Aside from offering a continuation of the cult classic 1988 dark fantasy film of the same name, the Disney+ series Willow has also been drawing in audiences in other ways. Namely, one such way is its positive LGBTQ+ representation.
Willow on Disney+ just put out what many viewers consider its best episode yet, and the episode in question just so happens to have furthered a theme that was already set in motion way back during episode 1. An uncertain romance between 2 of the series leads, Princess Kit and Jade, became a lot more certain once they both learned a long-kept secret about Jade's lineage, with that revelation helping to serve as a catalyst for them to finally confirm their feelings for each other. Well, that and the magical fruit that made everyone tell the truth.
Erin Kellyman, who plays Jade, recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about seeing Kit and Jade finally cross that hurdle, as well as what that meant for the show's LGBTQ+ representation. "Literally the second that happens, Jade is all-in. She's been waiting a long time," she said of the moment when Jade and Kit (Ruby Cruz) finally admitted their mutual feelings. "It's so frustrating watching two people who so blatantly love each other not talk." Her words seem to echo those of the fans who had also been waiting for that confession since episode 1.
The normalized LGBTQ+ representation is also a big deal, both for Kellyman and for audience members who might not be used to seeing people like themselves portrayed without any caveats in media. "It's not a story where they're worried about being gay," Kellyman continued. "It's not a story where they're hyper-sexualized. It's just two people being in love. The gender is secondary. They're just in love with each other. I think it's really beautiful and also needed. I think for anybody that is struggling with realizing that they're gay, or knows somebody that's realizing that they're gay, having this normalized representation is just so important."
As a result, Kellyman, who is openly gay herself, is grateful to be part of something with this sort of positive representation she wishes she had more of as a kid. "It feels like I'm healing my inner child," she went on. "Having not seen these shows when I was younger, now being able to be the representation that I didn't have is something that is so peaceful. There's something so peaceful about it, something so reassuring and calming. I know that if I saw this when I was a kid, I would have been completely in love with Kit and Jade, and I would have felt a lot less isolated and scared and weird. So, it's just really beautiful to be able to do that now."
Willow clearly has a lot going for it, from its normalized depiction of queer identities to a few unexpected cameos from the original film. So here's hoping it continues to bring in viewers. Everyone deserves to see themselves in the media they enjoy, and every step forward is worthwhile.
Willow drops new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter