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:34.560 London kid. Toriano Primary, St. Louis' college, 00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:37.319 then A levels in history, drama and biology, 00:02:37.500 --> 00:02:40.139 a Camden school for girls. They have a coed sixth 00:02:40.139 --> 00:02:42.740 form there. Right. But what's really fascinating 00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:45.060 is how early the ambition kicks in. He wasn't 00:02:45.060 --> 00:02:47.840 just like falling into acting. No, not at all. 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:50.900 That drive for narrative control, it seems like 00:02:50.900 --> 00:02:52.520 it was there almost from the beginning. He wrote 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:54.460 his first play when he was just nine. Nine years 00:02:54.460 --> 00:02:57.000 old. Yeah. Not just performing, but imagining 00:02:57.000 --> 00:02:59.319 whole stories, whole structures. Yeah. And he 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:02.159 trained properly as a kid. Yeah. Gannacher Theater 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:05.379 School, WAC Arts. These are well -known UK training 00:03:05.379 --> 00:03:08.400 grounds. Community theater roots. Exactly. And 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.620 that foundation that led him straight into improv 00:03:10.620 --> 00:03:13.120 theater. And that improv background seems key, 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:15.719 doesn't it, for his early success? Improv needs 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:18.939 that quick thinking, listening, building characters 00:03:18.939 --> 00:03:23.000 on the fly. Perfect skills for British TV. His 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:26.180 first actual credited role was Reese in a BBC 00:03:26.180 --> 00:03:28.599 drama called Shoot the Messenger. That was 2006. 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:30.740 Right, but the real launchpad, the thing that 00:03:30.740 --> 00:03:33.719 got him noticed by a whole generation of young 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:36.900 Brits, and it was an incubator for so much talent, 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:40.039 that was Skins. Skins, yeah, those years are 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:42.860 crucial. He played Posh Kenneth, seasons one 00:03:42.860 --> 00:03:46.280 and two, so 2007 to 2009. But here's the really 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:48.479 interesting bit. The thing that maybe sets him 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:51.240 apart even then from his Skins co -stars, talented 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:53.550 as they were, he wasn't just acting in it. No, 00:03:53.550 --> 00:03:55.849 he was creating it. The sources are super clear 00:03:55.849 --> 00:03:58.189 on this. Kaluuya was a contributing writer on 00:03:58.189 --> 00:04:00.050 those first two seasons, and he was actually 00:04:00.050 --> 00:04:02.310 head writer for the episodes about Joel and Thomas. 00:04:02.509 --> 00:04:04.289 OK, hold on. Let's just unpack that for a second. 00:04:04.349 --> 00:04:06.729 He's a young actor, new to a big show, and he's 00:04:06.729 --> 00:04:08.449 not just asking to be involved in writing. He 00:04:08.449 --> 00:04:11.310 gets trusted as head writer on specific episodes. 00:04:11.389 --> 00:04:13.289 Yeah. What does that say about him back then? 00:04:13.310 --> 00:04:16.050 His ambition, maybe his negotiation skills? I 00:04:16.050 --> 00:04:18.730 think it says he understood, like right from 00:04:18.730 --> 00:04:21.629 the start, where the power really lies in this 00:04:21.629 --> 00:04:23.920 industry. It's with the people who shape the 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:26.079 story. Right, the writers, the creators. Exactly. 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:29.319 Acting gives you fame, sure, but writing, that 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:31.920 gives you ownership, control. And for a show 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:34.519 like Skins, which was all about authentic young 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:37.839 voices, Kaluuya was perfectly placed. He could 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.579 translate his own experiences, his understanding, 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:42.879 directly into the scripts. It wasn't just a job, 00:04:42.939 --> 00:04:45.459 it was like an apprenticeship in being a showrunner, 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:47.959 really. That's a great way to put it. And that 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:50.759 experience, that... real world training clearly 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:53.100 