One of Nope‘s breakout stars, Brandon Perea, is basking in the glow of the film’s success– and also has his sights set on Marvel.
“It’s mindblowing,” he told Shadow and Act in a recent chat when asked about fan and critic reactions. “It’s insane. I was just looking at it yesterday like, ‘Oh my God, I’m in the No. 1 film at the box office.’ It’s starting to pick up really fast. That’s what I’ve noticed about this whole process. It’s all a blessing. It’s everything I’ve worked for, so it’s crazy to be in the thick of it. [I’m] seeing articles about my performance, saying things like I’m stealing scenes and I’m like, ‘Y’all chill, chill [laughs].'”
One big thing that has struck a chord with fans is the chemistry shared by Perea, Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya in the Jordan Peele film.
“Keke Palmer’s the most lovable person on the planet,” Perea said. “It’s actually insane just how funny Keke is and how ‘on’ Keke is all the time. I’m like, ‘When’s it going to dip? How do you have this much energy?’ [laughs] It was the coolest thing to witness.”
He also told a story about his first time meeting Kaluuya and Palmer during the first scene they shot together as a trio, and he immediately wanted to connect with them outside of the characters.
Perea explained, “Seeing the bond that Daniel and Keke crafted, even before I met them, I was jealous where I was like, ‘Man, I want to be a part of the group now.’ I remember our first scenes together…we actually genuinely met like in [my first] scene basically. That was the first time we met in the film as well. So we stayed as strangers, [and] I wanted to stay as strangers, but they [looked] like they’re having so much fun. I wanted to have fun with them. But this scene [needed] to be really awkward though. So I was like, let’s just bite on it and just sit in it. So we sat in the awkward beats and it worked out for the final [shot]. And then as soon as we wrapped on the scene, I was like, ‘Yo, guys, I’m cool…I’m just saying what’s up…I’m Brandon…great to meet you. Angel, he’s a different dude than me.’ [laughs]. Then literally off rip, like we were all just like giving each other hugs and stuff. That’s what kind of built the chemistry off the bat. And then just everyone kind of improving too and dishing each other lines and stuff. We just had such a good time.”
The actor also has been marinating on some concepts in the event that the film gets a sequel.
“I don’t think the story’s over, in my opinion,” he said on the idea of the universe of Nope continuing. “I don’t know anything, no one’s told me jack– maybe I’m just selfish, but I’m like…I want to do it all again. I want to work for Jordan again, with Keke– let’s all have fun again. I felt like we just told a whole story and it’s just built up to go on another journey. But what I’d like to see for my character is how Angel would navigate attention now that he’s got it. If he’s out here showcasing this proof that they’ve captured Jean Jacket and there are images, let’s see if the general public even believes us. And then is it like us having to try to prove it again. I hope Jean Jacket’s family comes along and try to f**k some s**t up.”
And for what’s next, he hopes to continue to work with acclaimed directors, and as he’s shown on social media, he’s avidly lobbying for a Marvel Cinematic Universe role, specifically as Sam Alexander/Nova.
“That’s the biggest treat– I’ve worked with one of the top dogs in the game right now in Jordan Peele, so I hope I can just continue a streak of working with great creators and great creatives,” he explained. “That’s the goal. I want to stay with the auteur directors as well. The Marvel stuff is a dream, for sure. That’s something I feel like I’ve been prepping for my whole life, doing all this training, flipping, martial arts and stuff my entire life. Now [that] I’ve worked on the acting beat where now it’s like I feel my performance in Nope, in my opinion, can prove that I can do something in that universe. Do they necessarily need me? No, they don’t need anyone. That’s a massive studio. But do I think I can add to it in a crazy way? I really do. I have full confidence that I can add to that universe because the skills that I have with the tricks, flipping and all that stuff. I’ve been doing that so long in my life. And now I feel like Jordan Peele trusts me to act and I feel like the reviews are serving me well, which is great, I put so much work into this and it’s just very grateful.”
Though he’s eyeing Nova specifically (and scenes with this one Avenger in particular), he’s truly open to whatever.
“It’s a tough thing to try to get something,” he said of putting himself out there. “And I’m not just closed off to Nova. That’s just the one that I feel like I relate to the most like a kid growing up and skateboarding and stuff, and I just imagine scenes with me and Tom Holland bickering back and forth. Nova and Spider-Man interact a lot and I think I’m a year older [than Tom]. So imagine that– that would be so fun. And maybe that’s just me selfishly thinking, but after I watched the last Spider-Man, I was so impressed with his performance that I was just like, ‘Man, I would love to share the screen with this dude someday.’ That’d be an honor. But [I’m] definitely open to other ideas, but I would love to be in the MCU, as would everyone, but I think I’m well versed for it.”
Nope is in theaters now.
Watch the full interview below:
