British actor Daniel Kaluuya has no problem flexing his muscles for fashion brands. However, he has a few standards. The Academy Award winner, who exploded onto the scene in films like “Get Out,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” and “Black Panther,” says that many brands have approached him for their ad campaigns, and he’s had to turn some of them down.
His rejection has had less to do with the quality of the clothes and more with how the brands plan to position him in the campaign. Kaluuya once refused to model alongside white actors who have not accomplished the same career accolades he has.
Kaluuya, only 34 years old, can boast in addition to his Oscar, two BAFTA Awards, and a Golden Globe. He also holds the distinction of being one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
In an interview with GQ, he talked about a brands that came up to him, explaining, “They wanted to put me against two white actors that hadn’t achieved as much as me. And I was all, ‘I wanna be on my own.’”
With his star power, he believes he could hold a campaign down by himself. He said anything else was “not gonna look good.” In a way, his presence did not feel like a fair trade-off next to lesser accomplished white actors.
“I’ve done things,” the Ugandan Brit said. “I just feel like I have a certain position. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I’m so cool.’ I’m just like, ‘I don’t like that.’ It’s got to be because of what it means because I want to be out there and make sure I’m representing right.”
For him, representation matters as much as a big check.
“I don’t take money just to take money,” he continued. “Not all money is good money. I want to make some great things that make people feel something and then go back to living my life.”
This is rooted in his upbringing. His mother required him to stand tall in all places and consider the larger picture.
“My mother didn’t raise me that way. Why would I shrink myself to make people comfortable?” he further stated.
Kaluuya has had to stand on his principles because, at one time, racism made him want to quit acting altogether. Now, with success under his belt, he feels confident about squaring up with any company that does not respect his wishes.
While Kaluuya did not share the names of the brands that approached him, he did talk about his new film, “The Kitchen,” a project he has been working on for over a decade.
In what will be his directorial debut, he portrays a dystopian, near-future cyberpunk version of London where the government has eradicated public housing.
“The Kitchen” stands as the final bastion of social housing, with its inhabitants determined to fight against their eviction. Set against the backdrop of an authoritarian government’s attempts to displace them, the film delves into the residents’ struggle for survival.
Released this month on Netflix, “The Kitchen” aims to shed light on the various ways people can be dehumanized, even by individuals who may not be entirely malevolent. The director seeks to present a raw and authentic portrayal of the London he knows, moving beyond the superficial, touristy image often depicted in mainstream media.