paid off later when he started producing and 00:04:53.100 --> 00:04:56.519 directing. So after Skins, the UK industry obviously 00:04:56.519 --> 00:04:58.639 saw this multi -talented guy. He was working 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:03.360 constantly on TV. He moved easily between serious 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:06.100 stuff like Silent Witness or Lewis and then lighter 00:05:06.100 --> 00:05:09.149 things. He was in that Doctor Who special, Planet 00:05:09.149 --> 00:05:11.050 of the Dead. Right. And then there's the comedy 00:05:11.050 --> 00:05:13.750 character everyone remembers. Ah, yes. Parking 00:05:13.750 --> 00:05:17.209 Padawayo on Harry and Paul. That character proved 00:05:17.209 --> 00:05:19.509 he could do sharp, memorable comedy sketches. 00:05:20.050 --> 00:05:22.970 So you look at that early range improv, writing 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:25.589 teen drama, sci -fi sketch comedy. Incredible 00:05:25.589 --> 00:05:28.310 versatility. Totally. And the industry noticed. 00:05:28.569 --> 00:05:32.250 In 2009, Screen International Magazine named 00:05:32.250 --> 00:05:35.949 him a UK Star of Tomorrow. So UK Star of Tomorrow. 00:05:36.149 --> 00:05:38.269 And pretty quickly, he started proving that title 00:05:38.269 --> 00:05:40.550 right, didn't he? On the ultimate testing ground 00:05:40.550 --> 00:05:43.769 for any British actor, the stage. Oh yeah. 2010 00:05:43.769 --> 00:05:46.089 was a massive year for his theater reputation. 00:05:46.329 --> 00:05:48.269 This was about establishing him as a serious 00:05:48.269 --> 00:05:51.649 actor, right? Beyond just TV. Exactly. He landed 00:05:51.649 --> 00:05:54.610 the lead role, Leon, in this play, Sucker Punch, 00:05:54.790 --> 00:05:57.329 by Roy Williams. at the Royal Court Theatre, 00:05:57.509 --> 00:06:00.370 which is huge in London. Real prestige venue 00:06:00.370 --> 00:06:02.529 for new writing. Absolutely. And his performance, 00:06:02.750 --> 00:06:04.529 it wasn't just good. People were raving. It was 00:06:04.529 --> 00:06:06.149 kind of career defining for him at that point. 00:06:06.310 --> 00:06:08.410 And the awards followed immediately. He got the 00:06:08.410 --> 00:06:10.329 Evening Standard Award and the Critics Circle 00:06:10.329 --> 00:06:13.329 Theatre Award, both for outstanding newcomer 00:06:13.329 --> 00:06:15.949 in the same year, 2010. Yeah, winning both of 00:06:15.949 --> 00:06:18.290 those for one stage role. That's basically the 00:06:18.290 --> 00:06:20.149 industry saying, OK, this guy is the real deal. 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:23.040 ready for serious dramatic work. What's interesting, 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.540 though, is he keeps that high level theater career 00:06:25.540 --> 00:06:28.439 going. Like he did Trelawney of the Wells in 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:31.540 2013, a season in the Congo that same year. But 00:06:31.540 --> 00:06:33.879 at the same time, he's starting to pop up in 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:36.560 these bigger studio films. Right. It's a strategic 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:39.079 balance, isn't it? Using that stage cred for 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:41.839 artistic depth while getting his face known in 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:44.939 movies, building exposure. And those early film 00:06:44.939 --> 00:06:47.399 roles, they start off smaller, but still noticeable. 00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:49.540 Like Agent Tucker and Johnny English reborn. 00:06:49.610 --> 00:06:52.589 2011 yeah and black death and kick -ass too in 00:06:52.589 --> 00:06:55.589 2013 their opportunities right learning how big 00:06:55.589 --> 00:06:57.610 film sets work without having to carry the whole 00:06:57.610 --> 00:07:01.269 movie exactly but while he's doing that he's 00:07:01.269 --> 00:07:05.290 still taking these really impactful UK TV roles 00:07:05.290 --> 00:07:08.670 and one of those roles well that's the pivot 00:07:08.670 --> 00:07:10.689 that changes everything we have to be talking 00:07:10.689 --> 00:07:13.730 about black mirror The episode 15 Million Merits, 00:07:13.949 --> 00:07:17.069 Charlie Brooker's show. Yep. Released 2011, Kaluuya 00:07:17.069 --> 00:07:19.970 plays Bingham, Bing Manson. Such a memorable 00:07:19.970 --> 00:07:22.009 episode. It was brilliant when it first aired 00:07:22.009 --> 00:07:25.050 on Channel 4 here, but its influence just exploded 00:07:25.050 --> 00:07:27.129 when Netflix picked up the series internationally, 00:07:27.290 --> 00:07:30.949 especially in the US. That Netflix moment. Honestly, 00:07:31.209 --> 00:07:33.189 that might be the single most important turning 00:07:33.189 --> 00:07:36.060 point in his career before Get Out. Why specifically? 