Lupita Nyong’o Not Interested in an Us Sequel

There’s no indication that a sequel to Us is on the way, but if it ever did happen they’d have to go without star Lupita Nyong’o. Nyong’o, who has been named Best Actress by a host of critics organizations for her role in the horror film, was asked at a Deadline’s Contenders New York event (per Deadline) whether she would be interested in a follow-up. Her answer was pretty definitive.

“No thanks. Red is dead,” Nyong’o said. She added that playing both the roles of Red and Adelaide was taxing on her, saying, “I had to hold down both sides of the argument. I had to be the offender and the offended. It was about understanding the emotional landscape of each character but also having a very strict discipline to play both physically and mentally.”

Nyong’o also spoke about the themes surrounding the film, noting, “This movie is an externalization of our monster. It’s a movie that explores who we think of as the enemy. Often times we’re very eager to paint people across the border, or from a different religion, or a different creed, or culture, as the enemy. It’s easier to project that. But what happens when we look at ourselves? What are the enemies within ourselves? For me, what I found I related to was that identifying with that inner monster inside me.”

Us is was a major hit, bringing in $255.1 million worldwide against a $20 million budget plus marketing. Her performance in the film has place Nyong’o in the conversation for potential Best Actress nominees at the Oscars, though she was left off of today’s Golden Globe nominations.