Eternals (2021)
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TBT-TheBigToe
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Chukzombi
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'Eternals' Star Haaz Sleiman Is Breaking Marvel’s Gay Glass Ceiling
Fresh off his GLAAD Media Award, the actor helps bring same-sex romance and parenting to the MCU.
A positive portrayal of a rainbow family is a rare event in mainstream cinema. As such, Sleiman looks forward to not only shattering stereotypes in front of a global audience but also demonstrating how queer people excel at parenting. “I think queer families, personally, are way healthier than regular families, in my opinion,” he says. “We stay together and there’s so much love.”
“We’re evolving,” asserts Sleiman, who notes advances like marriage equality but also the progress seen in three-dimensional characters and nuanced storylines on-screen. “The most exciting thing is the stories that are being told in television and film about LGBTQ people,” he says, adding, “A lot of TV shows are being more thoughtful about portraying queer people in a more fuller way, not so one-dimensional or very stereotype[d].”
“Things that have never happened before are starting to happen.”
Eternals Star Calls Bringing a Gay Couple to the MCU a 'Lifesaving' Experience
Eternals actor Haaz Sleiman speaks to the positive impact of having an openly gay relationship represented in a Marvel film.
www.cbr.com
"Can you imagine how many lives this is going to be saving?" Sleiman continued. "Kids, you know, young queer folk who are either being bullied, committing suicide, not seeing themselves being represented. And now they get to see this."
Sleiman also touched on the importance of racial diversity in the film. "The fact that Brian [Tyree Henry] is also Black, you know, that's also beautiful to me. We're both people of color," the actor explained. "Marvel and Disney could not be any more global, there's nothing more global than that."
While Eternals has received a PG-13 rating in the United States, the film has been rated 18+ in Russia, equivalent to an NC-17 rating in the States. Fans have speculated that the rating was given in regards to the "brief sexuality" in the film, specifically the relationship between Phastos and his husband. Because it's illegal to "normalize" LGBTQ+ sexualities and identities to children in Russia, the film cannot be marketed towards, nor viewed by children in the country. The director of the film, Chloé Zhao, is working with Marvel Studios to stop the censorship of LGBTQ+ representation in overseas markets.
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TBT-TheBigToe
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Now I want to move to Russia... sort of... I mean how much worse can it be than Canada at this point... fuck I hate this time line.“I feel lucky, and I’m grateful. And…I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I feel like Marvel, they were very smart to cast me in it because I got to humanize the hell out of it. I got to humanize an LGBTQ+ family and show how beautiful they are,” Sleiman says of his groundbreaking role.
'Eternals' Star Haaz Sleiman Is Breaking Marvel’s Gay Glass Ceiling
Fresh off his GLAAD Media Award, the actor helps bring same-sex romance and parenting to the MCU.news.yahoo.com
A positive portrayal of a rainbow family is a rare event in mainstream cinema. As such, Sleiman looks forward to not only shattering stereotypes in front of a global audience but also demonstrating how queer people excel at parenting. “I think queer families, personally, are way healthier than regular families, in my opinion,” he says. “We stay together and there’s so much love.”
“We’re evolving,” asserts Sleiman, who notes advances like marriage equality but also the progress seen in three-dimensional characters and nuanced storylines on-screen. “The most exciting thing is the stories that are being told in television and film about LGBTQ people,” he says, adding, “A lot of TV shows are being more thoughtful about portraying queer people in a more fuller way, not so one-dimensional or very stereotype[d].”
“Things that have never happened before are starting to happen.”
In an interview with Variety, Sleiman was asked what it means for him -- as a gay actor -- to be playing the husband of a gay superhero in a Marvel movie. "Beyond a dream come true. It's lifesaving," he said. "I wish I had that when I was a kid growing up, to see this. My god, I wish."Eternals Star Calls Bringing a Gay Couple to the MCU a 'Lifesaving' Experience
Eternals actor Haaz Sleiman speaks to the positive impact of having an openly gay relationship represented in a Marvel film.
"Can you imagine how many lives this is going to be saving?" Sleiman continued. "Kids, you know, young queer folk who are either being bullied, committing suicide, not seeing themselves being represented. And now they get to see this."
Sleiman also touched on the importance of racial diversity in the film. "The fact that Brian [Tyree Henry] is also Black, you know, that's also beautiful to me. We're both people of color," the actor explained. "Marvel and Disney could not be any more global, there's nothing more global than that."
While Eternals has received a PG-13 rating in the United States, the film has been rated 18+ in Russia, equivalent to an NC-17 rating in the States. Fans have speculated that the rating was given in regards to the "brief sexuality" in the film, specifically the relationship between Phastos and his husband. Because it's illegal to "normalize" LGBTQ+ sexualities and identities to children in Russia, the film cannot be marketed towards, nor viewed by children in the country. The director of the film, Chloé Zhao, is working with Marvel Studios to stop the censorship of LGBTQ+ representation in overseas markets.
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Chukzombi
Millie's Staff Member
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the worst part is when i was copy pasting those articles, i could hear that dude's fag voice saying that dumb shit in my head. what an embarrassment this is for everyone involved. I'm sure some of these people put a lot of effort into making this a competent film, only to have the entire thing demolished by this three dollar bill acting like a retard.
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Chris
Potato del Grande
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I enjoyed it.
It's the bare minimum the Marvel formula can deliver, which is still pretty good.
What we are going to start to see now is the bare minimum minus points for woke casting/writing/advertising.
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pysek
It Didn't Happen, It Should've, and It Will.
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TBT-TheBigToe
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Vorph
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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She should start with China (where they already hate her, and this movie is even more likely than Black Widow and Shang-Chi to never be released), I'm sure Disney will totally have her back when she starts making demands.
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Lanx
<Prior Amod>
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j00t
Silver Baronet of the Realm
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Ambiturner
Ssraeszha Raider
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Just make sure marvel sucks China's dick in every movie. Problem solved!
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Chukzombi
Millie's Staff Member
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China is down on black people, they see the reports of many many thousands of chinese people being murdered and beaten by one group of people. its not rocket science that that one group of people would not be looked upon with any praise. is some of that their fault? yes, all of it? no. there is no working with Marvel to have censorship stopped overseas. Marvel can ask, China says get fucked and they either edit out the black and freaky sex stuff or Disney isnt allowed to show their movie in China. Disney is going to lose that game of chicken and has.