Jordan Peele never shies away from using his horror films as vessels for discussing bigger issues. The recently released Nope, which performed admirably at the box office as well as with critics, is no exception to this rule. Though the film is filled with a wide range of difficult-to-decipher symbols, the essential theme revolves around the modern fixation with spectacle and how obsessing over finding new, compelling life experiences to glom onto can ultimately result in misfortune.

The plot of Nope revolves around an extraterrestrial UFO that terrorizes a remote section of the California desert. Every character has a vested interest in documenting the mysterious object. The Haywood siblings (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) are motivated to capture footage that could make them money to save their struggling family ranch. They also have a desire to learn more about the phenomenon that killed their father (Keith David). Another character, an employee of an electronics supply store (Brandon Perea), is an alien aficionado who seeks to elevate himself out of his mundane existence.

Additionally, there is an eccentric documentary director (Michael Wincott) who views the extraterrestrial as the perfect film subject. However, no character better represents the themes of Nope than Steven Yeun’s Ricky “Jupe” Park. He is a former child actor turned entrepreneur who owns a remote desert theme park called Jupiter’s Claim near the Haywood ranch.

Here’s how Steven Yeun’s Jupe represents the perils of seeking stardom.

Steven Yeun’s Convincing Performance as a Charismatic Carnival Barker

Steven Yeun is a talented actor with an impressive filmography filled with unique and compelling characters to prove it. In Nope, his character has a complex set of motivations. Jupe is incessantly seeking stardom, though the character is well aware of the costs inherent to that pursuit.

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Given that the primary theme of Nope is the nature of modern society’s obsession with spectacle, the film is somewhat meta and can be interpreted as a commentary on Peele’s success and the moviegoers who line up to see his movies. Jupe is the clearest on-screen avatar of this theme, and Steven Yeun’s pitch-perfect performance plays a significant role in helping audiences to grasp the film’s subtle symbolism.

A Young Jupe’s Harrowing Experience With a Simian Co-star

Jupe wasn’t always involved in the theme park business. When the character is introduced, it is revealed that he was once a child actor. The young version of Jupe is played by the delightfully cherubic Jacob Kim. Though Jupe, as an actor, was involved in several projects, the film focuses on one particular program that the character starred in, a sitcom featuring a trained chimpanzee named Gordy, the aptly titled Gordy’s Home.

The opening scene of Nope, as well as several other cutaway scenes throughout the film, tell the tragic tale of Gordy the chimpanzee and his violent breakdown on set. Spurned by a balloon popping on set, Gordy goes on a rampage, brutally maiming several of Gordy’s Home’s human stars. Given that chimpanzees are the closest biological relative to human beings, it is easy to see how Gordy’s film set freakout serves as a metaphor for fame and its perils.

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In the last moments of Gordy, we see the chimpanzee, after already assaulting several humans, reaching out to touch the fist of a young Jupe. This moment seems to represent Gordy reaching out to Jupe to warn him about his future before the chimpanzee is shot.

The plot of Nope documents the attempts of the Haywood siblings to document an extraterrestrial visitor. However, the Haywoods are not the only people who reside in the remote stretch of desert land that makes up the alien’s hunting grounds, and as such, others are also interested in the mysterious UFO.

It is revealed partway through the film’s runtime that Jupe is also aware of the extraterrestrial. He assembles a crowd at Jupiter’s Claim and attempts to bait the UFO with one of the horses he purchased from Haywood Ranch. However, the alien proves to be hungry for more than a horse and swallows everyone attending the show whole. This is the film’s most straightforward symbol of the inherent horror of pursuing fame.

In all likelihood, Nope will elicit many conversations in the coming years. The film’s themes aren’t as readily apparent as those of previous Jordan Peele pictures, but the message that can be taken from it is vital. The contemporary obsession with spectacle, spurned by an increasingly listless population’s never-ending desire for new and exciting content, is a meaningful discussion to have. Nope is a poignant piece of entertainment that seeks to uncover the very nature of the industry itself. Steven Yeun’s Jupe was an essential facet in exploring this idea.