Oscar nominee LaKeith Stanfield talks playing William O’Neal in Judas & The Black Messiah as he heats things up in sexy spread for the new issue of Flaunt
He’s up for his first-ever Academy Award opposite his costar from 2017‘s Get Out.
And LaKeith Stanfield looked stylish and handsome this week, when he graced the latest issue of Flaunt magazine which dropped on Thursday.
The Judas And The Black Messiah actor, 29, was classy in Bottega Veneta Salon 01, which provided all the clothing and accessories for his shoot.
Fancy: LaKeith Stanfield looked stylish and handsome this week, when he graced the latest issue of Flaunt magazine
Accolades: The actor, 29, is up for his first-ever Academy Award this year for his performance in Judas And The Black Messiah; seen here with the film’s director Shaka King (left)
The performer is up for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar this season, along with costar Daniel Kaluuya in the Shaka King film about how William O’Neal (Stanfield) infiltrated the Black Panther Party led by Fred Hampton (Kaluuya) back in the 1960s.
Among his many other impressive credits, LaKeith uttered the titular words in a standout featured role in Jordan Peele‘s 2017 masterpiece Get Out, which earned Peele the best Best Original Screenplay Oscar and Kaluuya his first acting nod.
Of his acclaimed new role, Stanfield observed that getting the character of O’Neal right was ‘tricky’ due the historical figure’s troubling morals.
Stepping out: Stanfield was classy in Bottega Veneta Salon 01, which provided all the clothing and accessories for his shoot
Thinking man: The latest edition of Flaunt, dubbed the Dawn Chorus issue, dropped on Thursday
‘With William it’s tricky,’ LaKeith said, ‘because first I had to stop judging him, and I’d cast a bunch of judgments about what I felt he’d done. And so I really didn’t want to play him at first. I didn’t know if I COULD play him.’
He later added a bit more of his actorly strategy.
‘I realized that in order to be able to play him, I had to find some human element that aligned me with him. People aren’t only what they DO. There’s a multiplicity and complexity to what it means to be human, and I wanted to find those details, to see if I couldn’t attack it from that way.’
Among his many other impressive credits: LaKeith uttered the titular words in a standout featured role in Jordan Peele‘s 2017 masterpiece Get Out
Of his acclaimed new role: Stanfield observed that getting the character of O’Neal right was ‘tricky’ due the historical figure’s troubling morals
Of the larger picture, LaKeith remained hopeful that the intended message would come across to audiences.
‘I just hope it inspires people, like we were all inspired by Chairman Fred Hampton, to continue fighting the good fight, and standing in our truth. And I hope that people can see, hopefully, a little bit of themselves in Mr. O’Neal, and so that way, even HIS death isn’t completely in vain, because someone might learn from him, and make better decisions.’
Including LaKeith and Daniel’s twin Supporting Actor nods, Judas And The Black Messiah is up for a total of six Oscars this year: with Best Original Screenplay, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Original Song as well as Best Motion Picture of the Year rounding out the nods.
The Academy Awards will this year be held via a live streamlined ceremony on Sunday April 25th.
‘I realized that in order to be able to play him, I had to find some human element that aligned me with him. People aren’t only what they DO,’ LaKeith noted
Acclaimed film: Including LaKeith and costar Daniel Kaluuya’s twin Supporting Actor nods, Judas And The Black Messiah is up for a total of six Oscars this year