Overview

• Kelly revealed on The Pat McAfee Show on July 31 that he was set to audition for the “second vampire” in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners but walked away when he learned the role required saying the N-word.
• The part he turned down ultimately went to Peter Dreimanis, who plays the character Bert in the 1930s Mississippi–set horror thriller.
• Sinners has earned over $365 million worldwide since its April release and continues to draw strong viewership on HBO Max.
• Kelly used the interview to stress his commitment to principle over opportunity and to invite filmmakers to consider him for future roles.
• The disclosure has prompted renewed discussion about casting practices, historical language in performance and artist agency in Hollywood.