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Jay Shetty Podcast

Oscar-Winner Daniel Kaluuya: Why You Should Reject Others' Opinions & Bet On Yourself

Today, I sit down with award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, best known for his roles in “Black Panther” and “Get Out”.

Daniel KaluuyaguestJay Shettyhost

Jan 22, 20241h 4mWatch on YouTube

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CHAPTERS

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Chapter summaries

Cold open: facing the “badness” in your journey and learning the lesson
Daniel Kaluuya reflects on how pursuing big goals forces you to confront difficult parts of yourself. He explains that if you don’t learn what a challenge is trying to teach you, it will keep showing up again. The conversation then moves into welcoming him and setting the tone for the episode.
- •Journeys toward what you want contain “badness” you must face in yourself
- •Growth depends on taking the lesson rather than avoiding it
- •Unlearned lessons tend to repeat until you confront them
- •The host introduces Daniel’s multi-hyphenate work (acting, writing, directing, producing)
Childhood bullying story: pushing through until the laughter turns to respect
Daniel shares an early memory from Cubs/Scouts where other kids laugh at him for being a “fat kid” while he’s stuck in a narrowing pothole tunnel. He describes mentally focusing on getting out rather than on their reactions, and how the group’s response shifts from mocking to clapping. He connects that moment to how he approaches obstacles and outside opinions today.
- •A childhood moment of being laughed at becomes a defining resilience lesson
- •He focuses on the task—getting through—rather than trying to win approval
- •The crowd’s reaction changes as he nears the exit, ending in applause
- •He realizes it matters more that he gets there than what others think
- •He notes he used to care about making others “clap,” but learned self-respect first
“I’ve been told I can’t do everything”: rejecting limits and protecting your dream
Daniel explains that nearly everything he’s accomplished came after being told he couldn’t do it, including acting. He describes how he kept his ambitions private so he could fail in private and develop his own definition and style without outside interference. He ties this to a mindset from school and community: you make it work, no matter what resources you have.
- •He recalls being told at 15 that he wouldn’t “make it” in acting
- •He kept goals secret to fail privately and grow at his own pace
- •Private practice helped him define what acting/writing meant to him personally
- •He connects his mentality to class realities and a “make it work” upbringing
- •He emphasizes belief: if he can see it, he thinks he can do it
Where belief comes from: faith, family “yes-and,” and questioning authority
Daniel traces his early confidence to what he watched growing up, plus a deep sense of faith. He describes how his mother challenged him to test whether he really believed in his plans, then supported him once she saw conviction. He also shares a perspective that strangers’ authority doesn’t automatically get to define him or his choices.
- •He cites TV and comedy he watched as part of what fueled belief
- •He describes having “faith” and resisting being defined by others’ opinions
- •His mom challenged him with practical questions to test seriousness
- •He learned to honor belief without over-intellectualizing it
- •He explains a mindset of not letting boundaries dictate what’s possible in your mind
Starting as a writer: a bad grade, a playwriting win, and learning dialogue by observing
Daniel describes writing his first piece at nine, feeling it was great, then receiving a poor grade and deciding to prove himself. He recounts a playwriting course connected to his school, winning a competition, and later writing again as a young adult. He also explains how observing family conversations—especially when he didn’t speak the language—shaped his ear for tone and dialogue.
- •He felt a teacher’s evaluation was wrong and used it as motivation
- •He wrote a play inspired by a TV friendship dynamic and advanced in a competition
- •He describes support from teachers/mentors who saw something in him early
- •He connects his writing voice to observing people’s tone and energy in family settings
- •He later returned to writing after improv and acting sharpened the skill
Improv as “writing on your feet”: yes-and, listening, and building character in real time
Daniel explains how watching teachers perform helped him finally understand improv, and why letting go is central to it. He shares a guiding rule—once you’re in your head, you’re “dead”—and emphasizes the discipline of accepting offers (“yes-and”). The host and Daniel demonstrate how improv techniques create real dialogue and reveal character through interaction.
- •Seeing teachers perform made the concept click for him
- •He highlights letting go and avoiding overthinking during performance
- •He stresses “yes-and” and not rejecting what’s given
