VIDEO : Sundance: Kid Cudi In 'James White'

James White, which premiered Friday (Jan. 23) on the second day of the Sundance Film Festival, is a hard-hitting drama that takes an unflinchingly close-up look at a twenty-something New Yorker enduring his father's death, his mother's cancer and deep personal demons.Alongside heart-wrenching performances by leads Christopher Abbott (Girls), who plays the title character, and Cynthia Nixon, his mother, there's a strong, supporting turn from a surprising place: rapper Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi, who plays the gay best friend of the movie's heterosexual lead. It's definitely an interesting career turn for a straight rapper who first made a mark in Hollywood as a lead on HBO's How to Make It in America.