Daniel Kaluuya Reflects on His Career and Inspirations at BFI London Film Festival

Daniel Kaluuya shared insights about his early career during a Screen Talk event at the BFI London Film Festival, speaking with his friend and fellow actor Ashley Walters. Kaluuya recalled a pivotal moment from the mid-2000s when he saw Walters on a magazine cover while shopping. This inspired him to believe in the possibility of a successful acting career, as he saw someone who looked like him achieving success.

Despite Kaluuya’s current status as a leading British actor and the recent unveiling of a statue in his honor, he emphasized the impact of Walters’ work and expressed concern that Walters had been "sidelined" by the industry. Kaluuya noted that many talented Black actors often face challenges in being recognized for their craft and can be defined by their mistakes rather than their accomplishments.

Kaluuya also spoke about how observing Benicio Del Toro on the set of "Sicario" transformed his approach to acting. Del Toro's technique of physically expressing emotions instead of relying solely on dialogue inspired Kaluuya to experiment with this style, earning praise from director Denis Villeneuve when he incorporated it into his performance.

Chadwick Boseman also played a significant role in Kaluuya’s development. While working on "Black Panther," Boseman recognized that Kaluuya’s life was about to change with the release of "Get Out." Before Kaluuya had a publicist, Boseman offered guidance on navigating his emerging Hollywood career.

Kaluuya premiered his directorial debut, “The Kitchen,” at last year's London Film Festival. He co-directed the sci-fi drama with Kibwe Tavares and co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Murtagh. The film received generally positive reviews and was released on Netflix in January.

After gaining fame in Jordan Peele's "Get Out," Kaluuya starred in several major films, including Marvel’s "Black Panther" and "Judas and the Black Messiah," for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He also voiced Spider-Punk in 2023's "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and is set to reprise the role in the upcoming "Beyond the Spider-Verse."

Additionally, Kaluuya has been developing a feature film with Mattel Films based on "Barney & Friends." Since 2019, the project has been in the works, with plans to approach it from a Millennial perspective, focusing on the trials of growing up with the character. The film is expected to appeal to adult audiences rather than children, exploring themes of disillusionment within the generation.