Drag Race star Courtney Act has opened up about her love for the X-Men franchise.
Since its debut in 1963, the beloved superhero comics have captivated readers worldwide, becoming one of Marvel’s most recognized and celebrated franchises.
Created by the late Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the X-Men story follows a superpowered team of mutants led by telepath Charles Xavier as they fight various supervillains and deal with anti-mutant sentiment.
While the series has gained popularity for its incredible characters and unforgettable plot points, the X-Men story has also been embraced by many LGBTQIA+ individuals – like Courtney – due to its real-world parallels to the community.
In a clip from Shaun Micallef’s upcoming Eve of Destruction Christmas special, the beloved drag talent opened up about her love for the franchise and the postive impact it had on her growing up.
“I loved the X-Men. I think there was something about the message of the X-Men that I loved, which was like they were superheroes, they weren’t necessarily accepted, and they hid their identities,” she explained.
“And I think as a young queer kid, there was parts of who I was that I didn’t really understand, but I felt like there was something about me that I had to keep a secret.”
The Drag Race season six star also discussed the similarities between a mutant discovering their powers and a queer person exploring their sexuality.
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“I think around puberty, it kicked in, which is kind of like being gay or lesbian or bi. There was something about X-Men that spoke to me.
Lastly, Courtney brought up a scene from the hit film X-2, when Bobby Drake’s (Iceman) mother discovers he’s a mutant and delivers the lines: “Have you tried not being a mutant?”
“There was sort of, like, a parallel of, like, a parent saying, ‘Can’t you just try not being gay?'” she explained.
While Courtney didn’t have to deal with that response from her own family, she admitted to still “having all of those fears” growing up.
“Because you grow up in a society that gives you certain ideas, hopefully, different ideas now,” she added.
Courtney’s recent interview comes a few months after Marvel fans were treated to the first season of X-Men ’97 – a continuation of the hit X-Men: The Animated Series.
Disney+
Picking up where the 90s cartoon left off, the new episodes follow our favourite band of heroes as they deal with the rise of anti-mutant sentiment, the fall of Genosha and the arrival of supervillain/cyborg Bastion.
Upon its release, X-Men ’97 received universal acclaim from fans and critics, with many praising the show’s impeccable storytelling, unforgettable cameos and LGBTQIA+ representation.
The series also received a 99% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fortunately, we won’t have to wonder if X-Men ’97 will be renewed, with a second and third season currently in the pre-production cycle.
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