'Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker' Gay Moment Don't Faze Cha - Variety

Contents:

• STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER HAS ANCHISE'S FIRST GAY KISS
• STAR WARS IS GAY! 7 CANONILLY QUEER AND NON-BARY CHARACTERS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT
• 'STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER' FEATUR FIRST GAY KISS A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY
• STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER’S GAY CHARACTERS EXPLAED
• STAR WARS PRODUCERS CONFIRM THE FRANCHISE’S FIRST OPENLY GAY ONSCREEN COUPLESTAR WARS RISTANCE, WHICH AIRS ON THE DISNEY CHANNEL, FEATUR TWO CHARACTERS NAMED ORKA AND FLIX. BOBBY MOYNIHAN, WHO VOIC ORKA, PUT LIKE THIS: “ALL I N SAY IS THAT WHEN FLIX SAYS, ‘I LOVE YOU,’ ORKA SAYS, ‘I KNOW’.... THEY’RE THE CUTT.”BY LRA BRADLEYOCTOBER 1, 2019COURTY OF DISNEY CHANNEL.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEAT LONG LAST, THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE FEATUR AN OPENLY GAY UPLE—AND APPARENTLY THEY’VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. FANS OF THE ANIMATED SERI STAR WARS RISTANCE HAVE SPECTED THAT TWO CHARACTERS, ORKA (VOICED BY BOBBY MOYNIHAN) AND FLIX (JIM RASH), ARE A PAIR EVER SCE A SEASON-ONE EPISO, “DANGERO BS,” WHICH AIRED JANUARY AND FEATUR THE TWO VISG FLIX’S MOTHER. AND NOW, THE SHOW’S PRODUCERS HAVE NFIRMED THE ROMANCE ON THE PODST COFFEE WH KENOBI.EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JT RIDGE TOLD THE PODST, “I THK ’S SAFE TO SAY THEY’RE AN EM, ABSOLUTELY,” RIDGE TELLS PRS. “THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY A GAY UPLE, AND WE’RE PROUD OF THAT. WE LOVE FLIX AND ORKA.” MOYNIHAN ALSO CHIMED : “I HAVE HAD A SENTENCE PREPARED FOR A YEAR AND A HALF,” HE SAID. “IF SOMEONE WOULD FALLY ASK ME, I WOULD SAY, ‘ALL I N SAY IS THAT WHEN FLIX SAYS, ‘I LOVE YOU,’ ORKA SAYS, ‘I KNOW’…. THEY’RE THE CUTT.”THE NEWS IS EXCG FOR FANS, BUT ALSO BTERSWEET: STAR WARS RISTANCE WILL END AFTER S SEND SEASON, WHICH BUTS ON OCTOBER 6. BUT AS MOR AS THE PROGRS IS A ANCHISE AS LONG AND EXPANSIVE AS STAR WARS, IS AT LEAST PROGRS. IT’S STRIKG THAT DISNEY WOULD RPORATE A GAY UPLE TO ANY OF S PROJECTS, BUT FEELS PECIALLY RONANT THAT ’S HAPPENG ON A CHILDREN’S SHOW. THEN AGA, ANIMATED SERI HAVE GIVEN SOME OF TV’S MOST NEEDLE-PHG MOMENTS SO FAR WHEN TO QUEER REPRENTATN YOUTH MEDIA—SO REALLY, STAR WARS IS SIMPLY JOG A GROWG TRADN.AS DEADLE NOT, THIS STAR WARS NEWS IS ALSO JT THE LATT EXAMPLE OF DISNEY SHORG UP S LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN. AS ANNOUNCED THIS PAST SUMMER, THE UPG THOR: LOVE AND THUNR WILL FD TSA THOMPSON’S VALKYRIE SEARCHG FOR “HER QUEEN”—AND THAT A CHARACTER OM THE UPG MARVEL FILM ETERNALS WILL ALSO BE GAY. SO SEEMS WE’VE MA SOME PROGRS SCE THAT “EXCLIVELY GAY MOMENT” BETY AND THE BEAST—BUT PECIALLY WH RISTANCE G TO AN END SOON, THERE’S ALWAYS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR MORE.MORE GREAT STORI OM VANY FAIR— APPLE LEARNS OM ONE OF NETFLIX’S BIGGT MISTAK— WHAT THE REAL-LIFE SPIRATN FOR HTLERS THKS OF J. LO’S PERFORMANCE— REMEMBERG SHAWSHANK REMPTN, 25 YEARS AFTER S BUT— A SPRKLE OF MEGHAN MAGIC CAPE TOWN— IMPEACHMENT FERVOR IS G A CK AT FOX NEWS— FROM THE ARCHIVE: THE DRAMA BEHD REBEL WHOUT A CSE AND A YOUNG STAR’S ATHLOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISLRA BRADLEY
