Rapper Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi has
described his gay role in the film James White as “dope.”
The film, which premiered over the
weekend at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, explores “a
really rich, close relationship between a single mother (played by
out actress Cynthia Nixon) and her son (Christopher Abbot),” who is
heterosexual. Cudi plays the son's best friend.
“This was way different that anything
else I've ever done,” Cudi, who also scored the film, told
Billboard
before the film's premiere. “It was dope to do that. I felt like
I had a responsibility to present a different walk in life from that
world.”
Cudi lamented that scenes in which he
comes out and kisses a male friend (David Call) were cut.
“When he comes out of the closet it's
not really a thing. I think that's something the world needs to see.
'Cause it's not a thing. We're all equal.”
“I'm mad [director Josh Modi] cut out
my kissing scenes with David,” Cudi said after the premiere, where
he watched the finished film for the first time. “We made out so
many times – and it was so good! That's my only gripe.”
Cudi added that he had no hesitation in
playing a gay character: “My thing is what story are we trying to
tell here. I didn't flinch. I'm secure with mine. I'm an artist –
it's about playing characters that are intriguing and stimulating.”