While Cudi has seemingly been keeping a low profile from a public standpoint, it turns out he's been working hard on both acting and music in over the last year. While we heard news that he just wrapped filming a new movie with Zoe Kravitz last week, the Man On The Moon had a premiere at Sundance just this weekend, acting in and providing the score for Josh Mond's "James White".
Cudi's role is a gay best friend of the protagonist (played by Christopher Abbott), a challenge he was excited to take. "This was way different than anything else I've ever done," he told Billboard at the premiere. "It was dope to do that. I felt like I had a responsibility to present a different walk in life from that world."
The rapper explained that his sexuality is not a focus in the film, which he found progressive. "When he comes out of the closet it's not really a thing," he said. "I think that's something the world needs to see. 'Cause it's not a thing. We're all equal."
Cudi's only qualm with the final product was that a few of his more intimate scenes didn't make the cut. "I'm mad [Mond] cut out my kissing scenes with David," he said with a smile. "We made out so many times -- and it was so good! That's my only gripe."
As far as the music is concerned, director Josh Mond explained why Cudi was the prefect choice for the score. "I write a lot to music, and Scott's albums I listened to while I was writing," said the director. "It was an inspiration and motivation for me. He really understands me. For the score, we asked him to write something that really paralleled the characters and New York. He found something that's really beautiful, anxious and aggressive."