Kid Cudi Will Star as Jean-Michel Basquiat in Biopic “Jean”, Which He Will Also Write and Direct
Kid Cudi Will Star as Jean-Michel Basquiat in Biopic “Jean”, Which He Will Also Write and Direct
Bailey RichardsWed, October 21, 2026 at 10:29 PM UTC
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Kid Cudi in 2026; Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1984Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Pierre Suu/Getty -
Kid Cudi is set to star as Jean-Michel Basquiat in a biopic called Jean, which he will also write and direct
Cudi shared the news on Wednesday, Oct. 21, saying he wrote the film after years of being asked to portray the artist
The musician also posted photos of early wardrobe and hair tests, and said filming is set to begin in 2027
Kid Cudi said he has been asked “for years” to portray Jean-Michel Basquiat. So, he decided to do it himself.
The 42-year-old actor and musician, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, will portray the influential artist in a new biopic, Jean, he announced on Instagram on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Cudi also wrote and directed the film, which will begin filming next year, he said while revealing the news.
“For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film. But no project actually came to be,” Cudi wrote. “This year, I finally said f--- it, ima write it myself.”
In the post, Cudi also shared images of himself in character as Basquiat — and a poster inspired by the artist’s signature graffiti style — though he noted in the caption that the hair and wardrobe are still “rough” at this point in the creative process.
Kid Cudi in 2022Credit: Michael Rowe/Getty
“Did a wardrobe test, got a wig made (this isnt the final just a rough, trust me we gon get it perfect),” he added in the caption. “But I wanted to tease what we been cooking a bit. This one im so proud of and excited about.”
“To write a film about someone who existed was a challenge, but it was a welcomed one,” Cudi continued. “A lot of research, books, talks with people that knew him. This film will be a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city.”
Cudi went on to share that he has not only been asked to portray the artist, but also feels a personal connection with him, writing, “Jean has inspired me all through out my career, and it will be the biggest honor to tell his story in a way we haven’t seen before.”
“I know a lot of yall gon be like FINALLY hahaha I love it,” the rapper continued. “This ones for all those dreamers out there 😌🙏🏾❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥.”
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“Stay tuned,” he concluded the post, which also included a screengrab of a Jean screenplay draft title page dated Aug. 5, 2026.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (left) pictured with Andy Warhol and Fred BraithwaiteCredit: Patrick McMullan/Getty
Basquiat was a Brooklyn-born artist whose graffiti-influenced work — covered in both text and imagery — explored themes of identity, racism, and culture. He was a frequent collaborator of Andy Warhol and also dated Madonna in the early 80s. He died of an accidental heroin overdose in August 1998 at age 27.
Though he got his start as a rapper and producer, Cudi has made a name for himself as an actor for over a decade, holding roles in several notable movies and TV shows, all while creating smash hits and chart-topping albums since his debut single “Day ‘N’ Nite“ in 2008.
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His showbiz pursuit goes back to before his music career began, when he attended the University of Toledo as a film major, but dropped out after a year and moved to Brooklyn to embark on his rap career. There, he met with Kanye West who signed him to his label GOOD Music in 2009. Around the same time, he landed his first TV role on HBO’s How to Make It in America.
Cudi has since starred in films and shows like Westworld, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Two Night Stand, Bill & Ted Face the Music, Don’t Look Up and Ti West’s X trilogy.
Including Jean, he has several more acting projects in the works and will make his directorial debut with Doe, which is currently in post-production, according to IMDb.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
