Key Takeaways:
– Alan Cumming acknowledges the queer elements in X2: X-Men United.
– X-Men franchise gets credit for incorporating queer themes since 2003.
– Beau DeMayo commends X-Men for embracing his individuality.
– The films and series of X-Men celebrate everyone’s uniqueness irrespective of their orientation.
The X-Men Phenomenon: Representing Queerness
The recent uproar about the X-Men franchise using queer elements isn’t something new. Alan Cumming, the Scottish star who played Nightcrawler in the franchise, declares that they have been doing this since 2003. His proclamation places X2: X-Men United as the pioneer in embracing queerness in the superhero world.
Universally known for his teleportation abilities, Nightcrawler, as played by Cumming, isn’t just a mutant character in a blockbuster. According to Cumming, it represents a much deeper narrative – queerness.
X2: X-Men United – A Queer Perspective
During a chat with Entertainment Weekly, Cumming reminisced about his projects over the years, revealing the stronger queer components in X2: X-Men United. He stated, “It’s the gayest film I ever did, and that’s from my observation. It’s a testament to queerness with lots of queer actors under a queer director.”
This heartwarming confession draws attention to the fact that X-Men, though predominantly situated within the comic book realm, has dared to go beyond the norm. According to Cumming, such movies help the public to grasp the real essence of queerness.
The X-Men series operates as an allegory for queerness, highlighting people with extraordinary abilities who need to hide these talents to fit into society. This aspect mirrors the life of queer individuals. Hence, X-Men serves as a vehicle to bring the queer narrative to the foreground, making it an inclusive franchise.
Cumming’s Role as Nightcrawler: More Than Meets the Eye
On his personal website, he describes his role as Nightcrawler as both intriguing and symbolic. He reflected on the movie’s central message about the importance of accepting others, mutants included, regardless of their differences. This message was uniquely progressive for a Hollywood blockbuster at that time.
Despite the grueling process of playing Nightcrawler including long hours of makeup and wearing uncomfortable harnesses, Cumming enjoyed contributing his bit to this inclusive storytelling.
The Impact of X-Men Series on Beau DeMayo
Adding further credibility to Cumming’s assertions, Beau DeMayo, creator of X-Men ’97, also praised the X-Men franchise for helping him embrace his queerness. Although his journey with X-Men ’97 was abruptly halted shortly before its premiere, he spoke fondly of the series. He reiterated how these comic characters assisted him in coming to terms with his sexual identity.
Embracing Individuality: X-Men’s Greatest Strength
In the light of the comments from Cumming and DeMayo, X-Men’s narrative consistently incorporates queerness. This news stands as a bold confirmation that X-Men is much more than a series about heroes and villains. It’s a celebration of individuality, accepting and embracing everyone’s uniqueness, irrespective of their orientation.
Whether you are a fan or a viewer stumbling upon the franchise for the first time, you are guaranteed a welcoming and understanding platform. X2: X-Men United can be streamed on Disney+ for those interested in exploring these themes in action. This bold approach by X-Men sets it apart as a frontrunner in inclusive storytelling among mainstream comic franchises.
