Despite being his most divisive movie, Jordan Peele's Nope has already earned $44 billion at the domestic box office, which is the highest for an original movie since his last venture with Us. It was no short of the twist and turns in Peele fashion, with a mysterious story about a family of horse ranchers discovering proof of alien life keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.
Like most horror movies, Nope sports a wide-ranging cast of characters, attempting to survive the bizarre goings-on of the film. The Nope characters needed to outsmart the suspicious UFO for any chance of survival, and the Haywood siblings knew what to do to capture the Oprah shot.
Ryder Muybridge
Devon Graye has a brief cameo in Nope's third act as the TMZ reporter Ryder Muybridge. Riding into the climactic final battle with "Jean Jacket" on his electric motorcycle and chrome helmet, Muybridge attempts to get a story out of Emerald Haywood, only to wind up squarely in the crosshairs of the alien invader.
Muybridge somehow manages to make the worst decisions possible in his remarkably small amount of screen time, chief of which being his insistence on having his picture taken after injuring himself in a motorcycle crash. His desire for fame of any kind supersedes his sense of self-preservation and, unbeknownst to him, attracts Jean Jacket directly to him.
Ricky "Jupe" Park
Known for his work in The Walking Dead and Minari, Academy Award nominee Steven Yeun stars as Ricky "Jupe" Park, whose tourist trap side show neighbors the Haywoods' horse-training ranch. A former child star who narrowly survived a freak on-set attack by a trained monkey, Jupe isn't so lucky when aliens arrive in his neck of the woods.
Ricky manages to make a living by coasting on his former fame, but such a career also requires frequently taking advantage of his audience. When he stumbles across the strange goings-on caused by Jean Jacket, Ricky tries to capitalize on the phenomenon. However, he only manages to attract the alien to his arena, leading to his gruesome death, alongside everyone unfortunate enough to be nearby. Ricky's poor survival skills lead audiences to believe that the character may not have survived any of Peele's movies, let alone the events of Nope.
Amber Park
Wrenn Schmidt has a minor role in Nope as Amber Park, Ricky's wife and the co-manager of Jupiter's Claim. Acting as the sideshow announcer during Ricky's big moment, Amber tries to keep the crowd enthralled as her husband begins the show, only to watch in horror as the alien arrived, consuming Amber and her entire family in one terrifying moment.
Amber may have very little screen time in the film, but it is clear that she possessed the same character faults as her husband. Seeking fame over self-preservation, Amber and her family would suffer the horrifying consequences brought about by Jean Jacket.
Otis Haywood, Sr.
Keith David appears during the opening scene of Nope, playing Otis Haywood, the father of OJ and Emerald. A brilliant horse trainer, Otis is suddenly and horrifically killed when the unseen alien regurgitates the undigestible possessions of its victims in one of the movie's most brilliant examples of foreshadowing.
The audience gets to see very little of David's character in the film, but from what is spoken about him by his children, he was a quite accomplished businessman who managed to keep the family business afloat with more success than his children would after his passing. Though he was never truly given a chance to put his survival skills to the test, Otis Sr. may have truly shone onscreen if he'd had the opportunity.
Antlers Holst
Michael Wincott portrays celebrated cinematography Antlers Holst, one of the best characters in any of Jordan Peele's films. Holst becomes entangled in the Haywoods' mission in an attempt to get the "impossible shot" that has eluded him throughout his career. Tired of the same film projects and uninspired by the modern state of his industry, Antlers invites his own death in Jean Jacket's maw after finally achieving his dream.
Despite his sudden and rather puzzling choice at the end of the film, Antlers is still one of Nope's most intelligent characters. Though he does not escape the beast's jaws, Holst was never unaware of the consequences of his own actions, but instead knowingly orchestrated his own demise, managing to get the shot of his career in the process.
Angel Torres
Brandon Perea portrays local tech whiz and alien conspiracist, Angel Torres. Angel is caught up in the Haywoods' crusade after they hire him to install a network of security cameras on their land. Overstepping his bounds by watching their feed, Angel inserts himself into the Haywoods' quest to capture undeniable proof of the alien living on their property.
Though Angel is perhaps more gullible when it comes to conspiracy theories than a man his age should be, he does turn out to be right about aliens living in America. Additionally, while he very nearly gets himself killed by looking directly at the alien, Angel gathers himself quickly enough to save his own life, managing to survive the events of the film.
Emerald Haywood
Keke Palmer shines as Emerald Haywood, one of Nope's most quotable characters. As the co-heir of the Haywood family business, Emerald would rather pave her own way in the film industry, shamelessly promoting herself to film producers at every chance she gets. However, when her brother OJ spots what he thinks is an alien ship flying above their ranch, Emerald sees an opportunity to catapult herself and her brothers into lives of fame and fortune.
Despite her often misguided attempts at achieving fame, Emerald grows to learn the perils and pitfalls of such aspirations. As events begin to unfold, she chooses to preserve the lives of herself and her loved ones over stardom, eventually managing to kill the alien once and for all. And, in the end, she just might have gained the notoriety she had always hoped for after all.
OJ Haywood
Academy Award-winner Daniel Kaluuya teams up with Jordan Peele once more after their collaboration in Peele's directorial debut, Get Out. Starring as Otis Haywood Jr or "OJ," Kaluuya once more delivers a striking performance as his character attempts to capture the world's first undeniable footage of alien life on Earth.
Though OJ begins his quest in order to earn the money he needs to keep the family business running, he quickly comes to realize the greater danger that looms above his head. It is he who first concludes that the alien spaceship is not a shape at all, but rather a sentient being. It is also OJ who comes to realize that the alien, whom he has named Jean Jacket, only consumes those who look directly at it. In the end, no character would have survived the events of Nope if not for OJ, who quickly establishes himself as the film's most intelligent character.