Tyler DiChiara has opened up about Gotham Knights and his character’s trans identity.
On 14 March, DC fans were finally treated to the first episode of the CW show.
Based on the characters from comic book writers Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Gotham Knights takes place after the murder of Bruce Wayne – who’s alternatively known as Batman.
In the aftermath of the hero’s death, Wayne’s adoptive son forms an unlikely alliance with the children of his father’s enemies after they all get framed for the Caped Crusader’s death.
With a common goal, the group of misfits band togther to clear their name while also keeping crime at bay in the spiralling city of Gotham.
In addition to Gotham Knights exploring the next generation of The Bat Family, the series is also expected to feature an array of LGBTQ+ characters and talent like DiChiara – who plays trans teen Cullen Row.
In a recent interview with Digital Spy, the young talent opened up about how the show “organically” incorporated trans-inclusive storylines.
“I hope people who don’t understand what us trans men and women go through can understand a little bit more after watching Cullen’s story,” he told the news outlet.
“I wanted to introduce Cullen organically and not really have his trans identity be the main focus. The main focus is us running from the police and all that.”
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DiChiara went on to say that conversations about Cullen’s chest surgery and lines like “don’t use his dead name,” are just some of the “subtle” ways his character’s trans identity is highlighted.
“Us trans men and women, we live among everyone every day, and you wouldn’t know it. You wouldn’t bat an eye,” he added.
“These things are natural, and I think the way that we do it in Gotham Knights… it just flows organically.”
Lastly, DiChiara revealed that the show’s writers also let him join the creative process when writing his character’s dialogue and overall storylines.
“They would come to me and say: ‘Hey, is this something that Cullen would say? Is this something that an actual person like yourself would do in this situation,'” he explained.
“They would let me give them ideas, and they would run with it. Without them, I don’t think I would have felt so seen and heard, so I really appreciate the writers letting me have a little bit of a voice in that process.”
You can watch the first episode of Gotham Knights on the CW.
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