Gordy The Ape?! Why Nope Needed Its Weirdest Subplot
Warning: contains SPOILERS for Nope.
Nope's weird Gordy the Ape subplot may seem like the movie's least relevant element, yet it's actually quite crucial in tying together the various themes. Ricky «Jupe» Park (Steven Yeun), the owner of the Western-themed tourist attraction Jupiter's Claim, was a former child actor on the '90s show Gordy's Home. While shooting the episode «Gordy's Birthday,» popping balloons set the chimp actor playing Gordy off into a violent rage that killed, maimed, and permanently disfigured those present on set. Hiding under a nearby table, Jupe was spared from the chimp's rampage. Upon calming down, the chimp even offered Jupe an attempted fist bump before animal control shot him.
Jupe later tells OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald «Em» Haywood (Keke Palmer) that the incident prompted much media attention, including a MAD Magazine cover gag and a facetious-sounding SNL sketch. Jupe even holds a Gordy's Home memorabilia room that includes Nope's mysterious standing shoe, which was on set during the infamous incident and kept young Jupe's attention during the chimp attack. While Jupe is understandably traumatized by the Gordy event, he nonetheless profits from the incident and outwardly pretends not to be terribly traumatized by it around others.
Related: 1 Hidden Jupe Easter Egg Foreshadowed Nope’s Twist Ending
With that said, the Gordy subplot doesn't seem nearly as significant to Nope as the movie's other storylines, especially when considering that Nope's opening shot gives the Gordy storyline more perceived relevance. Furthermore, given that Nope already has a 2-hour, 15-minute runtime, the Gordy subplot seems like the most appropriate storyline to shave time off because it doesn't directly relate
Read more on screenrant.com