• ‘STAR WARS’ UNIVERSE GETS S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• STAR WARS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LTLE GAY. IT JT NEEDS TO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET.
• ARE WE REALLY GOG TO PRETEND THAT GAY KISS THE RISE OF SKYWALKER MATTERS?STAR WARS DIRECTOR J.J. ABRAMS TALKED A GOOD GAME ABOUT REPRENTATN—AND THEN GAVE TWO SENDS OF LIP SERVICE BETWEEN MOR CHARACTERS. THAT'S PANRG, NOT PROGRS.BY K. AT COLLSDECEMBER 20, 2019BY JONATHAN OLLEY/LUSFILM LTD./DISNEY.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEANOTHER H MOVIE, ANOTHER CMB OF GAY PANRG, ANOTHER ROUND OF THE UAL PLATS.THE FIRST THG I DID AFTER SEEG J.J. ABRAMS’S STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER—THE NTH FILM THE STORIED STAR WARS SAGA, AND A SURE-FIRE BOX OFFICE H, PER MICKEY MOE’S GRAND SIGN—WAS GOOGLE “STAR WARS GAY KISS.” NOT BEE I NEED TO VERIFY THAT THE MOMENT QUTN REALLY HAPPENED—I’D SEEN FOR MYSELF: A BRIEF FLASH OF TWO WOMEN KISSG LATE THE MOVIE, AMONG A CROWD OF CHARACTERS, HUMANOID AND NOT, ALL OF THEM HUGGG, KISSG, AND CHEERG AWAY. SO: NFIRMED.I WAS LOOKG, STEAD, FOR THE PROMISE. AS SOON AS THOSE WOMEN APPEARED ONSCREEN I KNEW, STCTIVELY, THAT AT SOME POT, SOMEONE ASSOCIATED WH SKYWALKER MT ALREADY HAVE HTED AT THE FILM’S “LGBT REPRENTATN” EARLY S PRS CYCLE. I KNEW THAT THE TWO-SEND PECK BETWEEN TWO WOMEN THAT I SAW—JT BARELY, I ALMOST BLKED AND MISSED —WAS A MOMENT THAT SOME PEOPLE MT HAVE GONE TO THE FILM EXPECTG TO SEE, BEE THE STUD AND/OR FILMMAKERS HAD ALREADY PATTED THEMSELV ON THE BACK FOR .WELL, THAT WAS EASY. EARLIER THIS MONTH VARIETY, ABRAMS DASHED STAR WARS FANS’ LONG-NNG HOP FOR A ROMANCE BETWEEN POE DAMERON (OSR ISAAC) AND FN (JOHN BOYEGA) BY NFIRMG THAT NO SUCH ROMANCE BLOSSOMS SKYWALKER—SORRY. “THAT RELATNSHIP TO ME IS A FAR EPER ONE THAN A ROMANTIC ONE,” SAID ABRAMS. “IT IS A EP BOND THAT THE TWO HAVE, NOT JT BEE OF THE TRIAL BY FIRE WHICH THEY MET, BUT ALSO BEE OF THEIR WILLGNS TO BE AS TIMATE AS THEY ARE, AS AAID AS THEY, AS UNSURE AS THEY ARE, AND STILL BE BOLD, AND STILL BE DARG AND BRAVE.” A LOT OF WORDS. BUT DON’T ET—HERE’S THE IMPORTANT B: “IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT PEOPLE WHO GO TO SEE THIS MOVIE FEEL THAT THEY’RE BEG REPRENTED THE FILM.”REPRENTED. IT’S A FAIAR WORD. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE RSO BROTHERS TOLD DEADLE THAT THEIR THEN UPG FILM, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, WOULD SIARLY FEATURE A GAY CHARACTER— “LGBT REPRENTATN,” OTHER WORDS. THE CHARACTER AMOUNTS TO A SGLE SCENE—REALLY, A LE—AND IS PLAYED BY DIRECTOR JOE RSO HIMSELF, WHICH ON S FACE MAK THE ENTIRE ENAVOR FEEL MORE LIKE A MATTER OF SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT THAN A REAL STAB AT BRGG A QUEER CHARACTER TO THE FOLD. THE RSOS GOT A HANDSOME B OF PRS OUT OF THE MATTER REGARDLS.