Kiki Layne wants a love interest for Nile on Old Guard, has some ‘hotties’ in mind

2020 13th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards Luncheon
Kiki Layne has been on our radar for the last couple of years, since her breakout role in 2018’s, If Beale Street Could Talk. She just starred in Netflix’s The Old Guard where she had to go through intensive weapons and combat training for the role. We just heard that quarantining alone was tough for her. She’s now with her family in Cincinnati, Ohio until she starts filming again. Kiki talked to Elle about her biggest career obstacle, what happened behind the scenes of The Old Guard and what she loved about the film.

On the biggest obstacles she’s had to overcome in her career
In Hollywood, you need work to get work, which can really drive you insane. Even now, it’s still a thing: How big is your name? Are you actually that marketable? I’m grateful there’s starting to be a shift. Part of it is because artists are taking more control over how their stories get told, and beautiful, powerful independent films are committed to finding the right person. I’m very grateful to Barry Jenkins, who took a chance on me. I didn’t have any real credits, but he believed I was the person for the role. Same with Gina [Prince-Bythewood]. The biggest [obstacle] is trying to get past the Hollywood mindset of only hiring the big, bankable talent

On if she thinks Nile feels fulfilled at the end of the movie, and what’s next for her if there’s a sequel?
I would definitely love to do another film and dive deeper into Nile’s moments of struggle. At the end, she’s become more accepting of her new role in this new family, but I know there would still be some things tugging on her heart. It’s difficult to say, “I’m just gonna forget about my mom and my brother and all the people I love and go be an immortal warrior.” There might be a love story for her too. It would be interesting see how one builds new relationships under the circumstances. There are a few little Hollywood hotties I have in mind for the part.

On sparring with Charlize Theron
It was insane. We got to train a bit with each other beforehand, but the first thing we shot was our fight scene on the plane. It’s an honor to get your ass whooped by Charlize Theron! [Laughs] What she represents for women in this genre—that we’re capable of being kick-ass leaders—is amazing. Having my [action] introduction be alongside her made [the experience] that much more special.

On the love story between Joe and Nicky
I was so happy to see the inclusion of a gay relationship, and these two gay men as heroes and warriors and kick-ass fighters. Their love story is beautiful, and it needs to be shown more. Where are all the gay superheroes and badasses in Hollywood? [The industry acts] as if those people don’t exist in real life.

On playing other superheroes and her love of X-men’s Storm
Growing up, the only two people I knew who could strike people with lightning were Storm and Zeus. I thought it was amazing that this Black woman had the same gift as Zeus, the father of all the gods. She’s so powerful—there’s so much to be explored with a Black woman who holds that type of power but is sometimes put in a position of not tapping into the fullness of it, for fear of what it would mean for a Black woman to have that type of power.

[From Elle]

I am still lobbying for Kiki to play Ororo/Storm in the next Black Panther movie, and I look forward to seeing her in the upcoming Coming to America sequel. Hopefully, all of those bruises she got from fighting with Charlize will heal and her time with family will make up for how long she’s away from them. Perhaps she can show some of those new combat moves to her cousins and bring them to any future roles in action films. I also hope that whomever she has in mind for Nile’s love interest, if one is written into the The Old Guard sequel and there will be a sequel, she’ll get. In fact, I just want to know who these hotties are, full stop.

In the meantime, I’ll watch a few more films she’s been in, like Native Son. For such a young actress, she already has an impressive range.

2020 13th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards Luncheon

Photos credit: Avalon.red and via Instagram

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12 Responses to “Kiki Layne wants a love interest for Nile on Old Guard, has some ‘hotties’ in mind”

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  1. ArtHistorian says:

    I loved the Old Guard and hope there is a sequel – and I do think that at the very end of the movie they included the perfect set-up for a sequel.

    Also, Yusuf’s monologue about what Nico is to him is the most romantic declaration of love that I’ve ever seen on the screen. That was just pure poetry.

    • Mia4s says:

      “ the perfect set-up for a sequel”

      Absolutely perfect. Although I think that set up means she’s going to be a bit too busy for a love interest! I’m definitely in. But no major pain for Joe and Nicky please! I mean….their car can break down or something, but they are just too damn cute and my heart can’t take the heavy angst! 😉

      • ArtHistorian says:

        I love Joe and Nicky – almost a millenia together and they are still super romantic. They are a romance for the ages.

        Booker and Andy made me so sad – because they lost their loves and are so lonely. I really noticed how much they drank all the time.

        A sequel would also be interesting for Nile because in this movie she was just constantly struggling with the fact that she can’t die. Granted it would mess with the mind of anyone but it would be interesting to see her become more settled in the group and with the state of her immortality.

    • Victoria says:

      Well it does say “until she starts filming again” so hopefully a sequel/series spinoff is confirmed?

      Her whole family is gorgeous!

    • lucy2 says:

      Yes to all of it!
      Old Guard was popular on Netflix and has gotten a lot of media attention, so I think it’s got a good chance for a sequel. I would love to see Nile’s journey as she has to form this new life and let go of her old one.
      And OMG yes, that speech was the most romantic one I can remember. Beautiful.

  2. BnLurkN4eva says:

    I watched the Old Guard this weekend and I loved it. Thanks for speaking about it here, I watched it based on the love it got here.

    • PixiePaperdroll says:

      Same! And I still wasn’t convinced until about half an hour in. Now I’m an evangelist.

  3. Melissai says:

    Kiki gave such a tender and strong performance in If Beale Street Could Talk. (along with Stephan James). Seeing her flip the switch and play Nile shows the range she already has at such a young age.

  4. BlueSky says:

    I’ve watched this movie three times and plan to watch it again this weekend!

  5. osito says:

    Kiki would be an amazing Storm! Storm is such a powerful character, and she was my gateway to comic books and fantasy and the like. Storm ushered in my baby blerd, so I’m really protective of her, and I don’t think she’s gotten the treatment she truly deserves yet. No shade to any of the actresses who’ve played her, but all shade to the writers, producers, and directors who have seemed to willfully misunderstand the magnitude of her power.

  6. Sarah says:

    I’ve only seen her in the Old Guard and she was fantastic. I loved the whole film (which I only watched/knew about because of a write up on here – thanks!) and the declaration of love between Joe and Nicky was EPIC. Up there with Colin Firth doing the ‘how ardently I admire and love you’ bit in P&P for me but I might just be showing my age there.

  7. detritus says:

    I love that she’s scoping out potential love interests. She’s really charismatic on screen. I kinda felt like Charlize was phoning it in, but Kiki brings it.