The grand premiere of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” was held Monday night for industry insiders and other esteemed guests. Variety’s Adam B. Vary was there, and though he can’t reveal any spoilers, he does confirm that there is queer representation in the film, but if you blink you might miss it.
Also, I can confirm there is queer representation in #StarWars #TheRiseofSkywalker. It lasts maybe two seconds, and you may miss it entirely. Welp.
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) December 17, 2019
Vary was following up on a story he’d written for Variety about LGBTQ representation in the film, noting that no, Poe and Finn aren’t boyfriends, but director Jar Jar Abrams did say there’d be something for the LGBTQ community.
For all those asking, I’m following up on this story I reported two weeks ago: https://t.co/1AlE4PFssf
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) December 17, 2019
While this would appear to foreclose the possibility of an obvious Finn and Poe romance, Abrams still left the door open to a different form of LGBTQ representation in his film. The filmmaker noted that he’s always strived to find a cast for “Star Wars” that “looked more the way the world looks than not.”
“And in the case of the LGBTQ community, it was important to me that people who go to see this movie feel that they’re being represented in the film,” Abrams said.
So without spoiling the film, Variety asked, does that mean there will be a queer character in “The Rise of Skywalker”?
“I will say I’m giving away nothing about what happens in the movie,” Abrams replied with a smile. “But I did just say what I just said.”
So Abrams sort of hinted there would be a queer character, but with only a couple of seconds of screen time? What good is that?
ahahahahaha every time, every freaking time pic.twitter.com/245LppmwB3
— Griswold Christmas Vacation (@HashtagGriswold) December 17, 2019
Why must they do this?
— Holly Hobbit (@hollyhobbyPhD) December 17, 2019
Because they have to please both woke Americans and the Chinese
— Griswold Christmas Vacation (@HashtagGriswold) December 17, 2019
Hello. pic.twitter.com/PORb8UYLkS
— Unagi (@brownrobin64) December 17, 2019
Thank god you can confirm that for us smh, what do you guys go into these movies with a woke checklist ?
— kyle branham (@Branham6) December 17, 2019
People like you are really sad.
— Jim (@Jim53538937) December 17, 2019
Why is that so important to point out? So there is, great.
— Gabe Solo (@DarthPug) December 17, 2019
because disney wrote articles about it to get lgbtq+ people to buy more tickets, but the outcome is disappointing at best
— assigned bede kin (@agendertex) December 17, 2019
Definitely not what I care about in a movie about wars in space
— Alex Dickerson Fan Account (@sfbahead) December 17, 2019
I don’t think anyone cares but thanks for pointing out that “very important” two seconds of the movie.
— Perfect Paradox (@Simp1eMeta) December 17, 2019
— larryftmfw (@larryftmfw) December 17, 2019
Thank God! Just what we needed queer aliens. This film sounds amazing!!!!!! So good that I’ll wait until it comes out on Pirate Bay
— The_Real_Paul.Solar (@RealPaulSolar) December 17, 2019
— “All Elite” Aaron Starcher (@AaronDX2K) December 17, 2019
Is it more gay robots?
— Thots’n’prayers (@dirtmerchant191) December 17, 2019
Oh thank god!i really hope it has S&M representation too!
?thats?what?we?want?from?movies?!— TheCrustyOldMan (@Mikeeeeeee20) December 17, 2019
I need interspecies representation
— Christian L. Baez (@xHurricaneChris) December 17, 2019
That’s the most important thing
— howard (@twostatesofmind) December 17, 2019
Phew. That was my deepest concern about this movie. It’s saved.
— xCaptain Caboose (@xCaptainCaboose) December 17, 2019
Well, THAT is what we have ALL been waiting for. <smh>
— Jeremiah Charles (@JeremiahCharles) December 17, 2019
I honestly could not care any less if there are straight, gay or gender fluid people in Star Wars.
It’s a film about people who can throw things with their mind, slice metal with a lightbulb and shoot lightning out of their fingers calm down— black wrist o sauron (@Vocare88) December 17, 2019
I think most people couldn't care less
— Bran (@BranMcGinnis) December 17, 2019
I’ll be sure to miss it on purpose.
— SW Ep. IX: The Rise of Soywalker (@GrantW1285) December 17, 2019
Is it two men looking at each other and smiling and then giving each other a knowing appreciative ‘nod’?
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) December 17, 2019
Dudes probably play with each other’s lightsabers
— abrennan81@gmail.com (@abrennan81gmai1) December 17, 2019
I already knew Kylo Ren was gay as hell
— True Stannis (@truestannis) December 17, 2019
— 20noneteen (@cakeycatt) December 17, 2019
Blue check mark spends whole movie waiting for woke moment. Unhappy with length of moment. I'm not surprised.
— Brian Gibbs (@briangibbs01) December 17, 2019
Tragic.
— Isaac Anderson (@ianderson91402) December 17, 2019
Who cares? I'm sick and tired of 'representation' for the sake of saying there's representation. Either make characters who fit in the story or leave out because it's just pandering.
The only thing that matters is whether the story's good or they flubbed another one?
— Gentleman Jon (@GentlemanJonD) December 17, 2019
Who cares. I’m gay af. Don’t need to be pandered to.
— Zero Orten (@zeroortenart) December 17, 2019
But no confirmation of good storytelling.
— Langster (@ChiefLangley) December 17, 2019
So no romantic relationship between Finn and Poe for those who were hoping for it:
[Oscar] Isaac noted that the “ambiguity” of the characters’ relationship might allow more people to see themselves in the characters. “But if they would’ve been boyfriends, that would have been fun.”
Though he was less definitive than Isaac, [John] Boyega also noted the lack of a clear romantic connection between Finn and Poe in “The Rise of Skywalker” while speaking with Variety.
“They’ve always had a quite loving and open relationship in which it wouldn’t be too weird if it went beyond it,” Boyega said. “But at the same time, they are just platonic at the moment.”
At the moment? So there’s a chance …
Related:
Ahead of the release of the new ‘Star Wars’ installment actress Daisy Ridley declares Trump supporters insane https://t.co/6ODek1tCzt
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 11, 2019
