Daniel Kaluuya is set to receive high honors in his hometown in London by having a statue made to honor his breakout role in the 2017 film Get Out.
The decision follows Kaluuya’s selection from a poll of 5,000 British film fans, who voted the Academy Award-winning actor as the star they would most like to see included in the “Scenes in the Square” trail in Leicester Square, Variety reports. Kaluuya’s statue, which captures Get Out‘s iconic “Sunken Place” scene where his character descends into a hypnosis-induced metaphysical abyss, is set to be unveiled in October.
Organizers noted that the unveiling of Kaluuya’s Get Out statue will coincide with Halloween and the U.K.’s Black History Month, aligning with the film’s horror genre and reflecting themes celebrating Black American culture and lived experiences. The statue is expected to symbolize modern cinematic achievement and local talent alongside a diverse collection of statues along the trail that features iconic figures from the past century of film, including Harry Potter, Batman, Wonder Woman, Mary Poppins
, and Gene Kelly.“We are excited to welcome Daniel Kaluuya and Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ to our Scenes in the Square line-up as a celebration of a modern cinematic success and homegrown British talent,” said Mark Williams, deputy chief executive for Heart of London Business Alliance, which runs “Scenes in the Square” with support from Westminster City Council.
“It points to a bright future for our trail, with Kaluuya as a chosen symbol of the future of entertainment, and it is a pleasure to be able to spotlight such a pioneering film.”
Since the trail’s inception four years ago, temporary additions include the aforementioned, the iron throne from Game of Thrones, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Indiana Jones. Kaluuya’s statue appears to be the first time the Square has highlighted a Black actor and/or film character.
It represents Kaluuya’s continued rise in Hollywood since his breakout role in Get Out, which also catapulted the career of the film’s writer/director, Jordan Peele. Since Get Out, Kaluuya has appeared in Judas and the Black Messiah
(for which he earned a Supporting Actor Oscar), Black Panther, and Peele’s 2022 sci-fi thriller Nope. His performance in Get Out garnered four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Kaluuya), Best Director, and Original Screenplay, which Peele won.RELATED CONTENT: Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright Charles Fuller Dies at 83