It seems “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya will be trapped in the “sunken place” forever, and his fans are still outraged.
The British-born actor who starred in director Jordan Peele’s directorial debut in 2017 was honored for his role as Chris Washington with a statue in the iconic Leicester Square in London earlier this month.
The horror-comedy flick saw Kaluuya portray the novice photographer who is baited into a twisted soul-snatching experiment where wealthy white people can literally live vicariously as Black people.
The film marked Kaluuya’s breakout role and set him on the path to star in several more big-budget films such as “Black Panther” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.” The latter won him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2021 for his portrayal of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton.
Kaluuya broke the news of his “Get Out” statue to fans on Sept. 30. He wrote, in part, “The most special thing about all of this is that it’s been chosen by the people.”
In his Instagram post, he included a still shot of the scene where Chris falls into the dark, bottomless pit known as the “sunken place” after being placed under hypnosis by his white girlfriend Rose Armitage’s mother. It is a moment in the film when the audience begins to fully realize the grave danger that he is in.
On Oct. 9, the statue was revealed as part of Scenes in the Square. The interactive trail was launched in 2020, paying homage to the “best-loved characters and iconic film scenes” in cinema and entertainment.
Some of the other statues include Bugs Bunny, Paddington Bear, Batman, Wonder Woman, Mr. Bean, Harry Potter, Mary Poppins, and now, of course, Kaluuya as Chris.
However, the honor has been tainted by fans who are still disappointed by the commemoration weeks later. “THIS is how white people play in your face,” critically commented one person.
Kaluuya was present for the big reveal, and in footage from the ceremony, he is shown examining the statue, walking around it, and looking closely at the details. At times, he nods his head and squints, both actions that some onlookers consider signs of his disapproval.
“He hates it soo bad lol,” said one person. Another comment stated, “Tbh even he looks embarrassed that’s happening.”
🎬 #TBT – "Get Out" (2017) 🎬Jordan Peele's modern horror classic shook up the genre with sharp social commentary and unforgettable suspense. From the unsettling "Sunken Place" to the intense twists, it’s a must-watch this spooky season! 👀🍿 #GetOut #JordanPeele #DanielKaluuya pic.twitter.com/Q5zoRw650M
— Movie Peeps App (@moviepeepsapp) October 24, 2024
While addressing the media at the event, Kaluuya said, “It’s a big moment in the film — it’s amazing that they managed to capture it. It’s amazing how dynamic the statue is; I really love that as well.”
The actor was reportedly involved in the design of the statue that was crafted by Sally Regis, director at creative company 3D Eye.
“We had a meeting with him initially to discuss how he felt when he was making the film, what it meant to him. We learnt a little about his background and and how important his London roots are to him,” she told ITV News. “And so creating something that is going to be celebrated in London in the home of film, I know it’s important to him and and made it a real pleasure for us to work on.
“I think people will be absolutely blown away by this one. It has such movement to it,” she added.
Still, critics believe Daniel’s character could have been immortalized differently.
One such comment read, “They made a statue of a black man falling into the sunken place. I don’t think that’s the best look.” As another simply quipped, “They like to see a black man fall.. but ok.”
An equally dynamic scene is the moment Chris awakens, finding himself strapped to a leather chair as he is forced to watch the history of white people extracting the essence of Black people from their bodies, giving the wealthy clientele a second lease on life. Another is when tears stream from Chris’ eyes after witnessing his fall into the sunken place through hypnosis.
Kaluuya and Peele reunited for the suspense-filled horror-sci-fi flick “Nope” in 2022.
