Jordan Peele: I wanted to explore something other than race in new horror film Us

As Jordan Peele releases his sinister horror Us, Georgia Humphreys talks to him and stars Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke about the making of a modern horror

Jordan Peele’s directorial debut Get Out wasn’t just a box-office success – it redefined the horror genre. A socially-conscious thriller, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2018, it explores what it means to be black in America, as a young black man uncovers a disturbing secret while meeting the family of his white girlfriend.

Now, New Yorker Peele is back with Us, another original nightmare that he has written, directed and produced.

“I wanted to explore something other than race and to show the wide range of horror films that I have,” the 40-year-old suggests when asked about the inspiration behind the film.

“I have this fear of a doppelganger. And so when you have a real fear as a horror movie creator/director, then you know you have something that you can nurture and exploit for an audience.”