00:07:36.339 --> 00:07:38.660 Well, the performance itself is just captivating. 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:42.000 He plays this guy trapped in this awful consumer 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:45.839 -driven tech nightmare world. Right. And Kalu's 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.879 performance is all about quiet desperation, loads 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:52.079 of physical acting, these subtle emotional bursts, 00:07:52.860 --> 00:07:55.459 all within this really stark stylized setting. 00:07:55.660 --> 00:07:57.540 And it was that specific kind of performance 00:07:57.540 --> 00:07:59.699 that restrained intensity that caught someone's 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:02.759 eye. One very specific person, Jordan Peele. 00:08:02.970 --> 00:08:05.089 Ah, okay. Yeah, the source of the confirm it's 00:08:05.089 --> 00:08:07.209 a direct link. Peele was prepping his first film 00:08:07.209 --> 00:08:10.410 as a director. He saw Kaluuya as being in 15 00:08:10.410 --> 00:08:13.290 million merits. And he just felt Kaluuya had 00:08:13.290 --> 00:08:16.069 that rare thing you need for horror. That ability 00:08:16.069 --> 00:08:18.649 to show deep anxiety, vulnerability, without 00:08:18.649 --> 00:08:21.250 needing tons of dialogue. Wow. So that one TV 00:08:21.250 --> 00:08:23.250 performance basically unlocked Hollywood for 00:08:23.250 --> 00:08:25.740 him. Pretty much gave him the key, yeah. Though 00:08:25.740 --> 00:08:28.519 before that door fully opened, he did solidify 00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:30.300 his international presence a bit more, didn't 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:33.179 he? With that role in Denis Villeneuve's Sicario. 00:08:33.299 --> 00:08:36.759 Ah, Sicario, yeah. 2015. He played FBI agent 00:08:36.759 --> 00:08:40.559 Reggie Wayne. Great film. Tense. Totally. And 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:42.559 Sicario wasn't just another supporting part. 00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:45.779 It was his intro to that whole American arthouse 00:08:45.779 --> 00:08:48.450 thriller scene. working with Emily Blunt, Benicio 00:08:48.450 --> 00:08:52.029 Del Toro, Villeneuve directing. Definitely. And 00:08:52.029 --> 00:08:54.029 he was great in it. Played the straight man, 00:08:54.149 --> 00:08:56.149 the kind of moral compass, or at least the skeptical 00:08:56.149 --> 00:08:59.570 voice in this really murky, ambiguous world. 00:08:59.830 --> 00:09:02.289 So that role really shifted his profile, didn't 00:09:02.289 --> 00:09:06.230 it? From just a successful UK actor to a serious 00:09:06.230 --> 00:09:08.549 international player, people were noticing? Absolutely. 00:09:08.570 --> 00:09:10.769 He was perfectly positioned. Primed, you could 00:09:10.769 --> 00:09:13.049 say, for that massive star -making moment that 00:09:13.049 --> 00:09:15.289 was just about to hit. And that moment arrived 00:09:15.289 --> 00:09:19.200 27 - Jordan Peele's Get Out, Kaluuya starring 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:21.539 as Chris Washington, and the film came out on 00:09:21.539 --> 00:09:25.179 his 28th birthday, February 24th, 2017. The timing, 00:09:25.419 --> 00:09:28.100 the movie itself, the reaction, it was just perfect. 00:09:28.379 --> 00:09:30.059 It really was a cultural phenomenon, wasn't it? 00:09:30.340 --> 00:09:32.960 Huge commercial hit, massive critical success. 00:09:33.539 --> 00:09:36.340 But for Kaluuya's career, the key thing was how 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:39.399 critics zoned in on his performance. Right, he 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:42.059 had to carry so much of it, the horror, the satire, 00:09:42.220 --> 00:09:44.980 the escalating dread. Exactly. Richard Lawson 00:09:44.980 --> 00:09:47.840 at Vanity Fair, he called it a masterful telling 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:51.360 piece of acting, which is high praise. But Stephen 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:53.100 Gaidos of Variety gave this really insightful 00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:55.620 analysis. He pointed out the technical challenge 00:09:55.620 --> 00:09:58.779 Kaluuya nailed. He said, the terror, tension, 00:09:59.100 --> 00:10:02.080 humor and fury. All rests on the shoulders of 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:05.600 this brilliant young British actor who communicates 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:08.480 universal anxieties without ever losing the essential 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:11.000 home address of his beleaguered African -American 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:13.259 hero. That's a really important point because 00:10:13.259 --> 00:10:16.460 he is British from Camden. And here he is playing 00:10:16.460 --> 00:10:19.279 an African -American man dealing with very specific 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.580 American racial anxiety. It's a massive challenge, 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:24.519 right? The accent, the deep emotional understanding 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:27.500 required embodying that universal fear, but grounding 00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:29.679 it culturally. The fact critics saw he pulled 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:32.500 that off. It shows how completely he immersed 00:10:32.500 --> 00:10:36.120 himself. Total commitment and the industry reaction. 