“REPRENTATN IS REALLY IMPORTANT,” JOE RSO TOLD DEADLE, RECG THE LYRICS TO A SONG I’VE GROWN VERY WARY OF HEARG. “IT WAS IMPORTANT TO AS WE DID FOUR OF THE FILMS, WE WANTED A GAY CHARACTER SOMEWHERE THEM…IT IS A PERFECT TIME, BEE ONE OF THE THGS THAT IS PELLG ABOUT THE MARVEL UNIVERSE MOVG FORWARD IS S FOC ON DIVERSY.”THAT GAY CHARACTER WAS HERALD AS THE FIRST LGBT CHARACTER THE (ADMTEDLY SHORT) HISTORY OF THE MARVEL MOVI, JT AS THE BRIEF LBIAN KISS SKYWALKER WAS HERALD AS THE FIRST OF S KD FOR STAR WARS. THE BENCHMARKS FELY UNT AS “REPRENTATN.” BUT DO THEY—SHOULD THEY—UNT AS BENCHMARKS?MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDTHAT PENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT . IT IS UNNIABLE THAT ANCHISE FARE HAS TAKEN OVER THE WORLD OF MOVI, AND HARDLY ONLY THE U.S. AND YET THERE’S A WARPED UNRTONE TO THIS ENTIRE NVERSATN—ONE WHICH TWO SENDS OF TWO WOMEN KISSG IS, SOMEHOW, SIGNIFINT. SURE, ’S SIGNIFINT FOR STAR WARS—JT AS ENDGAME’S GAY RSO IS “SIGNIFINT” FOR S MOVIE, BEE THE THGS HAD NEVER HAPPENED THOSE NTEXTS BEFORE.BUT THE MOVI WERE RELEASED 2019—AND THAT, IF NO OTHER REASON, SUGGTS THAT WE NEED A NEW, BETTER NTEXT. ONE GAY KISS STAR WARS IS ONLY AN ADVANCEMENT THE WORLD OF STAR WARS. BUT LOOK HOW FAR LAGS BEHD THE RT OF THE VAST HISTORY OF QUEER REPRENTATN THE VISUAL ARTS, BROADLY SPEAKG, WORLDWI: OM MOVI GOG BACK AS FAR AS SILENT CEMA (CARL THEODOR DREYER’S MICHAEL, OM 1924) AND ENPASSG THE PASSNATE POLIL WORK MA AT THE HEIGHT OF THE AIDS CRISIS, TO EVERY PHOTO YOU’VE EVER SEEN OF GAY SAILORS, TO THE RADIL QUEER FEMISM OF ARTISTS LIKE BARBARA HAMMER, TO—OF URSE—THE OVERWHELMG AMOUNT OF QUEER ART THE FANTASY GENRE, ALL OF IMPLICLY K TO STAR WARS.AND THAT’S MERELY IF WE’RE STARTG OM THE 20TH CENTURY—I ULD GO ON AND ON, FURTHER AND FURTHER BACK. FOR ALL S ABSENC AND IMPOSSIBILI, THE VISUAL HISTORY OF QUEER REPRENTATN REMAS VAST. TLY, I AM NOT SURE WE GIVE ENOUGH CRED. ALL OF THIS—THE WARPED STUD PRODUCTS DOWN TO THE MOST MCULE EPHEMERA—UNTS TOWARD THE HISTORY OF QUEER REPRENTATN. AND OUT OF ALL OF THIS, TWO SENDS OF TWO WOMEN KISSG A STAR WARS MOVIE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MEANGFUL? IT’S ASSUMED THAT BEE STAR WARS IS SO POPULAR, A MOMENT LIKE THIS MIGHT “CHANGE ATTUS.” BUT, FACT, THE CLNS REFLECT ATTUS: THEY REFLECT A DISNEY THAT’S FALLY WILLG TO LET TWO PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX KISS--OR, THE ENDGAME SE, REFER TO EACH OTHER AS PARTNERS. AND THE SAME MOMENT, THEY REFLECT HOW FAR DISNEY IS, OR ISN’T, WILLG TO GO. ABOUT TWO SENDS, ONE MOVIE. A THROWAWAY LE THE OTHER.WHEN I HEAR ANCHISE FILMMAKERS CLAIM THAT THEIRS WILL BE THE FIRST FILM OF THEIR ANCHISE TO DO THIS OR THAT WH LGBT REPRENTATN, WHAT I HEAR IS HUBRIS, OR AT LEAST A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND NTEXT. I DON’T HEAR THOSE FILMMAKERS POTG OUT HOW LATE THEY ARE—HOW ULD THEY PAT THEMSELV ON THE BACK AND SELF-CRIQUE AT ONCE?