J.J. Abrams talks Finn and Poe's 'intimate' bond and hints at LGBTQ representation in 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'
J.J. Abrams has hinted pretty heavily that there will be some LGBTQ representation going on in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Speaking to Variety at the movie's press junket yesterday, the director addressed the obsession among some fans with a potential relationship between John Boyega's Finn and Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron. Poe did gift Finn a lovely leather jacket, after all.
“What I love about Finn and Poe is that they are, as daring as they are, and as brave as they are, they're also ... they're vulnerable and they're unsure. And their relationship for me frankly goes far deeper than a romantic relationship,” Abrams said.
“It is a deep bond that these two have, not just because of the trial by fire in which they met, but also because of their willingness to be as intimate as they are, as afraid as they are, as unsure as they are and still be bold, and still be daring and brave.”
As for representing as many different walks of life as possible, Abrams add that he wanted his Star Wars to look “more the way the world looks than not.”
He added: “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.”
When grilled further on whether this would mean there will definitely be an openly gay character in the film, he went on: “I will say I’m giving away nothing about what happens in the movie.
“But I did just say what I just said.”
Isaac also chipped in on the subject, saying that a romantic relationship between Poe and Finn would have been something he'd have liked to explore.
“Personally, I kind of hoped and wished that maybe that would’ve been taken further in the other films, but I don’t have control,” Isaac said.
“It seemed like a natural progression, but sadly enough it’s a time when people are too afraid, I think, of … I don’t know what. But if they would’ve been boyfriends, that would have been fun.”
Boyega, who recently confessed to “mislaying” a Rise of Skywalker script which then ended up on eBay, also added: “They’ve always had a quite loving and open relationship in which it wouldn’t be too weird if it went beyond it. But at the same time, they are just platonic at the moment.”
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens Friday, Dec. 20. Tickets now on sale via Fandango.
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