‘Nope’ Director Jordan Peele Shares a Deeper Look at ‘Gordy’s Home!’ With Chimp Sitcom’s Opening Credits
SPOILER ALERT: This piece contains spoilers for Jordan Peele’s “Nope,” which is now playing in theaters.
Jordan Peele is flexing his world-building for “Nope.” On Sunday morning, the writer-director’s social media accounts shared the opening credits to “Gordy’s Home!,” the fictional chimpanzee-centric ’90s sitcom that starred a younger version of Steven Yeun’s “Nope” character.
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Within the world of “Nope,” “Gordy’s Home!” stars Ricky “Jupe” Park, portrayed by Jacob Kim in flashbacks in the thriller. Yeun plays Jupe in the film’s main narrative, portraying the former child actor as a traumatized man who sees the world through a sense of showbiz gloss. At the start of “Nope,” Jupe heads a Western-themed amusement park located in the countryside outside of Los Angeles, mounting a sinister plot to put on a spectacle that will draw an audience to the outpost.
But back in the ’90s, Jupe was the child star of the short-lived astronomical-themed sitcom “Gordy’s Home!,” which was abruptly canceled after a chimpanzee became violent during production. The ape attack features prominently in “Nope.”
Before things went bananas though, “Gordy’s Home!” seemed to resemble a garden variety network sitcom — only with the not-very-sustainable premise of featuring an undomesticated animal.
The opening credits sequence shared by Peele introduces the show’s stars Tom Bogan, Phyllis Mayberry, Mary Jo Elliot (portrayed by Andrew Patrick Ralston, Jennifer Lafleur and Sophia Coto, respectively). 90’s touchstones like skateboarding, boom boxes and thick computer monitors make appearances, while Gowan’s 1985 jingle “(You’re a) Strange Animal” keeps the mood light and fun.
The trailer ends with Jupe and a chimpanzee toying with a telescope and performing an exploding fist bump — a gesture that takes on a more grave significance in “Nope.”
Watch the “Gordy’s Home!” opening credits below.
— Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) July 24, 2022
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