About a month ago, the Academy announced that there would be no vaccine mandate for this year’s Oscars. It didn’t go over well with Academy members, and the Academy ended up fudging their own rules to ensure that the handful of unvaccinated actors would still be welcome. That’s what it came down to. The Hollywood Reporter even said that plainly, that “at least one of last year’s acting winners and prominent members of the casts of multiple best picture nominees, as well as nominees in other categories” were unvaccinated and the Academy was doing the most to ensure that as many people as possible came. The “one of last year’s winners” struck people as a juicy blind item, and word on the street is that the unvaxxed 2021 Oscar winner is none other than Daniel Kaluuya. What’s weird about that is… he’s been working on Wakanda Forever and we’ve only heard about Letitia Wright being unvaxxed. I bring this up because there seems to be a lot of talk these days about how Daniel is being influenced by a sort of con artist/guru type. From Page Six:
British actor Daniel Kaluuya — who won Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars last year for his role in “Judas and the Black Messiah” — is beloved in Hollywood as a down-to-earth guy. But insiders are concerned after he has jettisoned his agents and publicists and seems to be under the influence of a charismatic “life strategist.” Heir Holiness called herself Kaluuya’s personal manager on a now-deleted LinkedIn page seen by The Post. She has also described herself as “Head Mistress” for “The International Alma Mater, Blessed University.”
“To be honest, we can’t quite figure out who she is…we really have no clue as his team has shifted camps,” said a well-placed source. The Post has confirmed from multiple sources that Heir was by Kaluuya’s side as he filmed “Nope,” his second horror movie with director Jordan Peele after 2017’s “Get Out,” in California last summer.
Last month, Matt Belloni of Puck News reported: “Holiness’ behavior during the filming of Jordan Peele’s ‘Nope,’ in which Kaluuya stars, caused people on set to be concerned about her influence over the British actor.” An industry insider said: “People on the ‘Nope’ set were very concerned that Heir had ‘taken over’ DK’s life and all decisions had to go through her. I’ve heard there were multiple blow-ups and the production people were afraid of her.”
Puck also reported that Kaluuya, 33, had fired his powerful talent agents at CAA, which reps such A-listers as Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Reese Witherspoon. He signed with the agency in 2018 shortly after filming “Get Out.” A CAA spokesperson told The Post: “I can confirm that Daniel Kaluuya is not a client of the agency.”
“Heir Holiness has marginalized DK’s usual team,” said the industry insider. The actor also reportedly terminated his publicist at Shelter PR after a four-year relationship that included his 2021 sweep of the Oscar, BAFTA, SAG and Golden Globes. He does, however, maintain his longtime manager at Management360 and his reps in London. Reps for Shelter, as well as his management company and new publicist at Rogers & Cowan PMK, were unavailable for comment. One source who knows Kaluuya well told The Post that the star had also sacked his stylist and multiple assistants at the behest of Heir Holiness.
“There are many actors and artists in Hollywood who work with spiritual advisors and use them for guidance and support,” a movie insider noted. “But … him leaving his agency and his publicists, that’s the unusual thing. It’s kind of weird.”
Sources go on to say that Daniel likely met Heir through a makeup artist in 2018, and she’s currently 50 years old. Her real name is Vanylla Salimah Mahmoud. No one knows if they’re dating or if she’s just guru-ing him or what. Yeah, I wonder. It seems like typical con artist sh-t and I sincerely hope he’s not giving her all of his bank account information and all of that. But considering she’s convinced him to leave his agents, his publicists and his style team, I think she’s probably already fully in his money. I wonder if anyone can get through to him.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Oscar® nominee Daniel Kaluuya arrives on the red carpet of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021.,Image: 607899366, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: DM / Avalon
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- Daniel Kaluuya poses backstage with the Oscar® for Best Actor in a Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021.,Image: 607910163, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: TE / Avalon
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- Daniel Kaluuya poses backstage with the Oscar® for Best Actor in a Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021.,Image: 607910181, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: TE / Avalon
I think he’s another super religious one (like Laetitia Wright). I suspect the super religious are generally more susceptible to going all-in on some ideology. He’s kinda pulling a Tom Cruise here!
