It teases. It taunts. And a new trailer for the upcoming Netflix series The Get Down definitely aims to pique our interest.
In a new clip from Baz Lurhmann’s belabored series, Jaden Smith plays Marcus Kipling, a young man taking his first tenuous steps in a gay bar.
Related: Radar Calls Will Smith’s Alleged Homosexuality “Humiliating” In Shockingly Homophobic Cover Story
As always happens the first time anyone walks nervously into a gay bar, the ideal ’70s jock — Thor, played by Noah Le Gros — shyly comes up to Jaden, peering seductively through touseled tresses before mustering up the courage to lock tremulous lips with the young man.
The music swells, and, as almost always happens in situations such as these, it’s Christina Aguilera — a new track called “Telepathy.”
Related: PHOTOS: Jaden Smith Rocks A Skirt — Just A Skirt — And We’re All About It
Times have changed at lightning speed: Jaden has managed to one-up his father Will Smith, who confessed to Entertainment Weekly that he had to use a stunt double in order to shoot a fleeting kiss with Anthony Michael Hall in 1993’s Six Degrees of Separation:
It was very immature on my part. I was thinking, ‘How are my friends in Philly going to think about this?’ I wasn’t emotionally stable enough to artistically commit to that aspect of the film. In a movie with actors and a director and writer of this caliber, for me to be the one bringing something cheesy to it…. This was a valuable lesson for me. Either you do it or you don’t.”
Related: Radar Calls Will Smith’s Alleged Homosexuality “Humiliating” In Shockingly Homophobic Cover Story
Watch the promo clip here:
Bob LaBlah
If that scene was the best they could do for promotion: Thank you, but I’ll pass on it.
DDstar1me
@Bob LaBlah…Lmao. My sentiments exactly.
This looks like a spinoff of a spinoff of a spinoff of another spinoff that’s loosely based off of a spinoff.
misterheck
Queerty – It’s not an “upcoming” Nextflix series. It’s been out for almost two weeks now.
Hermes
OK – we have Netflix – that is adorable. I will be watching it. I don’t know what is wrong with some of you on here. The bitterness makes no sense. This was adorably cute and so 70s and so perfect. It breaks all the walls (gay and interracial) Is no one else here old enough to remember when even in NY the bars, at least upstate, had to keep the door locked and tell people that they needed to affirm that they understood they were entering a “deviant sexual establishment?” I remember. I also remember thinking how cute a boy who looks a lot like Jaden does in this was so cute. I never dared try to kiss him, but we did become friends. It’s sweet as pie. Thanks for sharing it.
He BGB
I wish more tv and movies were made about the 70s, the BEST decade ever to be gay. It was safe sexually but still a little dangerous to go to the clubs (that only had back doors you could enter). Music was incredible with whole orchestras with thumping bass lines and sexy lyrics. But putting on an afro, does not the 70s make.
ErikO
Both parents and the one kid at least are closeted.
OzJosh
This clip exemplifies everything that is annoying about the series. It’s an endless cheesy music video occasionally interrupted by outbursts of actual drama. It has pretensions to be epic, even Shakespearean, but deals almost entirely in cliches. And it pollutes the 70s setting with 21st century social politics and sensibilities in a way that totally misrepresents the era. Worse, the more it struggles to be filmic and visually arresting, the more it comes across as stagey and cartoonish. By the end of the first relentless 90 minutes – which felt like it was twice that length – I cared about none of the characters and wanted to take out a contract on Baz Luhrmann.
Hermes
@OzJosh As a person who still has buttons and rally stickers from the early 80s and who was pushing the idea that we should be equal in the very late 70s as a teen – a disagree.
Blackceo
This is the first time I’m even seeing anything about this show. Can’t tell much from that clip but I like Jaden Smith so I will be checking that out.
Kangol
@OzJosh: It’s a Baz Luhrman production, so that explains the music video-esque quality. It gets some things very wrong about New York City and el Bronx, but gets others very right. I especially love how it shows the tensions and closeness between the black, latinx and afrolatinx during that era in NYC. Its portrait of el Bronx is unrelentingly negative. Yes, the South Bronx was in very bad shape, but not the whole borough! Also, I hope they show some of the legendary gay clubs, including the Paradise Garage, which opened in 1977, and Studio 54, if they continue with Jaden’s character. Who’ll play DJ Larry Levan, one of the greatest of all time?
Mmmrrrggglll
Booo
rcktetr
This kid has to be the most annoying little twit on earth. Go away kid.