00:10:36.659 --> 00:10:39.720 Immediate, huge. His first Oscar nomination. 00:10:39.929 --> 00:10:42.990 Best Actor. Yep. Plus Golden Globe, Critics' 00:10:43.169 --> 00:10:46.389 Choice, SAG Award nominations. All for Best Actor. 00:10:46.690 --> 00:10:49.129 Overnight, he was in that global A -list conversation. 00:10:49.669 --> 00:10:51.850 Just like that. Pretty much. Now, he didn't win 00:10:51.850 --> 00:10:54.070 the Oscar that year, but he did get a really 00:10:54.070 --> 00:10:57.490 significant win soon after early 2018. The BAFTA 00:10:57.490 --> 00:11:00.690 Rising Star Award. Ah, yes. And that one's voted 00:11:00.690 --> 00:11:03.250 for by the public, isn't it? Exactly. Which shows 00:11:03.250 --> 00:11:05.330 he wasn't just impressing critics and industry 00:11:05.330 --> 00:11:07.730 people. He was connecting deeply with actual 00:11:07.730 --> 00:11:10.730 moviegoers in the UK and internationally. So 00:11:10.730 --> 00:11:12.590 he's got this new global status. What does he 00:11:12.590 --> 00:11:14.909 do next? He makes some pretty calculated moves 00:11:14.909 --> 00:11:18.289 into big franchise territory. Right. 2018, he 00:11:18.289 --> 00:11:21.190 joins the MCU, plays W. Acabi in Ryan Coogler's 00:11:21.190 --> 00:11:23.250 Black Panther. Which was another massive cultural 00:11:23.250 --> 00:11:26.490 moment. Huge. And being in that cast, just guaranteed 00:11:26.490 --> 00:11:28.330 visibility everywhere. Showed he could hold his 00:11:28.330 --> 00:11:31.159 own in a giant ensemble. Then, the same year, 00:11:31.220 --> 00:11:33.580 he does Widows, Sam Stead McQueen directing. 00:11:33.940 --> 00:11:36.059 So, balancing the blockbuster with prestige, 00:11:36.419 --> 00:11:38.980 director -led drama again, smart. Very smart. 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:43.460 And then, 2019, we see that early sign of wanting 00:11:43.460 --> 00:11:46.299 creative control pop up again with Queen and 00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:48.259 Slim. Ah, yeah, the road trip movie with Jodie 00:11:48.259 --> 00:11:50.700 Turner -Smith. He starred in it. But crucially, 00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:52.840 he was also an executive producer. OK, so he's 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:55.419 using his star power now to get influence behind 00:11:55.419 --> 00:11:58.100 the scenes, shaping the project itself. Definitely. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:00.960 That EP credit, it's a deliberate step up, building 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:03.120 on what he learned way back on Skins, maybe. 00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:07.039 But the absolute peak, performance -wise, the 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:09.480 role that really cemented his place in history, 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:12.340 that was Fred Hampton. Judas and the Black Messiah, 00:12:12.659 --> 00:12:15.980 2021, playing the revolutionary socialist leader. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.740 Let's just talk about how difficult that role 00:12:18.740 --> 00:12:21.159 must have been. Hampton wasn't just a historical 00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:24.019 figure. He was this incredibly charismatic, powerful 00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:26.179 speaker, a vital figure in American history. 00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:29.179 How did Kaluuya, as a Brit, tackle that? The 00:12:29.179 --> 00:12:32.639 challenge was enormous. Hampton's legendary speaking 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:34.840 rhythm, that specific Chicago accent, the sheer 00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:37.700 political fire. Right. And critics really noted 00:12:37.700 --> 00:12:40.379 that Kaluuya didn't just mimic him. He somehow 00:12:40.379 --> 00:12:43.820 embodied Hampton's intellectual drive, his ideology. 00:12:44.259 --> 00:12:47.240 It was this kind of explosive yet contained energy. 00:12:47.379 --> 00:12:49.440 He just owned the screen whenever he appeared. 