Omg. I’m getting wild Sam Lufti vibes from this. I don’t know about the family DK has around him but I hope they can help him see the light and push this crazy woman out.
And like that little exercise dude, I forget his name. He’s become a recluse under similar circumstances.
Richard something? Bouncy, little fro, spandex shorts guy?
That’s Richard Simmons! I haven’t heard anything about him in forever – I think they did a wellness check on him awhile back.
This makes me sad. He and Letitia are both talented actors and I feel like they’re just tanking their careers over this crap. I hope he has someone good in his circle who can help him out of this eventually. This reminds me of that bizarre story Christy Carlson Romano told in one of her YouTube videos, where a “psychic” bled her dry when she was younger.
Would LOVE to know who the other unvaccinated nominees are.
Didn’t this also happen to Lauryn Hill? She got taken in by a guru and destroyed her career?
I think that’s right. It just sucks – these creative people with rapid success are juicy targets for con artists. I’m lucky I have nothing to go after because I’m a sucker for sales people so I’d probably get taken in by a con artist if I were young and successful! He is such an incredible and charismatic actor (his role in Judas was beyond amazing and he deserved all the Oscars for that!) and I hope this doesn’t destroy his career or his life.
For any CB psychologists/ psychiatrists: what is/are the personality trait/s that allows people to fall to a cult-like associate? Aside from general vulnerability?
I don’t really feel comfortable saying a specific personality trait is especially susceptible to this. Anyone can get ensnared by a cult or charismatic personality. The main risk factor is being vulnerable due to a recent trauma, loss, or huge life change (e.g. death of a child, separation from SO, etc.). If you feel directionless or purposeless, someone coming along who says they have ALL the answers to ALL your problems, odds are you’ll at least be seriously tempted.
I think it depends on what the person is wearing.
Seriously. Let’s not blame the victims here. People in cults are victims, of master manipulation & gaslighting.
Whatever brought them into contact with a “guru” or Scientology, etc, the onus is all on the person/people doing the harm.
All people are vulnerable to the right manipulation.
That’s another reason why, when people say “I never experienced that” or “I wouldn’t put up with that”, it’s such a horrid response to someone’s pain.
If you want to seriously help people who are victims, start with acknowledging they had nothing to do with their own abuse.
And I agree Hyrule Castle. Victim blaming is not the way. But I don’t think that’s what Notsosocialb is doing.
If we understand the underlying characteristics of human behavior and ways we are formed, from early ages to long into our lives we will have a greater understanding of how to avoid manipulation for future generations.
I also think it’s important people are taught HOW persuasion as a psychological phenomenon works and how others use it. In most PR and communication studies, students will be taught general tactics and strategies on how change attitudes and behaviors through manipulative messages to the masses.
Most commercials and ads are based on the same psychological principles as manipulation and gaslighting in closer relationships. The fact that ads, PR and marketing works, shows us that there are some basic psychological principles being used on people, for various intent. To sell products, to change an image of someone higher up, to deflect crisis, to change attitudes and behaviors (like quit smoking campaigns) etc.
Persuation can be used to better the conditions, but in most cases it’s used as manipulation for someone to get to a goal where more egocentric incentives lie.
Understanding how people can be manipulated, and if someone is more susceptible than others does not mean they are at fault, when research show that some personal factors do contribute. This is a correlation mistake most people make. And like you point out, victim blaming.
Where I disagree with you, is whether or not we should be looking at underlying factors that can contribute to some being more susceptible. Knowing what makes some more vulnerable and others not, will give key information on how to protect these indivuals. And for the wrong people, it gives key information on how to manipulate people.
All in all. It comes down to self awareness, everytime. We live in a world that strips us of the ability and motivation for self awareness.
And generations up until now, have not been taught to be self aware.
What I see the outlines of now, is that more and more people are learning to be. And therefore, also more inclined to ask critical questions about what they’re being told. When you arm an individual with the knowledge about themselves (why they are the way they are, how they became this way, what they come from and have experienced) with knowledge about what manipulation and persuasion looks like, you basically set the individual up for success in my eyes.
