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Here’s Why Gordy The Chimpanzee In “Nope” Is So Important

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First thing’s first, major Nope spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned.

Jordan Peele’s latest sci-fi horror film Nope follows a brother-sister duo (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) who attempt to photograph the alien presence terrorizing their horse ranch. If they succeed in getting what they refer to as the “Oprah shot”, they could possibly save the family ranch from financial ruin.

Jordan Peele loves animals. Remember the deer in Get Out? The bunnies in Us? Nope features horses and a chimpanzee. But unlike his first two films, the animals in Nope play a bigger role to this story.


Universal Pictures

When asked about the animal touches in his film, Peele describes the use as, “a reminder of how we treat anything that doesn’t qualify as human” in an interview with Fox Washington DC. “There’s a real world horror that animals are trapped in. I think in some ways they symbolize something very bad about us.”

The films opening scene introduces the audience to a chimp sitting next to what seemed to be a dead body.


Twitter: @JordanPeele / Via Twitter: @JordanPeele

As the movie progresses we learn that the chimp is Gordy from the fictional sitcom within Nope’s universe, Gordy’s Home.

During the filming of a birthday-themed episode, Gordy quite literally goes apeshit at the sound of balloons popping, sending him into a violent fit attacking the cast — except for young Ricky, who hides under the table during the massacre.


Twitter: @JordanPeele / Via Twitter: @JordanPeele

He doesn’t make eye contact, which OJ Haywood (Kaluuya) continuously suggests people not do with the horses he trains, as well as with the alien presence later in the movie.

Gordy eventually sees Ricky hiding and turns to him in friendship, extending his fist to bump Ricky’s they way their characters do on the show — but he gets shot down before making contact.


Universal Pictures / Via giphy.com

As an adult, Ricky — who also goes by “Jupe” and is played by Steven Yeun — spends his adult life capitalizing off of his childhood trauma. He shows the Haywoods his secret closet full of Gordy’s Home memorabilia, which he charges a fee for superfans to admire. Even during his retelling to the Haywood siblings about the day Gordy went mad, he reminisces almost gleefully, recounting how SNL got it right. He might have convinced himself that, after Gordy’s moment of rage, he saw Jupe as a trustworthy ally.

So when an alien shows up in his neighborhood, Jupiter thinks this is a chance to grow his entertainment career as long as he could get the creature to trust him like Gordy did.


Universal Pictures/Regal

Jupe fed the alien predator horses he bought off of the Haywoods as part of a performance at his Western-themed attraction park. On the day one of Gordy’s victims comes to see the show, the alien is hungry for more than a horse. Jupe looks up and makes eye contact, as does everyone else in the audience — and they all get swept up in a windy abduction to their deaths.

Through his experience with Gordy, Jupiter didn’t learn an important lesson that greed and a lack of respect for non-human life blinded him from taking in. An animal is not an actor, any more than an alien is a sideshow attraction.

No creatures should be boxed in and made into a spectacle, because when they are — well, shit happens.

So, yeah, the film is a sci-fi horror tale, but it’s also a look into species’ primal attempts of survival.

All in all, we needed Jupe’s backstory in order to comprehend why anyone would try to tame an alien by feeding it horses.

Also might be worth noting the connection with balloons and animals here.


Universal Pictures / Via Giphy.com

Second lesson, keep balloons away from animals, y’all.

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These “Barbie” Cast Members Attended A Pride Parade On A Perfectly Pink Float

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Barbie Cast Members Attend West Hollywood Pride

If there’s one place Barbie is loved, it’s at a pride parade.

On Sunday, West Hollywood held its annual Pride Parade, and it was a star-studded affair.

This included several honorees, like Melissa McCarthy who received the Ally Icon award.

Niecy Nash-Betts (on the right) and her wife Jessica Betts were named Trailblazer Icons.

Laith Ashley, who plays Taylor Swift’s love interest in the “Lavender Haze” music video, was honored with the Breakthrough Icon award.

Finally, RuPaul’s Drag Race was given the Drag Icon Award, and numerous queens who’ve competed on the show appeared on floats throughout the parade, including Rock M. Sakura and Gottmik.

Other celebrities in attendance included Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke.

Selling Sunset alum Christine Quinn came to celebrate, too.

However, two of the most notable attendees were Barbie costars who adorned a perfectly electric pink float for the film.

Alexandra plays one of the many Barbies. Her tagline is, “This Barbie is a celebrated author.”

Meanwhile, Scott plays a Ken. His tagline is, “You guessed it. He’s a Ken.”

While they might have supporting roles in the film, they were front and center on the Barbie float, celebrating all things love. Of course, they both wore pink.

Alexandra was appropriately dressed in a pink two-piece look with color-coordinating earrings and shoes.

Scott opted for lighter shades of the film’s signature color but still wore a pink printed button-down and pink shorts.

If a Barbie float at a Pride parade isn’t reason enough to see the film when it comes out July 21, then I don’t know what is.

In the wise words of another gay icon Jennifer Coolidge in the film Single All the Way, “The gays just know how to do stuff.”

Happy Pride! Looking for more ways to get involved? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s posts celebrating Pride 2023.

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20 Dresses From Target That’ll Quickly Become Your Go-To For Hot Weather

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Reviewers say this runs large, so size down. 

Promising review: “not too tight! it’s nice and loose, comfortable, you can dress it up or down, and honestly has been my go to when it’s 80 and sunny!!” —Anna C

Price: $20 (available in sizes XS–4X and five colors)

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People Are Sharing Their Favorite Video Game Ever, And I Wasn’t Expecting Some of These

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What do you think of the favorite games picked out by the BuzzFeed Community? Was there a favorite game of yours you were hoping to see but didn’t?! Tell us what it is in the comments below:

Disclaimer: Some of the responses were cut for length and/or clarity.

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