Warning: Mild spoiler alerts below.
Avengers: End Game is now in the hands the fans and aside from the high scores on Rotten Tomatoes and overwhelmingly positive response, the movie is also breaking cultural barriers since debuting it’s first openly gay character. The inclusion is nothing major, rather very minor, but stands as a milestone moment for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Director Joe Russo plays the character, a man who isn’t a superhero but rather just a civilian who takes part in a support group for people who are still suffering from the loss loved ones due to the hands Thanos from the end Avengers: Infinity War. Joe’s character speaks about going on a first date with a man since losing his partner.
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“Representation is really important,” Joe Russo told Deadline. “It was important to us as we did four these films, we wanted a gay character somewhere in them. We felt it was important that one us play him, to ensure the integrity and show it is so important to the filmmakers that one us is representing that. It is a perfect time, because one the things that is compelling about the Marvel Universe moving forward is its focus on diversity.”
Anthony further explained how they wanted that one scene “to have a voice that was talking about the experience people that went beyond The Avengers.”
“We wanted it to be casual, with the fact that the character is gay tied into the fabric the storytelling and representing what everyday life is,” Joe Russo said. “We’re trying to represent everyone in everyday life. These are global movies that reach a lot people. They are important to a lot people and everyone has the right to see themselves on the screen and identify somewhere.”