Star Trek: Picard actor wants to ‘delve into’ his character’s sexuality – and the showrunner seems up for it, too
Fans have questioned the lack of LGBT+ representation in Star Trek: Picard (Amazon Prime)
As Star Trek: Picard comes to a close, eager fans can look forward to a second season with more LGBT+ representation – or so the showrunner has hinted.
The long-awaited show sees the legendary Starfleet commander Jean-Luc Picard return to the skies, coming into contact with alien and AI races as he does.
However, there’s been a distinct lack of LGBT+ representation on the show so far, which viewers were keen to raise with showrunner and writer Michael Chabon.
In a Q&A on Chabon’s Instagram story, one fan asked: “Will we see any overt LGBTQ+ rep in S1? I’m loving PIC, but there’s been a lack, thank u!”
Chabon answered: “You’re right, there has been a relative lack of emphasis there.
“Our characters’ sexualities, or rather our understanding of them, emerged and evolved over the course of the season, as our actors moved into and began to inhabit their roles.
“It was an organic process, and references to sexual identity and history arise in a less explicit way. Next season that understanding will come more fully into play.”
It seems Chabon’s desire for diversity in Star Trek: Picard is shared by Evan Evagora, the actor who plays the young Romulan warrior Elnor.
Elnor from *Picard* — or, as I call him, Romulando Bloom pic.twitter.com/8xsiRHkt0J
— Robert Rushing (@RobertR37898365) March 18, 2020
With many viewers understandably questioning whether the handsome space Legolas with the flowing hair could possibly be straight, the actor addressed addressed the matter on Instagram.
“Growing up in a very sheltered environment I’m not sure he’s had the time to fully explore his sexuality,” Evagora replied.
“But [it] would be interesting to delve into that at some point.”
Star Trek has been a champion of diversity since it first aired in the 1960s, featuring both a black woman and Asian man in prominent roles.
The sci-fi epic is famous for being the first TV show ever to broadcast an interracial kiss in 1968 between Uhura and Captain Kirk.
