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Kit Harington questions LGBTQ representation in Marvel films, Hollywood

By Corey Smith

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 10: Kit Harington attends the "The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan" premiere during 2018 Toronto International Film Festival at Winter Garden Theatre on September 10, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 10: Kit Harington attends the "The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan" premiere during 2018 Toronto International Film Festival at Winter Garden Theatre on September 10, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images) /
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Attending the Toronto International Film Festival in support of his lead role in The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, Game of Thrones star Kit Harington (Jon Snow) took a break from addressing his hair, to discuss his problem with LGQBT representation in Hollywood. Speaking to Variety, Harington used the mega-successful Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as an example.

"There’s a big problem with masculinity and homosexuality that they can’t somehow go hand in hand. That we can’t have someone in a Marvel movie who’s gay in real life and plays some super hero. I mean, when is that going to happen?"

The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, deals with issues of homophobia and sexuality, leading to the discussion from Harington. LGQBT character representation in greater Hollywood probably comes as a shock to Harington after his time on Game of Thrones, which boasts a half-dozen on-screen LGQBT characters. Virtually all of the great houses of Westeros are represented on the LGQBT spectrum on Thrones, including Oberyn Martell, Ellaria Sand, Yara Greyjoy, Loras Tyrell and Renly Baratheon.

HOLLYWOOD, CA – OCTOBER 10: Actor Tessa Thompson at The World Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok” at the El Capitan Theatre on October 10, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Disney)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – OCTOBER 10: Actor Tessa Thompson at The World Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok” at the El Capitan Theatre on October 10, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Disney) /

Conversely, the Disney owned MCU, having currently released 20 films and a box office tab of over 17 billion dollars, has only produced two LGQBT characters, Thor: Ragnarok’s Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Black Panther’s Okoye (Danai Gurira), neither of whom’s sexuality was addressed directly on screen. And although some might call it exploitative or for shock value, sexual encounters of all varieties are shown on Thrones. 

Taking it one step further, George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire novels also feature same-sex encounters between Daenerys Targaryen, as well as Cersei Lannister. So does Harington have a point? Or do comic book superhero films get a pass for being based on decades-old characters originally written as straight? It’s a topic worth exploring.

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