Nope's Steven Yeun Spills A Few Beans About His Mysterious Character
Following the runaway success of "Get Out" and "Us," viewers are on the edge of their seats to find out what Jordan Peele has in store for audiences when "Nope" premieres on July 22. Trailers for the film showcase the director's signature brand of horror while still remaining fairly ambiguous, leaving us to speculate about the exact nature of the plot. Peele's films are known for subverting expectations, exploring complex themes, and leveling unexpected twists, a formula that looks to be employed in his latest endeavor via the classic combination of cowboys and aliens. However, fans of the director's work know that looks can be deceiving.
What we do know is the official "Nope" trailer (via YouTube) is that it stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as OJ and Emerald Haywood, siblings who work at a family-owned ranch where horses are trained to work on film sets. The sudden death of their father is the first of several mysterious happenings in the area, seemingly triggered by the arrival of a UFO. There's something hiding in the clouds and while the "Nope" trailers do a great job of evoking a mounting sense of panic, who or what is waiting in the sky is still anyone's guess.
The film will also feature former "The Walking Dead" star Steven Yeun, who recently appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" to talk about the movie. Although we still don't know much about the movie's central conflict, Yeun did drop a few hints about what viewers can expect from his character in the forthcoming horror thriller.
Yeun plays a theme park owner in Nope
When asked by "Jimmy Kimmel Live" guest host Anthony Anderson to divulge information about the highly anticipated movie, Steven Yeun tentatively revealed a few details about his character. "I can say I play a character named Ricky 'Jupe' Park, who is a former child star, and he owns his own theme park that is closely associated to the movie he was a part of that blew him up as a child. That's really all I can say," the actor said to Anderson, remaining tight-lipped about the overall plot of the film (via YouTube).
These comments line up with what's shown in the trailers, which show Jupe as the proprietor of a roadside attraction called Jupiter's Claim, which was given a creepy website to offer hints about the plot. Even though it looks like the establishment has seen better days, the gathered tourists look excited to see what Yeun's character has to offer until they're distracted by an unseen presence looming overhead. One "Nope" clip shows Jupe staring up at the sky gobsmacked as an incoming wind knocks off his cowboy hat, while another shows him unveiling a horse, animals that appear as a recurring motif in the trailers.
However Jupe plays into the narrative, an unidentified flying object is sure to intrigue a man in his line of work. No matter the nature of his role, Steven Yeun's past work in the sci-fi and horror genres proves he's a great addition to the cast.