Daniel Kaluuya, the brilliant British actor who made history as the first Black Brit to win an Oscar, is trending again—but not for a blockbuster role or red carpet slay. This time, Hollywood’s golden boy is caught in the storm of an old cult rumour that just won’t die.
The Camden-born actor hasn’t exactly flooded our screens since winning the 2021 Academy Award for Judas and the Black Messiah, and fans have noticed. When one user on X (formerly Twitter) asked why Kaluuya hadn’t been in more major films, another shot back with: “He joined a cult.” That reply racked up 24 million views before it was taken down, but the damage was done. The phrase “Daniel Kaluuya cult” started trending and reignited whispers that first sparked during the filming of Nope—his first movie post-Oscar win.
At the centre of it all is Heir Holiness (real name Vanylla Salimah Mahmoud), a self-described spiritual adviser who once referred to herself as Kaluuya’s manager. She’s been called a “life strategist,” and her mysterious presence on the set of Nope raised eyebrows among the crew. According to reports at the time, Kaluuya had ditched his powerhouse agency, Creative Artists Agency, and even fired his publicists—allegedly under her influence.
Hollywood journalist Matthew Belloni said some crew members were genuinely afraid of her, with concerns she was “taking over his life.” Her vibe? Think “spiritual gangster” meets new-age mystic.
But not everyone’s buying the scandal. Last week, a Hollywood exec close to Kaluuya told the press:
“He hasn’t disappeared. Daniel’s just doing things on his own terms. He’s always marched to the beat of his own drum.”
After Nope, Kaluuya pivoted toward passion projects—writing, producing, and even voicing a role in the upcoming Spider-Verse sequel. He’s also developing a live-action Barney film (yes, the purple dinosaur from your childhood) and has several projects underway via his production company, 59%. Oh, and he’s now repped by industry giant WME (William Morris Endeavor).
Next month, he’ll return to his roots by hosting a theatre workshop for young actors at London’s Roundhouse, where his acting journey began.
Let’s not forget his breakout role in Get Out—the 2017 psychological thriller that earned him his first Oscar and BAFTA nominations. He had already been a UK TV darling thanks to Skins, Doctor Who, and Black Mirror. But Get Out put him on the global map—and fast.
So what does Kaluuya have to say about all the cult chatter?
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he broke it down:
“It showed me that I was in a paradigm of fame. An unnamed, unverified source had more credibility than the truth. A bunch of people decided something happened, and suddenly it’s ‘fact’? That’s not what happened.”
As for Heir Holiness, she insists the rumours are nonsense. Speaking from her Las Vegas apartment, she laughed off the claims:
“I don’t do any of that. It’s fake. Someone didn’t like me on a movie. That’s it. Daniel’s not a dish you use every day and throw in the dishwasher. He’s different.”
She added, “He’s family. My job was to keep him safe and grounded. All this? It’s just noise.”
Whether you believe the rumours or not, one thing’s clear: Daniel Kaluuya isn’t missing—he’s just choosing his own path. And if that means fewer films but deeper storytelling and greater creative control, we’re here for it.