—OR HOW LTLE THE FX-RADIL ACTS OF REPRENTATN MEAN THE SCHEME OF THGS, HOW LTLE THEY ACTUALLY DO TO ENLIVEN, REFLECT, OR EXPLORE THE LIV OF QUEER PEOPLE OR, JT AS URGENTLY, CHALLENGE THE NORMS THAT HAVE MA THIS REPRENTATN NECSARY.NO, THE FILMMAKERS ARE STEAD NTENT TO GET JT BEFORE THE FISH LE, WAG UNTIL THE VERY LAST MOVI THEIR RPECTIVE ANCHIS TO THROW THE DOGS A BONE. THE ONLY WAY TO TALK ABOUT THE BENCHMARKS IS DISMISSIVELY: TOO LTLE, TOO LATE. BUT WE’RE OF URSE SUPPOSED TO CELEBRATE. NEVER MD THE CREDIBLE TROVE OF LGBT REPRENTATN YOU DO SEE , SAY, FAN FICTN; NEVER MD ALL THE WAYS FANS HAVE TAKEN THE MERE IA OF FN AND POE AS LOVERS AND DONE MORE WH , WH MORE CREATIVY AND SYMPATHY, THAN ANY DISNEY PROPERTY WILL LIKELY EVER DO. NEVER MD THE FACT THAT, ACRDGLY, LGBT REPRENTATN DISNEY’S ART DO EXIST—AMONG S FANS, NOT S CREATORS.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDTHE IA THAT THE LGHABLY MOR WS ARE SOMETHG TO CELEBRATE GO HAND HAND WH DISNEY’S BROAR ATTU TOWARD FILM HISTORY, WHICH THE PANY HAS LONG SEEMED TO THK IS SOMETHG BETTER OFF LOCKED UP A VLT SOMEWHERE—THE BETTER TO EXPLO THE ART’S VALUE, AFTER ALL. LET’S JT SAY STRAIGHT: THE PANY THAT WON’T EVEN LET BABY YODA MEM FLOURISH WHOUT LOSG S SH OVER PYRIGHT WILL NEVER BE A BEAN OF REPRENTATN OF ANY SORT, LET ALONE QUEER REPRENTATN, WHICH, AMONG OTHER THGS, HAS OFTEN MA SPORT OF APPROPRIATG AND MSY-G THE FIRM SEXUAL BOUNDARI OSTENSIBLY STRAIGHT, PYRIGHTED ART. DISNEY IS TOO NCERNED WH REPRENTATN AS PRODUCT TO BE A BEAN OF ANYTHG. AND THE FANS WHO RE WILL STILL, EVEN AS OF THE TWO MOVI, LARGELY BE LEFT TO THEIR OWN CREATIVE, IMAGATIVE VIC—AND THEY ARE PROBABLY BETTER OFF.I’D FEEL A B DIFFERENTLY IF NO ONE VOLVED HAD NGRATULATED THEMSELV OR TREATED THIS LANDMARK B OF CLN LIKE ANYTHG BUT THE SHAME IS. BEE, OBVLY, THE MOMENTS MATTER MOST TO THE QUEER PEOPLE WORLDWI WHO LOVE THE MOVI. THEY UNRSTANDABLY FEEL ACKNOWLEDGED—BY A SCENE THAT, SHOULD ANY OF THE FILM’S TERNATNAL MARKETS BALK, N EASILY BE REMOVED, IF NECSARY. THAT HAS A WAY OF MAKG LOOK LIKE A POTENTIAL LIABILY, RATHER THAN LIKE A PART OF THE FAY. IS THAT WHAT WE’RE CELEBRATG?WHEN DISNEY DO THE BARE MIMUM, ISN’T ACKNOWLEDGG YOU: ’S BUYG YOU. IT’S BUYG EVERYONE, EVERYTHG. AND AMONG THE MANY REASONS ’S WORTH STOMPG OUR FEET OVER DISNEY’S PH TO LE THE WORLD OF MOVI IS THIS: THIS IS THE REPRENTATN YOU GET WHEN DISNEY L THE WORLD. THIS IS WHAT YOU GET: TWO WOMEN, TWO SENDS. TLY, I’M OVERWHELMED. BUT NOT THE WAY DISNEY HOP, OR THKS, I SHOULD BE.K. AT COLLS
• DISNEY OPENS NEW IMMERSIVE ‘STAR WARS’-THEMED GAY CONVERSN CAMP
• WHY SOME 'STAR WARS' FANS THK THE TWO CHARACTERS ARE GAY
• CHE CENSORS, DIENC UNFAZED BY 'RISE OF SKYWALKER' GAY KISS
• ‘STAR WARS: RISE OF SKYWALKER’ GAY MOMENT DON’T FAZE CHE AUDIENC, CENSORS
• STAR WARS RISTANCE NFIRMS ORKA AND FLIX AS OPENLY GAY UPLE

