The Babadook creator Jennifer Kent loves his gay icon status
Miles Jai dressed as The Babadook arrives at ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 9 Finale Taping at Alex Theatre on June 9, 2017 in Glendale, California. (Tara Ziemba/Getty)
The Babadook creator Jennifer Kent is officially embracing his gay icon status.
The creature from 2014 horror film The Babadook was embraced as a symbol by the LGBT+ community after a 2016 Netflix glitch saw the film accidentally placed in the LGBT+ section.
Three years on there’s still no stopping The Babadook, who remains a regular staple at Pride events across the world.
A poll this month found that 6 percent of LGBT+ people still consider The Babadook a gay icon, only three points behind Taylor Swift.
The Babadook’s creator is thrilled by his second life as a gay icon
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the film’s writer and director Jennifer Kent said the character’s second life was “beautiful.”
“I feel it’s really quite beautiful, but I still have no idea why.”
Jennifer Kent
She said: “I’m still trying to work that one out… It’s quite perplexing.
“I feel it’s really quite beautiful, but I still have no idea why.”
She added: “I guess he’s an outsider of sorts… it’s funny. It’s charming, I think, that the gay community has latched onto it.
“It’s really sweet. He’s trying to prolong his life, he’s trying to stay relevant.”
The babadook Film gets rainbow-themed Pride release
The film’s creator is definitely leaning in to the portrayal, releasing a special rainbow-covered “LGBTQ Pride Edition” Blu-ray, with proceeds going to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
A synopsis explained: “Thanks to the unpredictable world of social media, viral videos and passionate fans, The Babadook became an unexpected and embraced LGBTQ mascot in 2017 and even carried over into last year as well.
“This year, we fling the closet doors open even further to cement his status!
“We’ve created a special release with participation from our fine partners at IFC Midnight: an official limited edition and numbered Pride Month-themed slipcover packaging that will be shrink-wrapped over our existing Blu-ray release.”
Only 2,500 are being made.
Not every piece of Babadook Pride merch comes with the official seal of approval.
In 2017, The Babadook was transformed into a novelty dildo named ‘The BabaDong’.
The horror film the creature stems from is about a single mother and her son who are terrorised by the otherworldly creature The Babadook.
Even before the Netflix glitch, The Babadook, which is locked in the family’s basement, was adopted by the gay community metaphor for coming out
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