The Scenes in the Square trail is a tribute to Britain's cinematic heritage, and it is set to welcome its newest addition in the form of a statue of Daniel Kaluuya, known for his Oscar-nominated role as Chris Washington in Get Out. It will be unveiled in Leicester Square in October, which is celebrated as Black History Month in Britain.
The Scenes in the Square trail is one of London's most popular attractions. Managed by the Heart of London Business Alliance and Westminster City Council since 2020, this free trail showcases some of the nation's most popular film characters encased within a bronze plating. Daniel Kaluuya will now join the ranks of Harry Potter, Batman, Wonder Woman, Mary Poppins, and Gene Kelly.
What is the Scenes in the Square trail?
According to Visit London, the Scenes in the Square trail "celebrates Britain’s love for films and encompasses iconic characters from the past century to the heart of London’s home of film." Come dusk, the statues are brought to life with exuberant lighting and music. Several noteworthy characters nestle along the trail, such as Bugs Bunny, Laurel and Hardy, Mary Poppins, Mr. Bean, and Paddington.
One of the most popular attractions includes none other than the wizarding world's heartthrob, Harry Potter, seated on his Nimbus 2000 broomstick. The statue is located just off the very place where the first movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premiered in 2001. Another one of the fan favorites is the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones.
Furthermore, the tour takes things to another level with its immersive audio tour, available on several podcast platforms, including Spotify. It comes complete with movie clips, interviews with film stars, and tidbits of fun facts for fans to rake in as they traverse along the trail. All they need to do is hold up their phone to the black disk placed on each statue to be redirected to the audio clips.
Daniel Kaluuya says the feat is "beyond imagining" for him
Daniel Kaluuya was selected from a poll, wherein 5,000 British film fans voted for him as the actor people would like to see along the trail in Leicester Square, Variety reported. He won one-fifth of the votes. His statue is a rendition of the “Sunken Place” scene in Get Out. In it, the actor can be seen sinking into an unconscious state.
The actor took to Instagram to share his happiness with his fans. He posted an image of the Sunken Place scene, and the caption read:
"Soooo wanted to tell you guys, I’m getting a statue in Leicester Square, Central London, the same place I used to eat my meal deal prawn cocktail crisps, in between auditions."
He continued, noting how the news felt surreal to him.
"I’ll be real, this is beyond imagining. “Chris” in Get Out will be memorialised on the trail alongside characters like Batman, Harry Potter and Mary Poppins and the most special thing about all of this is that it’s been chosen by the people. I want to say thank you all for taking the time to vote for me. I really tell stories for you guys; whether you’re in a bouji cinema, snuck into a 2nd screening or just wanna watch something Friday eve after work, I really make things with you in mind. So to have this by you, means a lot to me. What an honour. Thank you. See you at the Square."
Mark Williams, deputy chief executive for Heart of London Business Alliance, told Variety:
"We are excited to welcome Daniel Kaluuya and Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ to our Scenes in the Square line-up as a celebration of a modern cinematic success and homegrown British talent. It points to a bright future for our trail, with Kaluuya as a chosen symbol of the future of entertainment, and it is a pleasure to be able to spotlight such a pioneering film.”
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Get Out proved to be the catalyst for Joran Peele and Daniel Kaluuya's careers taking off. Peele became the first Black screenwriter to bag an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, while Daniel Kaluuya went on to bag an Oscar in 2021 for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah.
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