Writer-director Jordan Peele on ‘Get Out’

‘Get Out’ is not your typical Oscar film--it’s a low-budget horror movie from a first-time director. Yet the clever and creepy social satire was a smashing success at the box office and is now in Oscar contention in 4 big categories: best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best actor.

Jordan Peele, the writer and director of ‘Get Out’ is our guest today. Before this movie, he was best known as half of the Comedy Central duo ‘Key & Peele.’ Long before that show debuted in 2012, Peele was at work on the script for ‘Get Out.’

He tells us how the 2008 presidential election got him thinking about the ideas that would become the basis for the film, and the years-long process of getting ‘Get Out’ made.

Peele admits that even though he had lots of experience acting and writing, he did face quite a bit of fear as a first-time director. He explains how he ended up being in a limo with Ben Affleck and asking him for advice.

When we recorded this interview, mega-hit ‘Black Panther’ was just about to open, so Peele also talks about this moment in the industry in terms of representation for black filmmakers. Recent films like ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ ‘Girls Trip,’ and Peele’s own movie have proved that black-led films can be international successes and marketed to a broad audience.

And with this year’s nominations, Peele is making Oscar history. Only three first-time directors have landed that trifecta of nominations of best picture, best director, and best original screenplay, and Peele is the first African-American to have pulled it off.