Spoiler Warning: Nope (2022)
Once again, Jordan Peele has proven himself to be one of the greatest horror directors of the modern cinematic era. Since the release of 2017’s Get Out, a film that explores the perils of progressive racism, his films have been must-watch entertainment. The recently released Nope has the highest opening weekend at the box office of any original (read: non-franchise) film since 2019. The film that set that bar back in 2019 was Us, another of Peele’s projects.
On its surface, Nope is an alien horror film. It follows two siblings that own a struggling ranch in a remote section of an unknown desert, presumably somewhere in the American Southwest, given the ranch owner siblings’ primary vocation as horse trainers for film and television productions. However, the film is so much more than just an extraterrestrial epic. It is an exploration of fame-seeking behavior and its inevitable perils. One of the best examples of this theme comes in the form of one of the film’s subplots.
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One of Nope’s main characters, Steven Yeun’s (The Walking Dead, The Twilight Zone) Ricky “Jupe” Park, is a former child actor from an ill-fated television show called Gordy’s Home, which followed a family and their pet, a “lovable” chimp named Gordy. Here is everything audiences need to know about Gordy the chimpanzee.
A Startled Gordy Shows the Danger of Humanizing Animals
Nope audience members are only treated to short glimpses of Gordy for a large portion of the film. He is the focus of a sitcom that stars Jupe, though Jacob Kim plays the child version of his character.
Later in the film, the beginning of Gordy’s savage attack is shown. In an episode centered around Gordy’s birthday celebration, one of the chimp’s presents, a large collection of balloons, begins to pop, which causes Gordy to fully melt down. Interestingly enough, Gordy refrains from attacking young Jupe through the resultant attack. A quivering young Jupe hides underneath a nearby table set piece, watching the horrific events unfold.
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Despite the gory scene, audiences cannot help feeling a certain level of sympathy for Gordy, who is simply a confused ape reverting to his wild animalistic instincts. In the last moments of the Gordy sage, the chimpanzee reaches his hand toward Jupe, seemingly asking the young actor for forgiveness or perhaps showing their bond, before he is shot by officials.
Gordy’s Damage is Revealed
When Gordy snaps at his birthday celebration, he begins to viciously attack several of the show’s actors. The film never reveals the fates of the sitcom actors, though it appears at least one of them, Jennifer Lafleur’s (Friends from College, The Good Doctor) Phyllis Mayberry, is killed during the chimpanzee’s rampage. Several other actors are maimed in the attack.
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Later in the film, when Steven Yeun’s character attempts to showcase the film’s primary antagonist, a carnivorous UFO, to an audience he has assembled at his theme park, Jupiter’s Claim, he introduces one of his co-stars from Gordy’s Home. This is the once-young actress who gifted Gordy balloons for his on-screen birthday celebration. The character wears a veil, and later, when the UFO kicks up a dust storm, the veil is lifted, and it is revealed Gordy’s savage attack permanently disfigured the actor’s face.
“Some Animals Ain’t Fit to Be Trained”
Chimpanzees are the animal that is most closely related to human beings. As such, they are incredibly intelligent and have demonstrated the ability for advanced tool use, as well as the capacity for sophisticated emotional relationships within their respective tribes.
However, despite being among the most intelligent animals, chimpanzees should be treated with extreme caution. There have been multiple reported cases of chimpanzees assaulting human beings. One of the most famous cases centered around a pet chimpanzee who attacked and permanently disfigured one of its owner’s family friends. The intelligence of chimpanzees does not equate to obedience. The creators of Gordy’s Home could have easily prevented the tragedy if they’d given a little more respect to humanity’s closest primate relative. As Otis Haywood Sr. (Keith David) explained to his son OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) regarding one of their horses, “I guess some animals ain’t fit to be trained.”
Though the opening scene of Nope is intended to confuse audiences and set the tone for the unnerving nature of what’s yet to come, the storyline of Gordy the chimpanzee ultimately becomes one of the most memorable facets of Jordan Peele’s most recent film. The Gordy scenes further explore that film’s message, which seems to be primarily a discussion of the futility surrounding the relentless pursuit of fame. Jordan Peele has proven time and time again that his films will be anything but predictable, and the story of Gordy the chimpanzee is sure to stick in audiences’ minds for years to come.