00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:52.700 And the awards reaction was just unprecedented, 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:54.659 wasn't it? That's sweet. Totally unprecedented 00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:57.179 for that year. He became the only performer in 00:12:57.179 --> 00:13:00.419 2021 to win all five of the major film awards 00:13:00.419 --> 00:13:02.379 for that single role. Let's list them, because 00:13:02.379 --> 00:13:04.840 it really underlines the scale of it. OK. Number 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:08.259 one. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 00:13:08.259 --> 00:13:10.980 and a 32 that made him the seventh youngest winner 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:13.639 ever in that category shows incredibly fast development. 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:17.200 Wow. OK. Two. The BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor. 00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:20.320 Three. The Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:23.600 Four. The Screen Actors Guild Award, voted by 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:25.659 his fellow actors, which is huge. That's the 00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:28.179 big four right there. Industry and critical acclaim 00:13:28.179 --> 00:13:30.779 locked down, but there was a fifth. Yep, the 00:13:30.779 --> 00:13:32.679 Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:34.740 Actor. And getting that one too just confirms 00:13:34.740 --> 00:13:37.259 it, right? The journalists, the critics, they 00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:39.820 were all unified. Along with the Actors' Union, 00:13:39.980 --> 00:13:42.139 the Hollywood Foreign Press, the U .K. and U 00:13:42.139 --> 00:13:45.500 .S. Academies. Every major voting block in film 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:49.059 worldwide basically agreed. His performance was 00:13:49.059 --> 00:13:51.370 the best. You just don't see that kind of clean 00:13:51.370 --> 00:13:53.750 sweep very often. Total dominance. Incredible. 00:13:54.210 --> 00:13:56.389 And then to kind of cap off that intense period, 00:13:56.909 --> 00:13:59.990 he hosted Saturday Night Live in early 2021. 00:14:00.129 --> 00:14:02.289 Yeah. Which showed he could just flip from the 00:14:02.289 --> 00:14:04.710 deep seriousness of Fred Hampton right back to 00:14:04.710 --> 00:14:07.789 live comedy. Full circle to those improv roots. 00:14:08.309 --> 00:14:11.059 Just show the range again. So after hitting that 00:14:11.059 --> 00:14:13.519 absolute peak as a performer, his next move seemed 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:15.860 even more intentional, really pivoting towards 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:18.460 authorship, creative control. Definitely. And 00:14:18.460 --> 00:14:21.539 his first big move after the Oscar win, reuniting 00:14:21.539 --> 00:14:23.940 with the director who really launched his film 00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:27.320 career. Jordan Peele. Right. For Nope, 2022, 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:29.980 sci -fi horror starring alongside Keke Palmer. 00:14:30.500 --> 00:14:32.500 Another hit for Peele, critically and commercially. 00:14:33.259 --> 00:14:34.559 But here's where it gets really interesting, 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:37.039 strategically. The sources mention a scheduling 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:40.370 conflict because of Nope. Uh, yes. That's the 00:14:40.370 --> 00:14:43.029 conflict. Well, filming Nope meant he couldn't 00:14:43.029 --> 00:14:46.169 reprise his role as W. Cabe in the huge Marvel 00:14:46.169 --> 00:14:49.549 sequel, Black Panther, Wakanda Forever. OK, that 00:14:49.549 --> 00:14:52.470 is a significant choice. It really is. It suggests 00:14:52.470 --> 00:14:55.730 he prioritized that creative bond with Peel, 00:14:56.049 --> 00:14:58.169 starring in an original, riskier concept film. 00:14:58.429 --> 00:15:01.370 Over returning to a guaranteed massive hit, a 00:15:01.370 --> 00:15:04.389 bankable franchise role. Exactly. Trading the 00:15:04.389 --> 00:15:06.629 financial security and franchise continuity for 00:15:06.629 --> 00:15:09.610 what? creative partnership, artistic challenge, 00:15:10.389 --> 00:15:12.970 novelty. It's very telling about his priorities. 00:15:13.389 --> 00:15:15.850 And that priority totally aligns with his simultaneous 00:15:15.850 --> 00:15:17.529 push into directing and writing, doesn't it? 00:15:17.690 --> 00:15:19.870 Absolutely. He's clearly not satisfied just being 00:15:19.870 --> 00:15:21.870 in the film anymore. He wants to be the one defining 00:15:21.870 --> 00:15:24.509 the vision. Which brings us squarely to The Kitchen. 00:15:24.710 --> 00:15:27.169 His directorial and co -writing debut. He co 00:15:27.169 --> 00:15:29.230 -directed with Giveway Tavares, co -wrote it, 00:15:29.470 --> 00:15:31.090 produced it, and starred in it. for Netflix. 