- •He describes steering scenes when partners aren’t sure what to do
- •He connects improv to listening, interruptions, and character formation
Football, Arsenal identity, and culture: community pride and “safe” career choices
Daniel and the host bond over football fandom, with Daniel describing how Arsenal felt like a local community identity, not just a team. The conversation shifts into cultural expectations, as the host explains why many South Asian families discourage risky careers like football or acting. They discuss how values around safety and security can limit who pursues certain paths.
- •Daniel describes falling in love with Arsenal through local connection and shared celebration
- •He recalls the community energy after big wins and attending matches when possible
- •He relates Arsenal’s philosophy and stubbornness to his own personality
- •The host explains how safety/security expectations can discourage sports or arts careers
- •They reflect on how cultural values shape which dreams get supported or “called off”
Navigating colorism and racism: being disbelieved, gaslit, and learning your word has value
Daniel describes realizing he was darker than peers in a predominantly Black secondary school, experiencing colorism, and later encountering racism in more middle- and upper-class environments. He explains how difficult it can be to name racism when others dismiss your experience unless an “outside” voice confirms it. He concludes that he had to learn his own word is worth something to him, even when others don’t validate it.
- •He distinguishes early experiences of colorism from later experiences of racism in different spaces
- •He describes lacking language/support to confidently call out what was happening
- •He shares an agent’s blunt explanation that race was affecting roles
- •He explains a metaphor: feeling symptoms but not being allowed to diagnose the “disease”
- •He frames the dynamic as gaslighting and emphasizes valuing his own word
Rejecting other people’s narratives: peace, chaos, and the true cost of dreams
The host notices Daniel’s internal calm despite an opinion-heavy career, and Daniel explains that his core belief is simply “his.” He describes how chaos in your sphere can reveal something you’re not looking at—often caring too much about what people think. He also shares how achieving dreams feels “calm” because the real experience includes the full cost and turbulence, not just the imagined shine.
- •He says his inner core isn’t something he’s trying to manufacture—it’s his
- •He links external “ruckus” to internal areas that need attention
- •He frames over-caring about opinions as a sign to investigate what’s happening inside
- •He describes achievements feeling normal because you feel the price you paid to get there
- •He returns to the idea that journeys include lessons you must face or repeat
The long road to “The Kitchen”: barbershop inspiration, early DIY filmmaking, and evolution over time
Daniel explains how the initial spark for The Kitchen came from overhearing heist talk in a Holloway barbershop and being haunted by both the thrill and the cost. Research revealed a striking mismatch between the value stolen and what people were paid, which deepened his curiosity about London and value systems. He describes getting tired of endless meetings and choosing to make something with a team, using his barber’s shop and limited funds to start, then evolving the project over years.
- •The idea began from real barbershop conversations about heists and risk
- •He was struck by how little people were paid relative to what was stolen
- •He describes wanting to understand what was happening in London beneath the surface
- •He chose making over meetings, assembling a small team and shooting early material
- •The project started with a specific concept (a barbershop setting) and kept evolving
Mentality over mechanics: what he learned from meeting heist-minded people and building characters
Daniel says the most interesting part wasn’t the details of crimes but the mentality behind them—how people organize, communicate, and operate. He discusses exploring values and principles, including a character mindset where the “enemy” is the system rather than another neighborhood. He connects that energy to a broader London identity he sees as sincere and determined to “make it work.”
- •He met people who did similar activities and found their mindset more compelling than the specifics
- •He describes the intelligence involved in organizing and communicating within an operation
- •He focuses on values, principles, and how people define who they’re up against
- •He mentions a character who channels conflict toward the system rather than rival postcodes
- •He links this to a London energy of sincerity and determination
London vs. New York: self-belief, class ceilings, and choosing a bigger identity for your city
Daniel describes a breakthrough after spending time in New York, noticing public pride and a strong sense of self-love in local icons. Returning to London, he compares similar demographics but different collective confidence, concluding that London needs to decide who it is and believe bigger. He critiques class ceilings and “keep calm, carry on” restraint, arguing that people accept limits because someone told them that’s all they can get.
