Loki director defends coming out scene after Russell T Davies slams ‘pathetic gesture’
Tom Hiddleston as Loki (Disney Plus/Marvel)
Loki director Kate Herron has defended the Marvel show’s bisexual coming out moment after Russell T Davies called it a “ridiculous, craven, feeble gesture”.
In episode three of Loki, the God of Mischief comes out as bisexual after interrogating an alternate version of himself.
The female Loki asks about his romantic interests, to which he replies: “A bit of both.”
Though many fans were thrilled, It’s a Sin and Queer as Folk creator Russell T Davies was less enthused.
“Loki makes one reference to being bisexual once, and everyone’s like: ‘Oh my god, it’s a pansexual show,'” Davies told Variety in August 2021, calling it a “feeble gesture towards the vital politics and the stories that should be told”.
“He said the word ‘prince,’ and we’re meant to go: ‘Thank you, Disney! Aren’t you marvellous?’ It’s pathetic.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 21: (EXCLUSIVE CONTENT) Russell T Davies during the “It’s a Sin” Q&A at BFI & Radio Times Television Festival, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
Director Kate Herron has now responded to the comments in a Variety interview published on Wednesday (25 May).
She said: “I don’t disagree that there should be bigger stories being told, but – and I think he has a right to his opinion – I’m very proud of what we did in the show.”
Herron won’t be returning for Loki season two. She said in the interview that she had a “conversation” with Marvel Studios, but decided it wasn’t for her.
“I was on the show for like three years in total,” she says. “I just felt like I poured everything into it. It’s almost like a campfire story that every filmmaker kind of brings their take and their perspective. I just felt like I gave so much to this.”
Kate Herron. (Getty Images for Disney)
Actor Tom Hiddleston, who stars as Loki, called the character’s coming out moment “a small step” in an interview with The Guardian, saying that there was “further to go.”
Discussing Marvel’s decision to give his character his own Disney+ series, Hiddleston said: “I was just really honoured to be asked. We all wanted to retain the integrity of the character – I wanted to make sure we didn’t lose the bits that people loved while doing something new.
“I also hope Loki coming out as bisexual was meaningful to people who spotted it.”
Herron expressed hope that future MCU projects would further explore LGBTQ+ characters in an interview with Collider.
“I don’t know plans for the future with Loki,” she said. “But I would say that part of my thinking was, well, if it’s canon and it’s acknowledged, then yeah, I hope there’s obviously more road to travel.”