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER HAS ANCHISE'S FIRST GAY KISS

Abrams went on a whirlwd prs tour to tout the first gay kiss all of Star Wars.

Flix and Orka are a fully nonil gay uple.

STAR WARS IS GAY! 7 CANONILLY QUEER AND NON-BARY CHARACTERS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT

The game’s 2009 release mak Juhani one of the first openly gay characters (that didn’t get retnned) the Star Wars universe. A regular human, Rath is the first openly gay character the seri. An sir close to Disney nied that Cha had ever played a role termg whether or not the stud will clu gay characters s films.

'STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER' FEATUR FIRST GAY KISS A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY

Although another major foreign terrory, Rsia, has famoly passed anti-gay laws, LGBTQ ntent is taken more on a se-by-se basis, allowg some movi to enter the untry whout objectn or alteratn.

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER’S GAY CHARACTERS EXPLAED

“Thgs have fely gotten better wh studs payg attentn to racial and ethnic reprentatn, but LGBTQ reprentatn n sometim hge on ‘why do this character need to be gay story terms?

STAR WARS PRODUCERS CONFIRM THE FRANCHISE’S FIRST OPENLY GAY ONSCREEN COUPLESTAR WARS RISTANCE, WHICH AIRS ON THE DISNEY CHANNEL, FEATUR TWO CHARACTERS NAMED ORKA AND FLIX. BOBBY MOYNIHAN, WHO VOIC ORKA, PUT LIKE THIS: “ALL I N SAY IS THAT WHEN FLIX SAYS, ‘I LOVE YOU,’ ORKA SAYS, ‘I KNOW’.... THEY’RE THE CUTT.”BY LRA BRADLEYOCTOBER 1, 2019COURTY OF DISNEY CHANNEL.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEAT LONG LAST, THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE FEATUR AN OPENLY GAY UPLE—AND APPARENTLY THEY’VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. FANS OF THE ANIMATED SERI STAR WARS RISTANCE HAVE SPECTED THAT TWO CHARACTERS, ORKA (VOICED BY BOBBY MOYNIHAN) AND FLIX (JIM RASH), ARE A PAIR EVER SCE A SEASON-ONE EPISO, “DANGERO BS,” WHICH AIRED JANUARY AND FEATUR THE TWO VISG FLIX’S MOTHER. AND NOW, THE SHOW’S PRODUCERS HAVE NFIRMED THE ROMANCE ON THE PODST COFFEE WH KENOBI.EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JT RIDGE TOLD THE PODST, “I THK ’S SAFE TO SAY THEY’RE AN EM, ABSOLUTELY,” RIDGE TELLS PRS. “THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY A GAY UPLE, AND WE’RE PROUD OF THAT. WE LOVE FLIX AND ORKA.” MOYNIHAN ALSO CHIMED : “I HAVE HAD A SENTENCE PREPARED FOR A YEAR AND A HALF,” HE SAID. “IF SOMEONE WOULD FALLY ASK ME, I WOULD SAY, ‘ALL I N SAY IS THAT WHEN FLIX SAYS, ‘I LOVE YOU,’ ORKA SAYS, ‘I KNOW’…. THEY’RE THE CUTT.”THE NEWS IS EXCG FOR FANS, BUT ALSO BTERSWEET: STAR WARS RISTANCE WILL END AFTER S SEND SEASON, WHICH BUTS ON OCTOBER 6. BUT AS MOR AS THE PROGRS IS A ANCHISE AS LONG AND EXPANSIVE AS STAR WARS, IS AT LEAST PROGRS. IT’S STRIKG THAT DISNEY WOULD RPORATE A GAY UPLE TO ANY OF S PROJECTS, BUT FEELS PECIALLY RONANT THAT ’S HAPPENG ON A CHILDREN’S SHOW. THEN AGA, ANIMATED SERI HAVE GIVEN SOME OF TV’S MOST NEEDLE-PHG MOMENTS SO FAR WHEN TO QUEER REPRENTATN YOUTH MEDIA—SO REALLY, STAR WARS IS SIMPLY JOG A GROWG TRADN.AS DEADLE NOT, THIS STAR WARS NEWS IS ALSO JT THE LATT EXAMPLE OF DISNEY SHORG UP S LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN. AS ANNOUNCED THIS PAST SUMMER, THE UPG THOR: LOVE AND THUNR WILL FD TSA THOMPSON’S VALKYRIE SEARCHG FOR “HER QUEEN”—AND THAT A CHARACTER OM THE UPG MARVEL FILM ETERNALS WILL ALSO BE GAY. SO SEEMS WE’VE MA SOME PROGRS SCE THAT “EXCLIVELY GAY MOMENT” BETY AND THE BEAST—BUT PECIALLY WH RISTANCE G TO AN END SOON, THERE’S ALWAYS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR MORE.MORE GREAT STORI OM VANY FAIR— APPLE LEARNS OM ONE OF NETFLIX’S BIGGT MISTAK— WHAT THE REAL-LIFE SPIRATN FOR HTLERS THKS OF J. LO’S PERFORMANCE— REMEMBERG SHAWSHANK REMPTN, 25 YEARS AFTER S BUT— A SPRKLE OF MEGHAN MAGIC CAPE TOWN— IMPEACHMENT FERVOR IS G A CK AT FOX NEWS— FROM THE ARCHIVE: THE DRAMA BEHD REBEL WHOUT A CSE AND A YOUNG STAR’S ATHLOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISLRA BRADLEY

After the gay moment “Bety and the Beast, ” the pany was threatened wh boytts at s theme parks. The first big tt of that nvictn will be Marvel Studs’ “The Eternals, ” due to open November 2020, which will clu a central gay character, a tly historic first for the Marvel Cematic Universe.

The first nonilly gay character was troduced the 2015 novel Lords of the Sh. [iame allowfullscreen="" class=^{{"giphy-embed"}}^ ameborr="0" height="202" width="480"]When the Gay and Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn (GLAAD) published their 2016 "Stud Rponsibily Inx"—Star Wars' parent stud, Disney, didn't fare so well.

Boba Fett has gay, the most feared bounty hunter the galaxy kicks wh the gays.

‘STAR WARS’ UNIVERSE GETS S FIRST GAY CHARACTER

He's even married to fellow Mandalorian warrr, Medr Vasur, makg them the first openly gay uple Star Wars history. In 2013, Sansweet was ved to participate a vio for the Gay Fay Valu blog, which featured the mega-Star Wars fan and his hband of more than 37 years, Bob.

There are now officially gay characters the new Star Wars April 2014, Lusfilm announced they were relegatg all the existg "Expand Universe" material to "Legends" stat, makg way for a pletely tegrated and nonil Star Wars ntent landspe. While this new non is still evolvg, we've already been troduced to a bunch of officially lbian and gay characters—which is awome!

Abrams is nvced we'll see gay Star Wars characters the asked if he se room for gay characters a galaxy far, far away, The Force Awakens director J. When I talk about clivy ’s not excludg gay characters.

STAR WARS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LTLE GAY. IT JT NEEDS TO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may not have Baby Yoda, but do feature the first-ever gay kiss the 40-pl year history of the anchise. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" will feature the anchise's first gay kiss. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker se two gay characters share a kiss, markg a tone anchise history.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ma anchise history by featurg two gay characters kiss on screen.

