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Home / Entertainment

Marvel 'wants gay actor for superhero role'

By Mathew Murphy
news.com.au·
6 Mar, 2019 08:36 PM3 mins to read

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Marvel is thinking of making one of The Eternals gay.

Marvel is thinking of making one of The Eternals gay.

The world of Marvel is reportedly set to get a gay superhero.

That Hashtag Show reports that Marvel is on the hunt for an actor to play the lead role in their 2020 feature film The Eternals.

The Eternals are a fictional species of humanity who fight against the Deviants to save Earth.

The characters, who first appeared in their own comic books in 1976, include Ikaris, Thena, Ajak, Sprite and Makkari among others.

If Marvel is set to make the lead character gay then it will be playing catch-up to DC Comics, which already has Ruby Rose playing gay superhero Batwoman in a new TV series.

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Marvel fans have also suggested making Captain America, played by Chris Evans, a gay character.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige hinted that the studio was working towards bringing a new LGBTQ character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe last year, and now it's been claimed that casting has opened.

The studio is said to be searching for an actor who "physically looks like a superhero" between the ages of 30 and 49.

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There is reportedly no preference over ethnicity but Marvel would prefer the part to go to a gay actor.

The internet seems to be gunning for Beauty and the Beast star Luke Evans to be cast.

So Marvel PREFERS an openly gay actor to play Ikaris for The Eternals you say???

Well there is your chance Marvel pic.twitter.com/fUE4iw5mju

— Niklander 2020 is actually a hangover phase (@niklander2) March 1, 2019

However, there are still plenty more gay actors in Hollywood who should get an audition.

What about Magic Mike's Matt Bomer, who already has the chiselled good looks and body of a superhero?

If producers were looking for a less cookie-cutter superhero type then what about Jim Parsons? Sure he doesn't quite have a superhero's body but he did play comic book-loving Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory for 12 years and with the show ending he should have some free time.

Wilson Cruz during DKNY Men's Underwear Celebrity Field Day, Beverly Hills, California, United States. Photo / Getty
Wilson Cruz during DKNY Men's Underwear Celebrity Field Day, Beverly Hills, California, United States. Photo / Getty

If casting agents wanted to display diversity in the character then Star Trek Discovery's Wilson Cruz could fit the bill.

He was the first ever gay actor to play a gay character on TV in My So-Called Life so why not let him become the first gay actor to play a gay Marvel character.

Scandal star Guillermo Diaz, or even Ricky Martin, who recently was nominated for an Emmy for his work on The Assassination of Gianni Versace, could also be good choices.

We would however suggest against casting Empire's Jussie Smollett though.

Speaking of Star Trek alum, Zachary Quinto could be a solid choice, having already played a superhero, Sylar, in the TV show Heroes.

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Zachary Quinto attends the 72nd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 10, 2018 in New York City. Photo / Getty
Zachary Quinto attends the 72nd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 10, 2018 in New York City. Photo / Getty

We will have to wait and see but it is safe to say Luke Evans is the frontrunner at this stage.

Other actors tipped to join the cast of The Eternals include Eva Green and Zoe Kravitz.

okay but zoe kravitz to play thena in the eternals movie? pic.twitter.com/Isb8eOGQ6u

— tasnim (@filmsharley) February 25, 2019
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