The new Disney+ series Agatha All Along is pushing the Disney-Marvel brand further into LGBTQ territory, with two of its stars heralding the show for reaching a new stage in the studio’s commitment to “queer” representation.
In recent interviews, actors Joe Locke and Sasheer Zamata praised the new supernatural series — which is a spin-off of WandaVision — for putting non-heterosexual characters front and center.
Joe Locke plays the openly gay character named “Teen” in the new series, which is set to debut September 18 on Disney+.
“The MCU – and any Marvel project – has this weird ability to unite the whole world. No matter where you’re from, who you are, everyone knows about the new Marvel series, the new Marvel film, which is a really great way to progress social issues in the world,” Locke explained to SFX Magazine, via PinkNews.
“To have a real authentic portrayal of a queer character in that sphere where, no matter your background, everyone’s on equal footing.”
Later, he said that his character’s gayness is always out in the open. “It’s almost like this is the next stage of representation, where there’s no part of this series that hides his queerness, there are lots of scenes and it’s a big part of him, but also it’s not the main part of him.”
Sasheer Zamata plays a character who is a witch, which she explained is a crypto queer person.
“I do think there’s a lot of queerness in witches, and being a witch, being the ‘other’, you’re cast out by nature, and you’re pushed aside for many reasons,” Zamata told PinkNews.
She said there are numerous similarities between a coven of witches and the LGBTQ+ community.
“There’s something to creating your own community and using the magic within,” she added. “The reason that you are different is the reason that you’re special.”
“I think a lot of people will get a lot from it, but also I hope that queer audiences like it.”
Disney has doubled down on its embrace of LGBTQ+ identity politics in its entertainment for children, especially on the family friendly Disney+ streaming service, as well as in the larger culture.
GLAAD reported Disney released 59 films in 2022, and 24 of them were so-called “LGBT inclusive films.”
In the past few years, Disney has fought Florida over its anti-grooming Parental Rights in Education law, created multiple transgender characters for its children’s shows, put gay characters at the center of its big-budget movies, and even launched an LGBTQ-themed apparel line.
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