ARE WE REALLY GOG TO PRETEND THAT GAY KISS THE RISE OF SKYWALKER MATTERS?STAR WARS DIRECTOR J.J. ABRAMS TALKED A GOOD GAME ABOUT REPRENTATN—AND THEN GAVE TWO SENDS OF LIP SERVICE BETWEEN MOR CHARACTERS. THAT'S PANRG, NOT PROGRS.BY K. AT COLLSDECEMBER 20, 2019BY JONATHAN OLLEY/LUSFILM LTD./DISNEY.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEANOTHER H MOVIE, ANOTHER CMB OF GAY PANRG, ANOTHER ROUND OF THE UAL PLATS.THE FIRST THG I DID AFTER SEEG J.J. ABRAMS’S STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER—THE NTH FILM THE STORIED STAR WARS SAGA, AND A SURE-FIRE BOX OFFICE H, PER MICKEY MOE’S GRAND SIGN—WAS GOOGLE “STAR WARS GAY KISS.” NOT BEE I NEED TO VERIFY THAT THE MOMENT QUTN REALLY HAPPENED—I’D SEEN FOR MYSELF: A BRIEF FLASH OF TWO WOMEN KISSG LATE THE MOVIE, AMONG A CROWD OF CHARACTERS, HUMANOID AND NOT, ALL OF THEM HUGGG, KISSG, AND CHEERG AWAY. SO: NFIRMED.I WAS LOOKG, STEAD, FOR THE PROMISE. AS SOON AS THOSE WOMEN APPEARED ONSCREEN I KNEW, STCTIVELY, THAT AT SOME POT, SOMEONE ASSOCIATED WH SKYWALKER MT ALREADY HAVE HTED AT THE FILM’S “LGBT REPRENTATN” EARLY S PRS CYCLE. I KNEW THAT THE TWO-SEND PECK BETWEEN TWO WOMEN THAT I SAW—JT BARELY, I ALMOST BLKED AND MISSED —WAS A MOMENT THAT SOME PEOPLE MT HAVE GONE TO THE FILM EXPECTG TO SEE, BEE THE STUD AND/OR FILMMAKERS HAD ALREADY PATTED THEMSELV ON THE BACK FOR .WELL, THAT WAS EASY. EARLIER THIS MONTH VARIETY, ABRAMS DASHED STAR WARS FANS’ LONG-NNG HOP FOR A ROMANCE BETWEEN POE DAMERON (OSR ISAAC) AND FN (JOHN BOYEGA) BY NFIRMG THAT NO SUCH ROMANCE BLOSSOMS SKYWALKER—SORRY. “THAT RELATNSHIP TO ME IS A FAR EPER ONE THAN A ROMANTIC ONE,” SAID ABRAMS. “IT IS A EP BOND THAT THE TWO HAVE, NOT JT BEE OF THE TRIAL BY FIRE WHICH THEY MET, BUT ALSO BEE OF THEIR WILLGNS TO BE AS TIMATE AS THEY ARE, AS AAID AS THEY, AS UNSURE AS THEY ARE, AND STILL BE BOLD, AND STILL BE DARG AND BRAVE.” A LOT OF WORDS. BUT DON’T ET—HERE’S THE IMPORTANT B: “IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT PEOPLE WHO GO TO SEE THIS MOVIE FEEL THAT THEY’RE BEG REPRENTED THE FILM.”REPRENTED. IT’S A FAIAR WORD. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE RSO BROTHERS TOLD DEADLE THAT THEIR THEN UPG FILM, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, WOULD SIARLY FEATURE A GAY CHARACTER— “LGBT REPRENTATN,” OTHER WORDS. THE CHARACTER AMOUNTS TO A SGLE SCENE—REALLY, A LE—AND IS PLAYED BY DIRECTOR JOE RSO HIMSELF, WHICH ON S FACE MAK THE ENTIRE ENAVOR FEEL MORE LIKE A MATTER OF SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT THAN A REAL STAB AT BRGG A QUEER CHARACTER TO THE FOLD. THE RSOS GOT A HANDSOME B OF PRS OUT OF THE MATTER REGARDLS.“REPRENTATN IS REALLY IMPORTANT,” JOE RSO TOLD DEADLE, RECG THE LYRICS TO A SONG I’VE GROWN VERY WARY OF HEARG. “IT WAS IMPORTANT TO AS WE DID FOUR OF THE FILMS, WE WANTED A GAY CHARACTER SOMEWHERE THEM…IT IS A PERFECT TIME, BEE ONE OF THE THGS THAT IS PELLG ABOUT THE MARVEL UNIVERSE MOVG FORWARD IS S FOC ON DIVERSY.”THAT GAY CHARACTER WAS HERALD AS THE FIRST LGBT CHARACTER THE (ADMTEDLY SHORT) HISTORY OF THE MARVEL MOVI, JT AS THE BRIEF LBIAN KISS SKYWALKER WAS HERALD AS THE FIRST OF S KD FOR STAR WARS. THE BENCHMARKS FELY UNT AS “REPRENTATN.” BUT DO THEY—SHOULD THEY—UNT AS BENCHMARKS?MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDTHAT PENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT . IT IS UNNIABLE THAT ANCHISE FARE HAS TAKEN OVER THE WORLD OF MOVI, AND HARDLY ONLY THE U.S. AND YET THERE’S A WARPED UNRTONE TO THIS ENTIRE NVERSATN—ONE WHICH TWO SENDS OF TWO WOMEN KISSG IS, SOMEHOW, SIGNIFINT. SURE, ’S SIGNIFINT FOR STAR WARS—JT AS ENDGAME’S GAY RSO IS “SIGNIFINT” FOR S MOVIE, BEE THE THGS HAD NEVER HAPPENED THOSE NTEXTS BEFORE.BUT THE MOVI WERE RELEASED 2019—AND THAT, IF NO OTHER REASON, SUGGTS THAT WE NEED A NEW, BETTER NTEXT. ONE GAY KISS STAR WARS IS ONLY AN ADVANCEMENT THE WORLD OF STAR WARS. BUT LOOK HOW FAR LAGS BEHD THE RT OF THE VAST HISTORY OF QUEER REPRENTATN THE VISUAL ARTS, BROADLY SPEAKG, WORLDWI: OM MOVI GOG BACK AS FAR AS SILENT CEMA (CARL THEODOR