While production for The Eternals recently wrapped, we’re still a ways away till its release. An interesting twist in the tale here is that the movie might just see the emergence of the MCU’s first openly gay couple, following a same-sex kiss scene in the film.
This was revealed by one of The Eternals‘ cast members, Haaz Sleiman (Little America, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), who will play as Phastos’ husband, who is portrayed by Brian Tyree Henry (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). The Lebanon-born American actor said that the kiss was “beautiful” and “very moving”, leaving the cast and crew in tears.
Haaz Sleiman 
Brian Tyree Henry
“…it’s a beautiful, very moving kiss. Everyone cried on set. For me it’s very important to show how loving and beautiful a queer family can be. Brian Tyree Henry is such a tremendous actor and brought so much beauty into this part, and at one point I saw a child in his eyes, and I think it’s important for the world to be reminded that we in the queer community were all children at one point. We forget that because we’re always depicted as sexual or rebellious. We forget to connect on that human part.”
While it is interesting that Sleiman’s and Henry’s characters will be part of the MCU’s first same-sex couple, the idea that Marvel Studios and Disney could be openly embracing more diversity in its IPs might also be taken with a grain of salt.
Their reluctance to represent different sexual orientations was seen in the likes of Avengers: Endgame, where the fact that Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie was queer was only found out when the Russo brothers declared it on record. And even if the scene in The Eternals was to live on in the full release, Disney might even cut it out in certain countries, as was seen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Sleiman and Henry will be joined by the likes of Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) and Gemma Chan (Captain Marvel), whom recently Marvel have announced as the main characters of the movie, playing the roles of Black Knight and Sersi respectively.
The Eternals opens in theatres on 6 November 2020.
Marion has a serious RPG addiction. Sometimes it bleeds into real life; he forgets to sleep because he thinks he has a Witcher’s body clock. Forgive him in advance if he suddenly blurts out terms such as “Mind Flayer” and “Magic Missile”, because never once does he stop thinking about his next Dungeons & Dragons game.
Natalie
Trinity Sun
