Why doesTakei (Sulo) Criticizes Character Being Gay Even though He Himself is Gay
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| ‘Pegg was right to make sexuality a facet of an existing character’. John Cho as Sulu, with Zoe Saldana as Uhura, in Star Trek Beyond. Photograph: Everett/Rex/Shutterstock |
It was such a marvelous event to make a character that all Trekkers respect and love Sulo gay.
You would think that the character he represents which happens to be gay would be honored. But Takei which played Sulo on the original series wasn’t so thrilled about it. The 79-year-old actor told The Hollywood Reporter that while he's "delighted that there's a gay character," he doesn't think it should have been Sulu, or any of the original characters.
You would think that the character he represents which happens to be gay would be honored. But Takei which played Sulo on the original series wasn’t so thrilled about it. The 79-year-old actor told The Hollywood Reporter that while he's "delighted that there's a gay character," he doesn't think it should have been Sulu, or any of the original characters.
"Unfortunately, it's a twisting of Gene's creation, to which he put in so much thought. I think it's really unfortunate," Takei said, referring to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's original intentions for Sulu.
Takei reportedly shared his apprehensions over a gay Sulu when he heard the news from Cho last year that Sulu would have a husband in the next film. Takei also advised Beyond director Justin Lin to create a new, gay character when Lin called him about it, THR reported.
Actor Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty and co-wrote the screenplay for Star Trek Beyond with Doug Jung, told The Guardian that he disagrees with Takei.
"Justin Lin, Doug Jung and I loved the idea of it being someone we already knew because the audience have a pre-existing opinion of that character as a human being, unaffected by any prejudice," Pegg said. "Their sexual orientation is just one of many personal aspects, not the defining characteristic."
Takei, who spoke at the University of South Florida earlier this year, has been an outspoken activist for LGBT rights and diversity in Hollywood for years.
Takei is showing his age with his anti gay Sulo comments. He wants the show to stay faithful to Roddenberry who was notorious for changing stories at a wimp and went just by instinct in many occasions. He would probably be the first one to say what a nice change. But wether he agreed with it or not the importance here is that by placing a gay character in such a high position on a show loved by millions without making any fuzz, it shows that is the real gay character of today. We want no fuzz we want just what everyone else has, no more and no less. It translates in such a true message that some people have not yet realized.
We have Pride day with a parade because we had to show on our bad times that we were here because for centuries we have been here but hiding. Even people that loved us wanted us in the closet. As long as we don’t talk about it as long as we don’t show it. But the way to show we are here and like everyone else is to show it and Takei knows that among the whole crew of the Enterprise with the percentages of Gay and Lesbians in the community as we now know, there had to be at least one gay or lesbian in that crew. To bring a new character as gay would be to be making a fuzz about being gay and about wanting to be special in the show who would need a gay token as homophobes would say it. The right way to introduce someone gay to the Enterprise is the exactly the way is being done with smarts and class.
Takei is showing his age with his anti gay Sulo comments. He wants the show to stay faithful to Roddenberry who was notorious for changing stories at a wimp and went just by instinct in many occasions. He would probably be the first one to say what a nice change. But wether he agreed with it or not the importance here is that by placing a gay character in such a high position on a show loved by millions without making any fuzz, it shows that is the real gay character of today. We want no fuzz we want just what everyone else has, no more and no less. It translates in such a true message that some people have not yet realized.
We have Pride day with a parade because we had to show on our bad times that we were here because for centuries we have been here but hiding. Even people that loved us wanted us in the closet. As long as we don’t talk about it as long as we don’t show it. But the way to show we are here and like everyone else is to show it and Takei knows that among the whole crew of the Enterprise with the percentages of Gay and Lesbians in the community as we now know, there had to be at least one gay or lesbian in that crew. To bring a new character as gay would be to be making a fuzz about being gay and about wanting to be special in the show who would need a gay token as homophobes would say it. The right way to introduce someone gay to the Enterprise is the exactly the way is being done with smarts and class.
Star Trek Beyond opens in theaters July 21.
Adam Gonzalez the Net as source.
With special remembrance to a very special actor Anton Yelchin, who was 27 at the time of his death, portrayed Chekov in the film.
Adam Gonzalez the Net as source.
With special remembrance to a very special actor Anton Yelchin, who was 27 at the time of his death, portrayed Chekov in the film.
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