DREYER’S MICHAEL, OM 1924) AND ENPASSG THE PASSNATE POLIL WORK MA AT THE HEIGHT OF THE AIDS CRISIS, TO EVERY PHOTO YOU’VE EVER SEEN OF GAY SAILORS, TO THE RADIL QUEER FEMISM OF ARTISTS LIKE BARBARA HAMMER, TO—OF URSE—THE OVERWHELMG AMOUNT OF QUEER ART THE FANTASY GENRE, ALL OF IMPLICLY K TO STAR WARS.AND THAT’S MERELY IF WE’RE STARTG OM THE 20TH CENTURY—I ULD GO ON AND ON, FURTHER AND FURTHER BACK. FOR ALL S ABSENC AND IMPOSSIBILI, THE VISUAL HISTORY OF QUEER REPRENTATN REMAS VAST. TLY, I AM NOT SURE WE GIVE ENOUGH CRED. ALL OF THIS—THE WARPED STUD PRODUCTS DOWN TO THE MOST MCULE EPHEMERA—UNTS TOWARD THE HISTORY OF QUEER REPRENTATN. AND OUT OF ALL OF THIS, TWO SENDS OF TWO WOMEN KISSG A STAR WARS MOVIE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MEANGFUL? IT’S ASSUMED THAT BEE STAR WARS IS SO POPULAR, A MOMENT LIKE THIS MIGHT “CHANGE ATTUS.” BUT, FACT, THE CLNS REFLECT ATTUS: THEY REFLECT A DISNEY THAT’S FALLY WILLG TO LET TWO PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX KISS--OR, THE ENDGAME SE, REFER TO EACH OTHER AS PARTNERS. AND THE SAME MOMENT, THEY REFLECT HOW FAR DISNEY IS, OR ISN’T, WILLG TO GO. ABOUT TWO SENDS, ONE MOVIE. A THROWAWAY LE THE OTHER.WHEN I HEAR ANCHISE FILMMAKERS CLAIM THAT THEIRS WILL BE THE FIRST FILM OF THEIR ANCHISE TO DO THIS OR THAT WH LGBT REPRENTATN, WHAT I HEAR IS HUBRIS, OR AT LEAST A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND NTEXT. I DON’T HEAR THOSE FILMMAKERS POTG OUT HOW LATE THEY ARE—HOW ULD THEY PAT THEMSELV ON THE BACK AND SELF-CRIQUE AT ONCE?—OR HOW LTLE THE FX-RADIL ACTS OF REPRENTATN MEAN THE SCHEME OF THGS, HOW LTLE THEY ACTUALLY DO TO ENLIVEN, REFLECT, OR EXPLORE THE LIV OF QUEER PEOPLE OR, JT AS URGENTLY, CHALLENGE THE NORMS THAT HAVE MA THIS REPRENTATN NECSARY.NO, THE FILMMAKERS ARE STEAD NTENT TO GET JT BEFORE THE FISH LE, WAG UNTIL THE VERY LAST MOVI THEIR RPECTIVE ANCHIS TO THROW THE DOGS A BONE. THE ONLY WAY TO TALK ABOUT THE BENCHMARKS IS DISMISSIVELY: TOO LTLE, TOO LATE. BUT WE’RE OF URSE SUPPOSED TO CELEBRATE. NEVER MD THE CREDIBLE TROVE OF LGBT REPRENTATN YOU DO SEE , SAY, FAN FICTN; NEVER MD ALL THE WAYS FANS HAVE TAKEN THE MERE IA OF FN AND POE AS LOVERS AND DONE MORE WH , WH MORE CREATIVY AND SYMPATHY, THAN ANY DISNEY PROPERTY WILL LIKELY EVER DO. NEVER MD THE FACT THAT, ACRDGLY, LGBT REPRENTATN DISNEY’S ART DO EXIST—AMONG S FANS, NOT S CREATORS.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDTHE IA THAT THE LGHABLY MOR WS ARE SOMETHG TO CELEBRATE GO HAND HAND WH DISNEY’S BROAR ATTU TOWARD FILM HISTORY, WHICH THE PANY HAS LONG SEEMED TO THK IS SOMETHG BETTER OFF LOCKED UP A VLT SOMEWHERE—THE BETTER TO EXPLO THE ART’S VALUE, AFTER ALL. LET’S JT SAY STRAIGHT: THE PANY THAT WON’T EVEN LET BABY YODA MEM FLOURISH WHOUT LOSG S SH OVER PYRIGHT WILL NEVER BE A BEAN OF REPRENTATN OF ANY SORT, LET ALONE QUEER REPRENTATN, WHICH, AMONG OTHER THGS, HAS OFTEN MA SPORT OF APPROPRIATG AND MSY-G THE FIRM SEXUAL BOUNDARI OSTENSIBLY STRAIGHT, PYRIGHTED ART. DISNEY IS TOO NCERNED WH REPRENTATN AS PRODUCT TO BE A BEAN OF ANYTHG. AND THE FANS WHO RE WILL STILL, EVEN AS OF THE TWO MOVI, LARGELY BE LEFT TO THEIR OWN CREATIVE, IMAGATIVE VIC—AND THEY ARE PROBABLY BETTER OFF.I’D FEEL A B DIFFERENTLY IF NO ONE VOLVED HAD NGRATULATED THEMSELV OR TREATED THIS LANDMARK B OF CLN LIKE ANYTHG BUT THE SHAME IS. BEE, OBVLY, THE MOMENTS MATTER MOST TO THE QUEER PEOPLE WORLDWI WHO LOVE THE MOVI. THEY UNRSTANDABLY FEEL ACKNOWLEDGED—BY A SCENE THAT, SHOULD ANY OF THE FILM’S TERNATNAL MARKETS BALK, N EASILY BE REMOVED, IF NECSARY. THAT HAS A WAY OF MAKG LOOK LIKE A POTENTIAL LIABILY, RATHER THAN LIKE A PART OF THE FAY. IS THAT WHAT WE’RE CELEBRATG?WHEN DISNEY DO THE BARE MIMUM, ISN’T ACKNOWLEDGG YOU: ’S BUYG YOU. IT’S BUYG EVERYONE, EVERYTHG. AND AMONG THE MANY REASONS ’S WORTH STOMPG OUR FEET OVER DISNEY’S PH TO LE THE WORLD OF MOVI IS THIS: THIS IS THE REPRENTATN YOU GET WHEN DISNEY L THE WORLD. THIS IS WHAT YOU GET: TWO WOMEN, TWO SENDS. TLY, I’M OVERWHELMED. BUT NOT THE WAY DISNEY HOP, OR THKS, I SHOULD BE.K. AT COLLS

