Kid Cudi announces Basquiat biopic and declares he’s looking for trans actors on the same day
SPA, BELGIUM – JULY 30: American rapper, singer, actor, and fashion designer Kid Cudi during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 30, 2023 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Ky (Getty Images)
Kid Cudi has announced a Jean-Michel Basquiat biopic titled Jean, then posted on X telling trans actors looking for work to “holla at me”.
In an X post, the musician and actor wrote: “If you are a trans actor looking for work, holla at me. 🙏🏾❤️🔥”
Cudi had just revealed in an Instagram post announcing ‘Jean’ that he will write, direct and star as Basquiat, and that the film is set to begin shooting in 2027.
Alongside the announcement, he shared early wardrobe and hair tests, including a wig he stressed was not the finished look. “Did a wardrobe test, got a wig made (this isnt the final just a rough, trust me we gon get it perfect),” he wrote.
What has Kid Cudi said about the Basquiat film Jean?
Cudi said he decided to take control of the project after years of talk that never became reality. “For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film. But no project actually came to be. This year, I finally said f**k it, ima write it myself,” Cudi detailed in the caption of his Instagram announcement.
He also described the film as “a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city,” adding that it would be “the biggest honor to tell his story in a way we haven’t seen before.”
Basquiat’s life has been dramatised on screen before, including in Julian Schnabel’s 1996 film Basquiat.
Why Cudi’s trans actors post is getting attention
Cudi’s message landed amid ongoing conversations about how hard it can be for trans performers to secure consistent work in film and TV. Recently, Billions star Asia Kate Dillon announced that they were looking for a job in the service industry after revealing acting opportunities for trans and non-binary performers have “all but diminished”.
After Cudi’s call to trans actors, the rapper appeared to follow up on a response from a trans actor who said she’d “love a shot if you have a minor supporting role or even just an extra”. Cudi enthusiastically responded with “Ima hit u Claire!”
Cudi, a Cleveland-born rapper, singer, producer and actor who broke through with “Day ’n’ Nite”, has increasingly positioned himself as a multi-hyphenate creative across music and screen work, including creating and starring in the animated Netflix project Entergalactic.