00:15:31.409 --> 00:15:33.789 Wow. That's the full package, the culmination 00:15:33.789 --> 00:15:36.269 of everything, right? From writing on skins to 00:15:36.269 --> 00:15:39.230 the EP credit on Queen and Slim. This is it. 00:15:39.529 --> 00:15:42.610 And the choice of projects says a lot, too. A 00:15:42.610 --> 00:15:46.289 gritty dystopian drama set in London. It's not 00:15:46.289 --> 00:15:49.090 some light vanity project. It's a serious film 00:15:49.090 --> 00:15:50.929 statement. Yeah. And it clearly had backing. 00:15:51.190 --> 00:15:53.230 Michael Fassbender was an executive producer. 00:15:53.509 --> 00:15:55.549 And The Kitchen really marked that transformation. 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:59.000 It premiered as the closing night film at the 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:02.419 London Film Festival in late 2023. Think about 00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:05.379 that journey. 2010, he wins outstanding newcomer 00:16:05.379 --> 00:16:07.960 on the London stage. Just over a decade later, 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:10.139 he's closing the city's main film festival with 00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:12.820 his own movie that he co -wrote and co -directed. 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:15.379 It's a perfect summary, isn't it? Of that rise 00:16:15.379 --> 00:16:17.720 to creative leadership. Okay, but for maximum 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:20.830 strategic surprise value. We absolutely have 00:16:20.830 --> 00:16:22.730 to talk about the Barney movie. Oh, yes, the 00:16:22.730 --> 00:16:24.889 Barney project. This is where Kaluuya just throws 00:16:24.889 --> 00:16:26.889 a complete curveball, right? Totally unexpected, 00:16:27.230 --> 00:16:29.389 blends serious ambition with, well, apparent 00:16:29.389 --> 00:16:32.269 absurdity. So back in 2019, it gets announced 00:16:32.269 --> 00:16:36.110 his production company, 59%, is producing a feature 00:16:36.110 --> 00:16:39.190 film based on Barney and Friends for Mattel Films. 00:16:39.450 --> 00:16:42.870 Garney, the big purple dinosaur who sings. After 00:16:42.870 --> 00:16:44.909 winning an Oscar for playing Fred Hampton, what 00:16:44.909 --> 00:16:47.230 on earth is the strategy there? Well, Kaluuya 00:16:47.230 --> 00:16:50.309 himself gave a clue. He said the film would surprise 00:16:50.309 --> 00:16:53.250 audiences and subvert expectations. Ah, okay. 00:16:53.409 --> 00:16:57.070 So maybe a darker take. Satirical? Philosophical? 00:16:57.309 --> 00:17:00.049 That seems to be the idea. Using this massive 00:17:00.049 --> 00:17:03.529 known kid's IP as sort of a Trojan horse for 00:17:03.529 --> 00:17:06.769 something maybe more complex or unusual is a 00:17:06.769 --> 00:17:09.650 clever way to get challenging ideas funded. Using 00:17:09.650 --> 00:17:11.890 a familiar brand shows he wants to play with 00:17:11.890 --> 00:17:14.230 cultural memory in weird ways. And that project 00:17:14.230 --> 00:17:17.230 is actually moving forward. Yep. Reports in February 00:17:17.230 --> 00:17:20.630 2025 said Ayu Edibiri was in talks to star and 00:17:20.630 --> 00:17:24.000 write it. And it's an A24 film now. A24, OK, 00:17:24.099 --> 00:17:26.500 that signals high quality, likely independent, 00:17:26.700 --> 00:17:29.180 interesting filmmaking. Definitely not just a 00:17:29.180 --> 00:17:31.440 straightforward kids movie then. Seems unlikely, 00:17:31.579 --> 00:17:33.700 yeah. And his move into authorship isn't just 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:35.539 live action. He's doing it in animation, too. 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:37.819 Right. He voiced Spider -Punk, Hobie Brown, and 00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:40.799 Spider -Man across the Spider -Verse. 2023, such 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:42.880 a popular character. Totally stole the show for 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:44.819 a lot of people. And he's not just stopping and 00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:47.460 voicing him. What else? Sources reported, July 00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:49.880 2025, that he's also going to co -write the screenplay 00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:52.319 for an animated Spider -Punk spinoff movie. Okay, 00:17:52.900 --> 00:17:54.839 so, again, getting involved in the writing, shaping 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:56.740 the story, doesn't matter if it's live action 00:17:56.740 --> 00:17:59.359 drama or big animation, he wants authorship. 