Daniel Kaluuya is probably best known for his role in Jordan Peele’s breakout horror film, “Get Out.” Specifically, it’s the scene where he is going to the sunken place and cries that cemented his status as one of the best performers around. And while he’s kept that up in a number of films over the last few years, the actor is really excited about his upcoming project, “Barney,” based on the children’s show about a big, purple, talking dinosaur.
READ MORE: Daniel Kaluuya Is Set To Produce A Feature Film Based On Children’s TV Icon ‘Barney’
For those not familiar with “Barney,” the children’s TV series is iconic for its title character, a huge talking dinosaur that preaches the good word about love and kindness to little kids that are going through everyday troubles. And as was reported a year ago, Kaluuya is onboard to produce a new film based on the beloved character.
Speaking to EW, the project was mentioned and Kaluuy explained why he’s so excited to bring “Barney” to the big screen and why the message of love and kindness feels incredibly important in 2020.
“Barney taught us, ‘I love you, you love me. Won’t you say you love me too?’ That’s one of the first songs I remember, and what happens when that isn’t true?” said Kaluuya. “I thought that was really heartbreaking. I have no idea why but it feels like that makes sense. It feels like there’s something unexpected that can be poignant but optimistic. Especially at this time now, I think that’s really, really needed.”
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Now, if you’re sitting there, reading this, and scratching your head in disbelief that the man from hard-hitting films such as “Get Out,” “Widows,” and “Queen & Slim” is working on a children’s film about Barney, the purple dinosaur, you aren’t alone. It’s a decidedly strange thing to imagine, as Kaluuya has never really shown that side of himself in a project before. However, you can’t deny that he’s absolutely right in why “Barney” might be a pretty great addition to the current climate of our society, which is filled with divisive discourse, bigotry, and overall unpleasantness, to put it lightly.
If you’re unfamiliar with “Barney,” here is the song that is referenced above to give you a taste of what Kaluuya is working on:
