Jordan Peele explains meaning of Gordy chimp sequence in Nope
Universal PicturesJordan Peele has opened up about the meaning behind the “Gordy’s Home” chimp sequence in Nope.
In Get Out, a black man becomes the prey of white liberals while visiting his girlfriend’s family. In Us, a holidaying family meets their croaking, tunnel-wandering doppelgangers as the Tethered join Hands Across America.
In Nope, the latest horror from Peele, a Californian ranch becomes a hotspot for rather strange activity, from killer aircraft debris to an immobile cloud hanging above the hills.
The latter film occasionally careens into the separate aftermath of Gordy’s Home, a sketch show involving a chimp that went haywire. Some viewers were left a bit confused by these scenes, but Peele has now offered an explanation.
Spoilers for Nope to follow…
Jordan Peele says Gordy chimp scenes in Nope are about “rage”
Nope opens on an unnerving sight: a single shoe stands upright as child actor Ricky “Jupe” Park (Jacob Kim) hides under a table. We later learn that Gordy, the eponymous chimp of Gordy’s Home, was startled by the pop of a balloon during the filming of an anniversary special, and attacked, maimed, and killed his human costars.
Gordy spots Jupe and quickly seems at ease, even holding out his hand for a fist pump. As Jupe extends his arm, Gordy is shot dead by police.
In a new interview with Empire, Peele explained the meaning behind Gordy in Nope, saying: “It’s about exploitation. It’s about feelings of rage. At the industry.
“We fear Gordy, but we don’t hate Gordy. I think there’s an interesting thing happening for the audience there.”
Terry Notary, the motion-capture actor behind Gordy, also said: “Jordan talked to me a little bit about his career in the beginning. He said, ‘People take advantage of animals and people, and Gordy’s sequence is important, because it kind of represents my early career as a performer.’
“I didn’t want to play evil. It was just, ‘This is what I do! And I’m sorry about that. I know I’m probably upsetting people, but I can’t help it. You are forcing me to do something that I don’t do normally, and I’ve reached my breaking point.'”
Nope is in cinemas now.
