Lando Calrissian's Sexuality

[DonIago]

Of course, people also said that Spock-Uhura was nonsense even though in TOS they are flirty a few times.

Perhaps the lesson here is that we shouldn't be trying to use our limited windows into these peoples' lives to draw broader conclusions as to who or what they find sexually and/or emotionally attractive?

...no, that can't be it...

 

[bigglesworth]

Having seen the film, there was nothing I saw in the movie that indicated Lando was pansexual. There was some subtle dialog that suggested Lando may seek comfort in the arms of his droid, but that's about it.

The whole thing seemed to stem from the interviewer asking Jon Kasdan if Lando could be a pansexual and Kasdan replying... uh... sure... maybe... why not... Then said interviewer and the rest of the media shouted from the rooftops "IT'S CONFIRMED! LANDO IS A PANSEXUAL!"

So... poor Jon was kind of between a rock and a hard place. If he replied to the interviewer, "No Lando only likes women", then the media will proclaim that Jon Kasdan and Lando is a homophobe and bigot. If he answers any other way then the right reacts they way they did saying that Star Wars is pushing a social justice narrative.

I suspect in hindsight, Kasdan wishes he would have told the interviewer to go F#%* himself (which I believe would fit into the pansexual concept).

 

[Campe]

The whole thing seemed to stem from the interviewer asking Jon Kasdan if Lando could be a pansexual and Kasdan replying... uh... sure... maybe... why not... Then said interviewer and the rest of the media shouted from the rooftops "IT'S CONFIRMED! LANDO IS A PANSEXUAL!"

No. That's not even close to how the interview went down. Per The Huffington Post (emphasis is mine):

So, given the opportunity to speak with father-and-son “Solo” co-writers Lawrence and Jonathan Kasdan, I asked them about Lando’s possible sexual fluidity. Is he pansexual?

“I would say yes,” Jonathan Kasdan emphatically said.

“There’s a fluidity to Donald and Billy Dee’s [portrayal of Lando’s] sexuality,” Kasdan continued. “I mean, I would have loved to have gotten a more explicitly LGBT character into this movie. I think it’s time, certainly, for that, and I love the fluidity ― sort of the spectrum of sexuality that Donald appeals to and that droids are a part of.”

“He doesn’t make any hard and fast rules. I think it’s fun,” Kasdan said. “I don’t know where it will go.”

Lawrence Kasdan’s ambiguity is more reflective of the broader “Star Wars” universe, a realm filled with every type of alien being imaginable, yet the rarest of all its life-forms seems to be LGBTQ characters.

Emphatic does not indicate one is between a rock and a hard place. Was it the intention during filming that Lando be pansexual? Probably not. But Kasdan was given an opening and he took it. I still see no problem as unless its explicitly stated on screen, you can believe whatever you want to. I'm fine with Lando being pansexual. It does not go against what we saw of him previously, and it makes the universe bigger. As I've said before in this thread: not everyone in this world is heterosexual. The idea that a character that we've met in the Star Wars universe isn't makes a ton of sense. If it bothers you though, you can choose to ignore it.

 

[Spot261]

The only time we see Sulu in TOS show any interest in women, was in the Mirror Universe. So really, the only thing we know is that Mirror Sulu was straight, and even that I'm not 100% sold on. Mirror Sulu if anything comes off as someone trying to hide their homosexuality by overcompensating and acting too straight. But yeah, canonically, we know nothing at all about Prime Sulu's sexuality.

Fun fact, Sulu was the only male main cast character in TOS we didn't see have some kind of romantic interlude.

 

[General_Phoenix]

If I were C-3PO I would be even more offended at Lando's snub now.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Maybe, but how does that invalidate this option?

What I'm saying is that the entire issue could have moved along without the cries if Kasdan simply created an original character to be his desired LGBT breakthrough instead of tacking that on to a preexisting character with an established life and./or behavior his own future. Its no secret SW fans are unusually protective over longtime favorite characters, so the potential for negative reaction should have been considered carefully. Undoubtedly, some of that negative reaction is the result of flat out intolerance, but I tend to believe most of the criticism comes from longtime SW fans who "know the Lando they know" --to just see a younger version with all of the elements pointing toward his known future self, much in the way Ewan McGregor successfully painted a path toward the Alec Guinness version of Kenobi.

 

[DigificWriter]

^ Lando being pansexual does not conflict in any way, shape, or form with the character as established in "later" installments of the franchise.

 

[Spot261]

What I'm saying is that the entire issue could have moved along without the cries if Kasdan simply created an original character to be his desired LGBT breakthrough instead of tacking that on to a preexisting character with an established life and./or behavior his own future. Its no secret SW fans are unusually protective over longtime favorite characters, so the potential for negative reaction should have been considered carefully. Undoubtedly, some of that negative reaction is the result of flat out homophobia, but I tend to believe most of the criticism comes from longtime SW fans who "know the Lando they know" --to just see a younger version with all of the elements pointing toward his known future self, much in the way Ewan McGregor successfully painted a path toward the Alec Guinness version of Kenobi.

