'Marvel's Eternals' Star Says the MCU Film Humanizes LGBTQ+ Families
Eternals actor Haaz Sleiman opened up about portraying an authentic, fully-realized gay character in the film.
"I feel lucky, and I'm grateful," the actor told Out magazine of his groundbreaking role. "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."
During the same conversation, Sleiman, who is openly gay, also discussed how the inclusion of gay characters in film and on television has progressed, noting, "We're evolving." "The most exciting thing is the stories that are being told in television and film about LGBTQ people," he continued. "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."
It was previously revealed that Sleiman's character will be married to Brian Tyree Henry's Phastos, who will be the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first openly gay superhero. When news first broke about the couple being in the film, Sleiman said of his character, "I'm his husband, an architect; we have a child. Even though I wished I was the superhero, because when will we see an Arab Muslim openly gay actor playing a superhero? I can't wait to see it." Back in February, Sleiman also teased that the couple will share "a beautiful, very moving kiss" in the film.
https://www.cbr.com/eternals-haaz-sleiman-mcu-humanize-lgbtq-families/
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