Willow’s queer romance storyline received “no pushback” from Disney, according to the show’s producer.
The young adult fantasy series is a sequel to the 1988 film of the same name, with an LGBTQ+ romance at its core.
Producer of the series, Jonathan Kasdan, said that Disney was very receptive to including the storyline, adding: “There was no pushback.”
He described the romance as “organic to the narrative we were telling.”
Main character Kit (Ruby Cruz) is a tomboyish princess who, through the series’ progression, develops romantic feelings for Jade (Erin Kellyman), an orphan who dreams of becoming the first female knight.
Kasdan also stated that he hoped the show could be part of a movement towards better and more frequent LGBTQ+ representation.
“I believe we’re at a moment where you’re going to see a paradigm shift in that,” he told Polygon.
He wants it to become “less of a surprising and unusual thing to see.”
“It’s a part of the landscape of the world around us, just like the diversity elements of casting. If you look at the original Willow, by no fault of anyone, it’s not very diverse,” he also stated.
“And as we enter 2022, the world has changed, in the way we’re absorbing entertainment, and the faces we’re reflecting in entertainment have expanded enormously, and we hope the show can be growing as the world grows.”
Willow debuted on Disney+ on 30 November.
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