Disney actually removed the kiss om The Rise of Skywalker natns wh strict laws surroundg homosexual relatnships. In Sgapore, male homosexual acts are technilly illegal.

Female homosexual acts are legal, but the The Rise of Skywalker's gay kiss was removed anyway, so that the film uld mata s PG-13 ratg. Dubai cut the kiss too, as all homosexual relatnships are agast the law  Uned Arab Emirat. On the other end of the spectm, The Rise of Skywalker's gay kiss also me unr cricism for not gog far enough.

DISNEY OPENS NEW IMMERSIVE ‘STAR WARS’-THEMED GAY CONVERSN CAMP

But sce dienc had no attachment to the characters, there was no emotnal payoff to this quick reprentatn for gay characters.

Marvel touted their first-ever gay character leadg up to Avengers: Endgame.

That reprentatn only end up beg -director Joe Rso meog as a gay man who discs an upg date.

WHY SOME 'STAR WARS' FANS THK THE TWO CHARACTERS ARE GAY

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's gay kiss was a baby step the right directn, but not enough to be nsired legimate LGBTQ reprentatn. More: Onward’s Gay Character Prov Disney’s Reprentatn Problem. At long last, the Star Wars universe featur an openly gay uple—and apparently they’ve been here for a while.

“They’re absolutely a gay uple, and we’re proud of that. It’s strikg that Disney would rporate a gay uple to any of s projects, but feels pecially ronant that ’s happeng on a children’s show. As announced this past summer, the upg Thor: Love and Thunr will fd Tsa Thompson’s Valkyrie searchg for “her queen”—and that a character om the upg Marvel film Eternals will also be gay.

So seems we’ve ma some progrs sce that “exclively gay moment” Bety and the Beast—but pecially wh Ristance g to an end soon, there’s always plenty of room for Great Stori om Vany Fair— Apple learns om one of Netflix’s biggt mistak— What the real-life spiratn for Htlers thks of J. “This Pri Month, gay and transgenr artists will pay homage to some of the LGBTQ+ characters habg a galaxy far, far away a special le of variant ic book vers. “If they n get around to nfirmg him as mlm before his tv seri wrten by a gay man […] uld be big”.

CHE CENSORS, DIENC UNFAZED BY 'RISE OF SKYWALKER' GAY KISS

If they n get around to nfirmg him as mlm before his tv seri wrten by a gay man?? This is alludg to the fact Simien is an openly gay man, havg shared his sexualy durg the 2014 Sundance Film Ftival.

Official "Star Wars" universe gets s first gay character, a lbian ernor.

‘STAR WARS: RISE OF SKYWALKER’ GAY MOMENT DON’T FAZE CHE AUDIENC, CENSORS

If you feel a ripple the Force today, may be the news that the official Star Wars universe is gettg s first gay character. The character is the first gay figure the official Star Wars universe – the movi, televisn shows, ics and books approved by Star Wars anchise owner Disney – acrdg to Shelly Shapiro, edor of “Star Wars” books at Random Hoe imprt Del Rey Books. It’s not entirely unprecented; a prev Star Wars book seri and a few vio gam have featured gay relatnships.

Opn: Is Disney ready for a gay prcs? The anchise, one of the biggt all of science fictn, featured an all-whe ma st for s first film and has been cricized for a lack of proment female, mory and gay rol.

STAR WARS RISTANCE NFIRMS ORKA AND FLIX AS OPENLY GAY UPLE

A uple of “Star Wars” vio gam have clud referenc to gay relatnships. A 2007 novel also clud a gay uple, but for many fans, neher the vio gam nor the “extend universe” novels were part of what they nsired to be the official “Star Wars” universe.

And although we don’t know much about the storyle of the new movie, due out late this year, there’s been no mentn of a gay character, givg top billg to the “Lords of the Sh” appearance for fans exced by the cln of a lbian character a heretofore uniformly straight universe. Crisp’s young Han Solo trilogy, kept a mistrs to imprs his Imperial lleagu and to hi the fact that he was not terted women, leadg to fandom speculatn that the character was meant to be terpreted as gay.