‘Us’ Movie: What was Hands Across America?

From the creator of the successful thriller Get Out, comedian-turned-director Jordan Peele brings audiences the horror thriller Us with themes revolving around Hands Across America. Learn more about the historic event without spoilers below!

Us opens to a scene with a vintage TV set playing a commercial for Hands Across America. For those who don’t know, Hands Across America was a charitable fundraising event (and the organization that produced the 1985 charity track “We Are the World”) which took place on Sunday, May 25, 1986. 

More than 6.5 million people held hands for fifteen minutes to form a human chain across the United States, raising $34 million dollars to fight hunger and homelessness in America. Although, after costs were deducted, the event only gave $15 million, much less than what organizers originally hoped for, which was between $50 million- $100 million.

In the film, Lupita Nyong’o stars as Adelaide Wilson, a woman returning to her childhood home by the beach with her husband, Gabe (Black Panther co-star Winston Duke), and their two children (Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex) for a summer getaway. Adelaide is haunted by a traumatic experience from her past and grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen. 

And boy, was she right! Peele’s second directorial debut features murderous doppelgängers called “Tethers” who suddenly appear on The Wilson family’s driveway.

Us hits theaters March 22, 2019. Check out the full interview with the cast below!