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:02.039 Exactly. Plus, he's got an untitled Chris Rock 00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:04.180 film in production too, apparently. Busy guy. 00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:07.559 Okay, let's just add a bit of color. Context 00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:09.740 around the man making these choices. Briefly 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:11.759 touch on personal life, public persona stuff. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:14.240 Sure. Well, first off, he's fiercely London, 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:18.319 lives in West London now, but his real passion... 00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:21.839 geographically speaking, seems to be North London 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:25.220 football. Ah, Arsenal. Huge Arsenal supporter, 00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:28.420 dedicated, passionate enough that he actually 00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:31.480 narrated that Amazon docu -series, All or Nothing, 00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:35.059 Arsenal, about their 2021 -22 season. And his 00:18:35.059 --> 00:18:39.000 comments about their rivals, Spurs, Cotton Hotspur. 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.099 Classic British football banter, he called them 00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:44.319 the Voldemort of the league. And the team who 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:47.680 must not be named. Perfect. It really is. Beyond 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:49.519 football, though, seems like he holds onto his 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:51.000 connections. He's mentioned being Christian, 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:54.019 acknowledged his faith in his Oscar speech, and 00:18:54.019 --> 00:18:56.619 connecting back to those skins days, he's still 00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:59.279 close to former castmates. He's godfather to 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:02.319 Kaya Scodelario's son. That's nice. And showing 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:04.779 his cultural impact back home, they actually 00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:07.640 erected a statue of him in London in October 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:12.240 2024, honoring his work in Get Out. Wow, a statue. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.259 That really shows how much that film and his 00:19:15.259 --> 00:19:17.779 role in it resonated became more than just a 00:19:17.779 --> 00:19:20.240 movie like a cultural marker. Definitely. OK, 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:22.220 finally, we do need to touch on this reported 00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:24.180 professional shakeup that happened right after 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:27.059 his biggest success. It's a key part of the narrative 00:19:27.059 --> 00:19:29.220 when you're looking at a major star's trajectory. 00:19:29.339 --> 00:19:31.619 Yeah, it suggests this huge sudden shift in how 00:19:31.619 --> 00:19:34.019 we wanted to manage his career. Absolutely. And 00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:36.460 we need to report this impartially just based 00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:39.579 on the source material. So early 2022, right 00:19:39.579 --> 00:19:42.279 after the Oscar win, reports came out that Kaliyah 00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:45.319 had, quote, abruptly fired his whole team. Agents 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:48.819 at CAA, stylists, publicists, assistants, like 00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:51.269 everyone. The timing is really striking, isn't 00:19:51.269 --> 00:19:53.130 it? Right at the peak of recognition. And the 00:19:53.130 --> 00:19:55.089 reports claim these decisions were influenced 00:19:55.089 --> 00:19:57.730 by someone known as Air Holiness. Right. Who 00:19:57.730 --> 00:20:00.329 apparently described herself as his personal 00:20:00.329 --> 00:20:03.769 manager and life strategist. Also used titles 00:20:03.769 --> 00:20:06.970 like headmistress of something called the International 00:20:06.970 --> 00:20:09.950 Alma Mater, Blessed University. Sources mentioned 00:20:09.950 --> 00:20:11.950 she was on the set of NOPE, and apparently her 00:20:11.950 --> 00:20:14.150 behavior raised some concerns among people there 00:20:14.150 --> 00:20:16.269 about her influence on Kaluuya's professional 00:20:16.269 --> 00:20:18.529 choices. It's important, though, to include the 00:20:18.529 --> 00:20:21.900 counter report. Her Holiness herself denied even 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:24.880 knowing Kaluuya in an article from March 2022. 