Janelle Monáe says she chooses film roles based on ‘pubic hair vibrations’
The ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ actor said her ‘underarm hairs definitely tingled’ when she read Rian Johnson’s script
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Rather than feeling it in her bones, Janelle Monáe has said that she has to “feel a film role in my pubic hairs” in order for her to know it’s the right fit.
The actor and “Make Me Feel” singer, 38, was answering questions submitted by fans for a recent reader interview article published in The Guardian on Thursday when she made the admission.
“What attracts you to a particular role and to a particular movie?” one reader asked.
“The story is the big one,” Monáe responded. “Also the set: I love places that have snacks like Skittles and M&Ms on set!
“But, really, I love to get to know the characters and feel with anything I’m doing. I really have to feel it in my pubic hairs – they have to vibrate! [laughs] Though I don’t want anyone to go back to my old films and think: ‘Janelle Monáe picked this because her pubic hairs tingled.’”
Looking back at her most recent screen role in the 2022 Knives Out sequel, she said: “My underarm hairs definitely tingled when I got the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery script. That was exciting, to go to Greece and work with [director] Rian Johnson, who is a wonderful human.
“The whole cast were amazing; I loved having the opportunity to be in a film with Daniel Craig,” she added. “I’m so excited for Knives Out 3 – I want to be a part of it so badly that I might get plastic surgery and audition as a brand new character.”
Last week, Johnson announced the highly-anticipated third installment in his popular whodunit franchise, officially titled Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
While it won’t be released until sometime in 2025, its star-studded cast is slowly being revealed. So far, Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Challengers star Josh O’Connor, Priscilla’s Cailee Spaeny, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande actor Daryl McCormack will be joining returning actor Daniel Craig.
Craig has portrayed the private investigator Benoit Blanc in the first two Knives Out movies.
Monáe starred as both Cassandra “Andi” Brand and her twin sister Helen in the second movie of the franchise. It’s been two years since Monáe has acted on screen; however, earlier this month, it was announced that she would be joining Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry’s forthcoming movie musical, Atlantis.
In the meantime, she is currently gearing up to perform at the Glastonbury Festival on 30 June.
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