That’s not to say we can avoid being manioulated all together or that emotional/mental abuse will never happen to us, but we will be able to step back and look at a situation, a person or an event with other eyes.
Seeing something from a detached through objective glasses gives us the ability to uncover truths we would otherwise ignore.
I wrote a looong comment about a side of it, but this page wouldn’t let me edit it into small paragraph so it would be easier to read.
Like Hyrule Castle is saying, those are some attributing factors. But more research have been done and it does point to some personal characteristics. I wouldn’t says personality traits, though.
Unfortunately, those personal characteristics are quite “normal” given the way most people now have grown up.
It’s easier to look at it the other way, what makes an individual LESS prone to manipulation and susceptical. I’ll point to 10 factors I found in my gathering of data and research on this matter:
1. Strong sense of self and self identity.
2. Ability for critical thinking (people who like to see the matter, the world or object from several perspectives).
3. Great ability to set boundaries. For themselves and others.
4. High self asteem and high self value.
5. Greater ability to regulate emotions
6. Good analytical abilities
7. Self awareness
8. Openness (this surprised me, because I would deduct it would make them more “open” to manipulations, but being open also makes you more prone to have a wider knowledge about people, cultures, ect. And therefore, if you’re also analytical and grounded in yourself you’re openness will make you better at picking up discrepancies.
9. Good observation skills (being able to tell a lie in someone’s body language or picking up on something not “feeling right” because you’ve been able to detect body language and what’s being said don’t match for example. This is often subcounscious.
10. Having a greater sense of “safety” in the world.
A lot of your points imply that people who are “smart” can avoid cults and manipulators, when science actually has shown that they are often the main targets because they overestimate their analytical skills, their self esteem, their criticial thinking etc. Their thinking that they are too smart to fall for something is basically the hook for these cults.
As others have said, there is not a personality type that is more prone to cults. But thinking that you definitely aren’t is actually a sign that you specifically might be, ironically.
I hope this isn’t true, because it sounds like an inevitable way for him to lose his money, and maybe his career. He’s a very talented actor, and I would hope not under the influence of someone who is surely looking to take advantage.
I’m really bumbed about this news too, I find him very talented, it would suck to see him lose his career over this guru. Ugh, I hope he gets it together and his family can speak some sense into him.
Her real name is Vanylla Salimah Mahmoud
Really?
I hope someone can reach him – as someone more eloquently put it up thread, you never know what the hook will be and anyone is susceptible to the right manipulation at the right time.
Hmm, the fact that this is now in the public domain means that he or his ‘guru’ has pissed off some very powerful people who have leaked it in the hopes that he sees sense. Daniel is an actor that can and should win more Oscars for future roles and he is on the precipice of having a great and long career in HW.
He, like Letitia Wright, has the world at their feet and they are throwing it away on bad advice from people who do not have their best interests at heart.
I hope his family intervene’s as this does not sound good.
Could this be coming from the CAA agent he fired trying to muddy the waters and his reputation?
If it was just the agent maybe. But if he actually got rid of his whole team including publicist? Where there’s smoke there’s fire.
He’s nowhere near a big enough star to be without an agent. That’s DiCaprio territory. Really really unfortunate if this is true.
I really tried to make this into small paragraphs but it wouldn’t let me. A little sad about it because it’s such an interesting topic I was hoping more people would want to read my comment and offer their perspectives and thoughts on it. Now it’s just a very heavy text.
Any way to edit it?
@Oria. I concur with your thoughts about preventions. The stronger sense of self, ability to set boundaries and ability to value yourself, help you to critically think for yourself and see through gaslighting and bs from others. Know Thyself.
Thank you, DJ!
Know thyself, indeed!
He’s an excellent actor so I hope he gets away from this person’s influence. Get vaccinated, Daniel! Please.
Poor Daniel. He’s going to submarine his career. And you know that Jordan Peele was probably watching this dynamic closely when they were trying to film his movie. He might not work with Peele again if this ‘guru’ was that problematic and controlling. Not to mention, Peele might end up using that dynamic in one of his films – skewer it.
I don’t see this ending well for him.