- •He describes noticing New York’s visible pride and belief in its own people
- •He questions why London feels different despite similar demographics
- •He says his mindset shifted toward believing in himself and wanting more for London
- •He critiques the class ceiling and a cultural tendency to suppress ambition
- •He argues that self-definition—deciding “we’re this”—can change what flourishes
How ideas choose you: clarity, “fishing,” and learning whether you’re the right person to say it
Daniel explains that a real idea becomes clear because you can’t shake it; it keeps returning until you feel you must do it. He describes feeling happy when someone else makes an idea he once had because it means it exists without him paying the cost. Using examples of artists describing creativity, he frames ideas as something you “receive” and then must be capable of letting through with your hours, perspective, and upbringing.
- •He says true clarity comes when an idea won’t leave you alone
- •He feels relief and happiness when someone else executes an idea he wanted to see
- •He compares creativity to “fishing” and waiting for the catch
- •He shares a story about fearing an idea could be given to someone else if you don’t act
- •He distinguishes acting as helping someone else say something vs. being the one meant to say it
Awe, presence, and “Is-land”: marveling at existence as a creative and spiritual anchor
Daniel describes celebrating “simple” but astonishing realities—from planes flying to creating life—and warns against losing awe just because something is common. He introduces a concept of staying in “Is-land,” focusing on what is rather than getting trapped in perception and past pain. The host reflects that Daniel’s presence feels calm and “monk-like,” and Daniel receives that while emphasizing gratitude and groundedness.
- •He emphasizes awe: common things can still be “wow”
- •He frames creativity as making something that doesn’t exist exist
- •He describes “Is-land” as staying present with what is, not only mental narratives
- •He ties gratitude and wonder to staying grounded amid modern overwhelm
- •The host observes a monk-like calm in his mindset and presence
Fame, perception, and the shift from “being good” to “being honest”
Asked what people might not understand about him, Daniel says fame arrived as a surprising byproduct of work, and he’s learned not to invest in curating perception. He recounts entering an industry obsessed with “greatness,” studying acclaimed performances, and realizing skill without purpose felt empty. He describes a personal shift: instead of trying to be good, he tries to be honest—and makes peace with growth, time, and changing his mind.
- •He says he didn’t choose fame; it came unexpectedly as work scaled
- •He resists curating how people perceive him because it’s exhausting and unreliable
- •He studied films and performances but questioned “great for what?”
- •He describes self-critique becoming a prison when chasing being “good”
- •He adopts a principle: truth is what happened; honesty is how you felt about it at the time
What he wants audiences to feel: shareability, a crackle of excitement, and work that moves people
Daniel says he can’t control what people feel without robbing them of their experience, but he hopes his work creates excitement people want to share. He wants someone to call a friend and say, “Have you seen this? This is mad,” and feel pride in passing it along. He compares his goal to making music that makes people dance—something you feel rather than intellectualize.
- •He avoids trying to manage audience reactions to preserve their experience
- •He wants his work to be something people enthusiastically recommend to friends
- •He highlights the difference between excellent work that’s shareable vs. work you keep to yourself
- •He aims for an emotional “crackle” that triggers movement or action afterward
- •He critiques feelings that stay as “adjectives” vs. feelings that are truly felt
Final Five: “everything matters,” rejecting “accept less,” prayer, and a law about living with those you hate
In the rapid-fire closing questions, Daniel shares a key piece of advice from his mother: “everything matters,” especially small details that reflect character. He names the worst advice as anything that communicates “accept less,” rooted in implied hierarchies. He also describes praying with gratitude morning and night, and proposes a law where proven haters must live with the people they hate for a year.
- •Best advice: his mother’s principle that “everything little matters”
- •Worst advice: messages that encourage people to “accept less” based on hierarchy
- •Daily practice: prayer focused on thanks and gratitude
- •He frames prayer as grounding his ego and helping him listen to himself
- •Proposed law: if proven to hate a person/group, punishment is living with them for a year

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