Lepidopterophobia: The Fear of Butterflies

Yes, it’s a real phobia!

Lupita Nyong’o, star of Jordan Peele’s upcoming horror thriller Us, reveals what her greatest fear is – lepidopterophobia, also known as the fear of butterflies. 

In the film, which is Peele’s follow-up to the successful Get Out, the Wilson family are haunted by a family of doppelgängers, called “The Tethered,” who are essentially monster versions of themselves. Nyong’o plays Adelaide, the matriarch of the Wilson family, but she also plays the villain lookalike, Red. 

The strong theme of doppelgängers in the thriller is due to being one of Peele’s childhood fears. He explained how most of his fears, which also include open water and cockroaches, are all evident in his work. 

As for Nyong’o, when asked what scares her the most, the star immediately proclaimed butterflies. “You have no idea where they’re going, and they have dusty things on their wings…. No!” 

Us hits theaters on March 22, 2019. Check out the full interview below, and let us know what scares you the most.