No one knows Lando though, he's not a rounded character, we know nothing about his sexuality other than he is charismatic. Other than that he has previously served onscreen pretty much as a one dimensional foil for Han and co.

To be offended at this idea is just ridiculous and I don't for a second believe this isn't about homophobia. People may claim otherwise and explain it away in other terms but the simple reality is it is challenging people's comfort zones and they don't like that. Those comfort zones and the assumptions that go with them clearly need challenging if it takes something this innocuous to upset people.

If they'd gone down the route you suggest I don't for a second believe we wouldn't be having the equivalent conversation, with people complaining about a character that was introduced purely to serve a (yawn) agenda. At least this way we've seen someone we know expanded upon and explored a little further. The truth is though it's always going to be a no win with portions of the viewership, they'll find a reason to be offended by a non straight character no matter how they are introduced, much as they will be offended by a female lead. They'll always have a bagful of intellectualisations to hand but they'll be after the fact justifications, ways to express their distaste without acknowledging the prejudice.

 

[Campe]

^ Lando being pansexual does not conflict in any way, shape, or form with the character as established in "later" installments of the franchise.

Of course it does, because... um... reasons...

(I'm kidding of course. I have made my feelings more than known in this thread that I believe those whining about the Lando not being a heterosexual are being ridiculous.)

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The only time we see Sulu in TOS show any interest in women, was in the Mirror Universe. So really, the only thing we know is that Mirror Sulu was straight, and even that I'm not 100% sold on. Mirror Sulu if anything comes off as someone trying to hide their homosexuality by overcompensating and acting too straight. But yeah, canonically, we know nothing at all about Prime Sulu's sexuality.

Wasn't George Takei actually pissed that they made Kelvin Sulu gay (or at least bi)? I honestly don't understand why he would be.

 

[Spot261]

Wasn't George Takei actually pissed that they made Kelvin Sulu gay (or at least bi)? I honestly don't understand why he would be.

He seemed to give mixed messages about his feelings on the matter, giving fairly contradictory statements.

Doesn't really matter though, playing a character does not give you any ownership of the role.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Doesn't really matter though, playing a character does not give you any ownership of the role.

Agreed, but one would think that a gay actor would be happy that there are more gay characters.

Although if George is mad because he believes the only reason Kelvin Sulu was made gay/bi is because of George coming out, then I guess it's understandable. Maybe he thinks Abrams was making fun of him or something.

 

[Spot261]

Agreed, but one would think that a gay actor would be happy that there are more gay characters.

Although if George is mad because he believes the only reason Kelvin Sulu was made gay/bi is because of George coming out, then I guess it's understandable. Maybe he thinks Abrams was making fun of him or something.

He never said anything to that effect I'm aware of, his issue being that it was in conflict with GR's vision of the character. To be honest though to my mind much the same applies to Sulu as Lando, he wasn't anywhere near well enough developed for the idea to really come into conflict with the previous portrayal.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Agreed, but one would think that a gay actor would be happy that there are more gay characters.

Although if George is mad because he believes the only reason Kelvin Sulu was made gay/bi is because of George coming out, then I guess it's understandable. Maybe he thinks Abrams was making fun of him or something.

I saw Keiynan Lonsdale on Twitter say he'd be be happy to see his queerness (his term) reflected in Wally/Kid Flash but at the same time he'd be happy if Wally was straight and can be ably played by an openly out actor.

 

[Awesome Possum]

^ Lando being pansexual does not conflict in any way, shape, or form with the character as established in "later" installments of the franchise.

Pansexuality doesn't mean that you're attracted to everybody, just that a person's gender doesn't matter if you're attracted to them. He may not have been attracted to anyone we see him with except for Leia.

 

[DigificWriter]

Pansexuality doesn't mean that you're attracted to everybody, just that a person's gender doesn't matter if you're attracted to them. He may not have been attracted to anyone we see him with except for Leia.

It's been heavily implied that he and L3 had a sexual and romantic relationship.

 

[Spot261]

Pansexuality doesn't mean that you're attracted to everybody, just that a person's gender doesn't matter if you're attracted to them. He may not have been attracted to anyone we see him with except for Leia.

Such a simple concept. Why does it take explaining ad infinitum?

 

[EnsignRicky]

So, Lando has a mild case of Pac-Man fever; Whoop Detoo.

 

[Spot261]

So, Lando has a mild case of Pac-Man fever; Whoop Detoo.

Best post ever!

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

No one knows Lando though, he's not a rounded character, we know nothing about his sexuality other than he is charismatic. Other than that he has previously served onscreen pretty much as a one dimensional foil for Han and co.

To be offended at this idea is just ridiculous and I don't for a second believe this isn't about homophobia. People may claim otherwise and explain it away in other terms but the simple reality is it is challenging people's comfort zones and they don't like that. Those comfort zones and the assumptions that go with them clearly need challenging if it takes something this innocuous to upset people.

I do tend to lean toward your point, however, while the rejection coming from some fans is rooted in homophobia, I've known a lot of SW fans over the decades, and among them are what one might describe as "keepers of original presentation", so they believe SW is more of a fixed, sort of old-timey kind of story and characters. Either way, SW is not "becoming gay" to quote some online.