Kid Cudi to Write, Direct and Star in Netflix’s ‘Teddy,’ Produced by Jeymes Samuel and Jay-Z

Angelique Jackson
·3 min read
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Kid Cudi is set to make his feature directorial debut with the new Netflix movie, “Teddy,” a project he’s also written and in which he’ll star.

The musician and actor (who goes by Scott Mescudi on camera) announced the news in a lengthy social media post Tuesday, revealing that he’d been working on the project since 2013.

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“I always wanted to write my own movie, so I said fuck it and started doing it,” he wrote. “The road has been long, from it being a tv show for years to finally being a film. So it means so fuckin much to finally be able to bring it to the screen next year, and I cant wait for u all to meet Teddy, his friends, his family and take a walk in his world for a bit.”

He went on to explain the premise of the movie, teasing that if he could sum it up in one sentence that, “It’s as if I took the song ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ [his hit 2009 track] and wrote a movie about it. I added a lot of my own personal struggles and experiences in it, so this film is very close to my heart.”

He added: “I know, that deep down, this movie will help people in the same ways my music has. I’m continuing my mission. Now this is a comedy, but it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t sprinkle some real shit in there. It’s trippy, it’s fun, it’s sad, it’s life.”

The upcoming project is produced by “The Harder They Fall” filmmaker Jeymes Samuel, Shawn “Jay Z” Carter, James Lassiter, Mad Solar and Bron, Mescudi revealed, adding a “special shout out to the homie [Netflix VP of original film] Tendo Nagenda for seeing the vision!!”

The new movie marks Mescudi’s second team-up with Samuel, Carter, Lassiter and Nagenda after the hitmaker contributed the track “Guns Go Bang” for their Netflix Western earlier this year. The film’s music won awards from the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and nabbed nominations from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, among other the critics groups and guilds.

It also marks a continuation of his relationship with the streamer after Mescudi appeared onscreen in Netflix’s best picture contender “Don’t Look Up” from Adam McKay. He earned a SAG Award nomination alongside the movie’s star-studded ensemble and teamed up with Ariana Grande to pen the original song “Just Look Up” for the satire’s soundtrack. Both “Guns Go Bang” and “Don’t Look Up” won trophies from the society of composers and lyricists.

Netflix’s Strong Black Lead account replied to his Twitter announcement, writing, “So ready.”

Mescudi has a host of big-screen projects in the works; the actor and musician currently stars in “X,” the horror film from Ti West, which debuted earlier this month at SXSW and is now playing in theaters. To learn more about that role, watch the full interview above.

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