Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran want gay Finn/Poe romance
Star Wars: The Last Jedi might not have fulfilled fans’ wishes of a romance between Finn and Poe – but more of the franchise’s stars are on board.
2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens featured a close bond between Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) – with fans rampantly speculating about a possible gay romance between the two characters.
But The Last Jedi dampened hopes of the romance for now – while the chemistry between Finn and Poe remains real, the film featured a kiss between Poe and Kelly Marie Tran’s character Rose Tico.
However, Tran herself has admitted that she’d rather see Poe end up with Finn.
When MTV asked which of the two characters she’d rather go on a date with, the actress revealed she’d rather they went together.
She said: “You know what’s bad? I ship them actually! That’s just a personal thing. I think they’re both great.”
And Daisy Ridley, who plays the film’s protagonist Rey, seemed to agree.
She said: “I would rather be on a date with them on a date!”
Oscar Isaac and John Boyega meanwhile kept the flame alive, by picking eachother’s characters.
Isaac said: “I’m going to go with Finn. It would be weird to hook up with myself.”
Boyega added: “Poe. He’s got an X-Wing!”
Isaac previously added fuel to the fire of a gay love story by hinting at an undisclosed romance of some kind.
He said: “I think it’s very subtle romance that’s happening. You know, you have to just look very close… you have to watch it a few times to see the little hints. But there was… I was playing a romance.”
Boyega initially shut down reports, but later hinted he was open to the idea.
He said: “Mark Hamill didn’t know that Darth Vader was Luke’s father: you never know what they’re going to pull.”
Boyega later said: “I think that Oscar is always looking at me with love in his eyes, and I guess that the fans saw it. And then they realised that either he needs to chill or come out.”
Of the need for LGBT diversity, he added cryptically: “There definitely is that responsibility, but more the responsibility to hire those from those experiences to share their creative light, that’s the pivotal thing.
“If you hire the same sort of people you’re just getting the same sort of film. It’s not wrong, but then there’s a lack of variety.”
Kathleen Kennedy, the head of LucasFilms, previously hinted that there had been serious discussions about a gay romance.
She said: “We’ve talked about it, but I think you’re not going to see it in The Last Jedi.”
The film boss added: “After 40 years of adventures people have a lot of information and a lot of theories about the way these stories can take, and sometimes those theories that come up are new ideas for us to listen to, read and pay attention to.
“[It’s] clear that the fans are as much masters of this franchise as we are.”
Meanwhile, Mark Hamill continues to insist that the sexuality of his iconic Star Wars character, Luke Skywalker, is open to interpretation.
He said: ” Fans are writing and ask all these questions, ‘I’m bullied in school… I’m afraid to come out’. They say to me, ‘Could Luke be gay?’ I’d say it is meant to be interpreted by the viewer… If you think Luke is gay, of course he is.
“You should not be ashamed of it. Judge Luke by his character, not by who he loves.”
The Star Wars films have never featured an openly gay character, despite a number in the expanded universe.
Last year, Star Wars novel writer Chuck Wending issued an epic response to critics who were unhappy with the introduction of a major new gay character into the Star Wars book universe.
Wending had introduced the character in his novel Star Wars: Aftermath.
And a lesbian Jedi featured in the 2003 game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – making her technically the first gay Star Wars hero.
But industry insiders say the likelihood of prominent gay characters appearing in Disney films is remote for financial reasons, rather than creative ones.
