B.C. Lions’ defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy has a well-documented affinity for a well-known Stephen King character but his obsession appears to have reached new heights.
The 29-year-old got an early start to Halloween on Thursday when he arrived to the airport for B.C.’s flight to Edmonton sporting a full-body costume of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. The look featured a high-quality rubber mask, orange wig, grey jumpsuit with belt and pompom buttons, white gloves, and shoes. The costume was captured on video by the team and can also be seen on his Instagram page.
Time to float… 🎈 pic.twitter.com/pzdmFE6iwp
— BC LIONS (@BCLions) October 20, 2022
Pennywise is the antagonist of King’s novel It, a 1,138-page epic that was published in 1986. The book was adapted into a two-part television miniseries in 1990 and made its way to the big screen in 2017 with a feature-length film starring Bill Skarsgård in the role of Pennywise. The movie grossed over $700 million at the box office, leading to a sequel titled It Chapter Two that was released in 2019.
Though It has played a role in pop culture since the book’s original release, its influence reached new heights upon the release of its most recent films. Purifoy’s costume represents the on-screen depiction of Pennywise.
The veteran defensive back has dressed for all 16 games with the Lions this year, starting at strong-side linebacker, boundary cornerback, and safety. He has recorded 50 defensive tackles, nine defensive tackles, three interceptions, and one sack on the year, his sixth in the CFL.
The B.C. Lions (11-5) are scheduled to visit the Edmonton Elks (4-13) on Friday with kickoff slated for 9:45 p.m. EDT. The team would clinch second place in the West Division with a win, giving B.C. its first home postseason game since 2016.