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:28.000 So the exact nature of the influence is unclear. 00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:31.680 Right, but what is clear is the outcome. A complete 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:34.140 overhaul of his professional team, doing that 00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:37.740 right after winning an Oscar. It's a very visible, 00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:40.019 high -stakes decision. It definitely speaks to 00:20:40.019 --> 00:20:42.799 a powerful desire for independence, maybe a need 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:45.740 for a totally new direction that his old team 00:20:45.740 --> 00:20:48.279 wasn't aligned with, perhaps. Any look at the 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:50.460 career moves that followed, prioritizing Peele, 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:52.819 co -writing and directing The Kitchen, producing 00:20:52.819 --> 00:20:55.460 Barney, they all seem to reinforce that focus 00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:58.079 on creative autonomy, on being the decision -maker, 00:20:58.220 --> 00:21:00.579 not just the talent for hire. Hashtag tag tag 00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:03.420 outro. So wrapping this all up, we've tracked 00:21:03.420 --> 00:21:06.779 Daniel Kaluuya's journey. from, you know, improv 00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:10.460 stages and writing rooms in the UK, winning outstanding 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:13.039 newcomer in London theater. Right. All the way 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:16.720 to global superstardom and that absolutely historic 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:19.440 five award sweep for Judas and the Black Messiah. 00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:21.859 Yeah, his career really feels like a strategic 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:24.720 roadmap. That foundation in writing and improv 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:28.329 clearly shaped his long term goal. control. And 00:21:28.329 --> 00:21:30.750 the huge catalyst was that one role in Black 00:21:30.750 --> 00:21:33.289 Mirror cashing Jordan Peele's eye, a connection 00:21:33.289 --> 00:21:35.869 he's obviously valued and built upon ever since. 00:21:36.269 --> 00:21:38.769 He spent years mastering acting, embodying other 00:21:38.769 --> 00:21:41.309 people's stories. But these latest projects, 00:21:41.430 --> 00:21:43.930 the kitchen, the spider -puck writing gig, they 00:21:43.930 --> 00:21:46.650 show this deep, unwavering commitment to being 00:21:46.650 --> 00:21:48.470 the architect. He's building the houses now, 00:21:48.509 --> 00:21:50.750 yeah, not just living in them. Exactly. And that 00:21:50.750 --> 00:21:52.490 really brings us to our final thought, something 00:21:52.490 --> 00:21:55.480 for you, the listener, to chew on. When you consider 00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:58.420 this full shift Kaluuya's made, from being the 00:21:58.420 --> 00:22:00.960 face in front of the camera in huge films like 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:04.380 Get Out or Sicario, to now actively writing, 00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:06.640 directing, producing his own visions, shaping 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:10.440 these big franchises, what does that aggressive 00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:13.259 move towards architecting stories tell us? What 00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:15.940 does it signal about the future, about creative 00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:19.039 independence, about power structures for big 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.380 stars in Hollywood today? Is this maybe the new 00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:24.839 blueprint after you hit the very top, you achieve 00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:27.380 the massive success, earn your seat at the table? 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:29.940 And then you use that power, not just for like 00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:32.599 bigger paychecks, but for real narrative control 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:34.400 to make sure the projects you believe in are 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:36.319 the ones that actually get made. Something to 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:38.359 definitely think about as we watch what Daniel 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:40.680 Kaluuya builds next. That's been our deep dive. 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:41.519 We'll see you next time.