Photo: Collier Schorr /Direction: Jordan Peele for W magazine Jordan Peele is leaning on Hidden Figures star Janelle Monáe to subvert a classic thriller.
In a photo shoot for W Magazine, Peele tapped Monáe for an Alfred Hitchcock-inspired shoot, with the actress-singer in the leading role.
“I wanted to create a Hitchcock moment that doesn’t really exist in a Hitchcock film,” Peele said, explaining the project, which takes inspiration from films like Vertigo, Rear Window and Psycho, but tells the story through a women of color.
In addition to casting Monáe as the central character, Peele and also insisted W hire female photographer Collier Schorr.
“I didn’t want the Hitchcock heroine,” Peele said. “I wanted the Hitchcock hero. That way, we can reclaim this movie that we never got to see. The fear of gender and race robs us of beautiful pieces of film…Putting Janelle in that character is all you need to create my new favorite movie.”
The entire “Noir Town” photo shoot can be seen on W magazine’s website. Meanwhile, Janelle has a new album coming this spring called Dirty Computer.
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