New York creator of Chucky, Don Mancini, has slammed Nicki Minaj over an AI-generated image she shared, saying that the horror doll is anti-ICE.
Don Mancini is a screenwriter, director, and producer best known for creating the Child’s Play horror franchise, which introduced audiences to the killer doll Chucky in 1988. He wrote all seven films in the original franchise and directed Seed of Chucky (2004), Curse of Chucky (2013), and Cult of Chucky (2017). Mancini also created the Chucky television series and served as its showrunner. The series premiered in 2021 and ran for three seasons. He has been involved in developing the character and expanding the franchise for nearly four decades.
The situation began after Nicki Minaj shared an AI-generated image of Chucky on her X account. In the image, the doll was wearing a pink suit and a pin that read “vote red.” She captioned the post, “HAPPY ELECTION DAY‼!” prompting Mancini to respond.
The creator shared a picture on his X account featuring a real-life version of Chucky. He used the image to express the doll’s political views, describing Chucky as anti-ICE and a Democrat. “Chucky has a trans kid. Chucky protects the dolls,” he wrote. He then added, “Chucky is anti-ICE. Chucky says ‘A BLUE WAVE is coming, as BLUE as my [expletive] eyes!’” The doll was also wearing an “I voted” sticker.
In a follow-up post, Mancini addressed Minaj directly by sharing the same picture of Chucky, this time with the doll’s hair colored blue in reference to Democrats. “Too bad, Nicki! No AI, by the way! #bluewave,” he wrote.
This is not the first time Minaj has faced criticism over her political views and association with Trump. The rapper has drawn backlash for publicly supporting the president and aligning herself with Republicans. This is particularly from fans who disagree with her political stance. Mancini’s response adds to the criticism, as he used Chucky to reject the Republican message Minaj promoted in her AI-generated image.
Fans Praise New York Creator Over Slamming Nicki Minaj
Many fans online praised the New York Chucky creator’s response to Minaj. They argued that the singer should stop commenting on politics. “Move @NICKIMAGAJ, it’s so embarrassing for you,” one person wrote. Another commented, “she’s getting whacked by everyone omg.”
More people expressed support for Mancini’s response. “I knew I loved that crazy lil doll,” one person wrote. Another commented, “This statement is actually so iconic. Why do creators always have to remind people that their horror icons have basic human empathy. The way people act surprised that a queer horror franchise creator has progressive political views is wild.”
Mancini’s response prompted discussion about the criticism Minaj has faced in recent months. Furthermore, it raised questions about whether creators should speak out when their work is used to promote messages or causes they disagree with.
