“The Breakfast Club” co-host Charlamagne Tha God and actor LaKeith Stanfield haven’t been on the best of terms in the past, but during his interview on the radio show, Daniel Kaluuya wasn’t having any messiness when it came to his friend and “Judas and the Black Messiah” co-star.
On February 12, Kaluuya stopped by the show to talk about the new film, in which he portrays slain revolutionary and Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, and he was caught off guard by a backhanded question the controversial host asked about Daniel’s former “Get Out” co-star, who plays the FBI informant responsible for Hampton’s slaying, William “Bill” O’Neal.
Beginning at 21:40, Charlamagne asks Kaluuya whether he found himself “looking at LaKeith differently after the way he played this role because he did it too well,” an insinuation Kaluuya did not take lightly. “You and LaKeith still got beef Charlamagne, is that what’s it?” replied the actor.
The “Brilliant Idiots” podcast co-host stated that he “never had an issue with him” but cuttingly noted, “I do feel like he was born to play this role though.”
“Wow. We’re not having that,” retorted the “Black Panther” actor, before providing deeper understanding of Stanfield’s “sacrifice” in making the movie. “Charlamagne, what it is, yeah, with LaKeith in this film he makes the biggest sacrifice. In this film he’s serving Chairman Fred. Because in order to show you what Chairman Fred is, you have to show him what he isn’t. You know? You can’t see the light without the dark, you understand? And he served that.”
“He put himself in a lie. That’s not his politics at all,” he continued. “That’s not how he feels at all and it was really tough on him on certain days. I mean he was really going through it and for him to not be aligned politically to O’Neal and still give it his all and still humanize in order to show who Chairman Fred was, to show who the Black Panther Party was, that’s incredible, and I salute LaKeith for that.”
Stanfield caught wind of the interview and had some words for Charlamagne in a since-deleted comment. “Hoes. This is what hoes do,” he wrote. “Get sonned by reality. Get off me bro u a lame. Daniel ain’t an idiot. Leave me be dog and find somebody else @cthagod.”
In a second now-deleted post, Stanfield also compared Charlmagne to O’Neal writing, “Charla you the most O’Neal person I’ve ever met. Marinate on that.”
Fans commended Kaluuya for having his friend’s back.
“That’s how you stand tf up for ya brother 👏🏽👏🏽 sidenote.. Lakeith & Daniel are sexy at just wanted to add that in there 😂😂 😍”
“I’m glad Daniel called him out. Charlamagne stay trying to be a community leader but at the same time trying to start drama between too black actors. The question was unnecessary…don’t bring that BS to this movie.”
“That’s how you gracefully check someone 🔥”
“Daniel said aht aht. in the UK we mind our business. Char so messy”
“And that is how you defend and stand by your friend! #classact”
Watch the full “The Breakfast Club” interview with Daniel Kaluuya below.
