Day One,’ Lupita Nyong’o Fought Zombies in This Movie

The Big Picture

• Miss Caroline in
  Little Monsters
  sets a new standard for on-screen teachers, showcasing a realistic and relatable portrayal of the profession.
• Lupita Nyong’o’s performance as Miss Caroline balances compassion and resourcefulness, highlighting the importance of trust and care in teaching.
• Nyong’o’s versatility shines through in her role, contrasting her previous horror performance in
  Us
  and solidifying her as a powerhouse in the genre.

Lupita Nyong’o is fast becoming a household name in horror following her acclaimed role in Jordan Peele‘s Us and her starring role in the highly anticipated A Quiet Place: Day One. However, her involvement in blockbuster hits means her performance in the indie movie Little Monsters is often overlooked. Nyong’o completely embodies the role of Miss Caroline, a kindergarten teacher who must protect her class following a zombie outbreak on a field trip. The focus of the movie is the relationship between student/teacher, and how vital that is at a young age; so Nyong’o’s performance is essential to the movie’s success.

It is not a zombie movie, but a movie that happens to have zombies in it, with the antagonist used as a catalyst to explore this relationship in an extreme situation. Miss Caroline remains grounded in her teaching methods and reminds us that a child’s trust in their teacher is not a result of extraordinary teaching methods but through care and trust. This counters the usual representations of teachers, particularly in the drama genre, that indicate teachers need to be unconventional to inspire their pupils. Nyong’o creates a recognizable teacher. She isn’t superhuman, but she still inspires and protects her class. It is this attachment to reality that allows Little Monsters to feel believable and extremely human. The role is a complete contrast to Nyong’o’s other 2019 horror performance, as Red/Adelaide in Us, and proves she has the range to play both the hero and the villain in horror.

‘Little Monsters’ Is a Realistic Portrayal of Teaching

Little Monsters mostly takes place in the singular location of Plesant Valley farm, which the class is visiting on a field trip. It is quickly revealed when the class arrives at the farm that next door is a military facility, and a zombie has escaped and has started to infect anyone they come across. The moments of the kids having a blast and learning are cut with slow-moving zombies entering the park. When the class is on a tractor ride, their tour guide ends up getting bitten by a zombie, and it is up to Miss Caroline, their teacher, to guide them to safety and navigate this zombie outbreak. However, she makes the decision not to explain the truth to her class but instead convince them they are playing a big game, and the zombies are all a part of the planned trip. Explained as an ultimate round of tag, Miss Caroline undertakes the mammoth responsibility of ensuring all her students make it out of the farm alive, whatever it takes.

Lupita Nyong’o’s performance as Miss Caroline is a grounded portrayal of the realities of teaching. There is a stark contrast between who Miss Caroline is in front of the children and her persona away from them. As a calm, maternal figure in among the chaos, she is a stabilizing presence not just for the children, but for the audience. When TV presenter Teddy McGiggle (Josh Gad) threatens to reveal the true extent of the situation and the potential danger to the children, Miss Caroline quickly pulls him aside. Nyong’o immediately flips her tone to one that is much more threatening. Nyong’o highlights the difference between when she is communicating with the children and hiding the intensity of the situation and when she is talking to the other adults who stand in the way of her successfully doing her job. This showcases the internal struggle Miss Caroline is facing, trying not to indicate any sign of fear to the children as they are her top priority.

Lupita Nyong’o in ‘Little Monsters’ Contrasts Other Teachers on Screen

Teaching on screen is often misrepresented, with the profession often sensationalized. Popular representations such as Dead Poets Society and Freedom Writers show radical teachers who use unorthodox methods to gain the trust and respect of their students. However, Miss Caroline subverts this expectation, showing through her resourcefulness that an on-screen teacher doesn’t need to be revolutionary to have the trust of her classroom. It means Little Monsters feels grounded in its portrayal of a kindergarten class. The sense of trust between Miss Caroline and her students is palpable. Her use of attention-grabbers and repetition reflect realistic teaching methods, which contrasts with the likes of Mr. Keating, adding vital balance to the representations of teachers on screen.

Miss Caroline is still a savior teacher, especially when she runs a gauntlet of zombies to get one of her students Felix’s (Diesel La Torraca) inhaler, but she is never perceived as superhuman. Instead, she represents the humility of teaching, explaining she is simply doing her job. Nyong’o shows a firm belief that this is what Miss Caroline sees as her duty of care and that any teacher would do the same. Finding safety in the farm’s gift shop, Nyong’o plays a lullaby on the ukulele to help the children settle down to sleep for the evening. It is these moments of quiet that elevate Little Monsters to more than just a zombie movie. Nyong’o’s acting is quiet and subtle, reflecting the serenity Miss Caroline is trying to portray to her students despite the chaos outside the window. It is an exploration of the importance of a teacher to young children, and Nyong’o’s performance is essential to showing the care she has for her students, and why that love is reciprocated.

Lupita Nyong’o Was the Top Choice for ‘Little Monsters’

Director Abe Forsythe thought it was improbable that Nyong’o would say yes to the project, but she was the ultimate choice for the movie. Forsythe felt that if his son were in a zombie apocalypse he would feel “okay if Lupita was his kindergarten teacher.” The way she connected to the script allowed her to keep the performance grounded and truthful. Horror movie survivors should be easy to root for, and Little Monsters is a movie where the audience is on the edge of their seats as they cheer on Miss Caroline. This is down to her likable, grounded, and compassionate approach to teaching and her duty of care for her students.

Lupita Nyong’o’s other 2019 horror performance was the dual role as Red/Adelaide in Jordan Peele’s Us, a part that completely contrasts Miss Caroline. The role was acclaimed by fans, although snubbed by major awards, with many praising Nyong’o’s ability to embody two separate characters and often being her own scene partner. The role of Miss Caroline allowed Nyong’o to showcase her acting range. It is a completely different role in both its purpose and its delivery. It proved Nyong’o can deliver a knock-out horror performance as both the hero and the villain. In Us, she is unsettling and sinister, but in Little Monsters she is heartwarming and relatable. Knowing she can play either side of the genre makes her upcoming role in the A Quiet Place prequel, A Quiet Place: Day One, even more exciting and cements her as a new heavyweight in the horror genre.

Little Monsters is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

Watch on Hulu