Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker director J.J. Abrams is opening up about why he included the first same-sex kiss in Star Wars franchise history.
The brief moment between two unknown female characters happened during a celebration scene towards the end of the movie.
During an interview with MovieZine, Abrams was told that during a screening in Sweden, the kiss drew applause, and when he was asked, ‘how did that come about,’ he revealed why he chose to put that kiss in the scene.
J.J. speaks: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker director J.J. Abrams is opening up about why he included the first same-sex kiss in Star Wars franchise history
‘I just felt like in this one scene of celebration, it felt like an opportunity to show – without it being, you know, heavy-handed or making too loud of a deal – it was sort of part of the whole experience to see a same-sex couple have a moment together that was explicitly saying in the Star Wars galaxy, you know, everyone is there and is welcome,’ he said.
‘It doesn’t matter what your sexual preference is, doesn’t matter what your race/species, whether you’re organic or synthetic, Star Wars is for everyone and knowing that there hadn’t been a representation like that – it doesn’t take away from anyone, it just shows that Star Wars is for all of us,’ he added.
When asked about his responsibility as a filmmaker to represent diversity and inclusion in his films, Abrams said he felt it’s every filmmaker’s responsibility to ‘represent the world as it exists.’
Celebration: ‘I just felt like in this one scene of celebration, it felt like an opportunity to show – without it being, you know, heavy-handed or making too loud of a deal – it was sort of part of the whole experience to see a same-sex couple have a moment together that was explicitly saying in the Star Wars galaxy, you know, everyone is there and is welcome,’ he said
‘I think it’s every filmmaker’s responsibility to not only represent the world as it exists as much as possible on screen, but also behind the camera,’ Abrams said.
He added that his second unit director, Victoria Mahoney, was the first African-American woman in that position in a Star Wars movie.
‘That was as important to me as having a cast that looked like more of the world than not,’ he said. ‘I’m also really proud of, not just in front of camera, but also behind the camera, bringing in people who aren’t just the usual suspects.’
Responsibility: ‘I think it’s every filmmaker’s responsibility to not only represent the world as it exists as much as possible on screen, but also behind the camera,’ Abrams said
He said that these opportunities weren’t about, ‘taking away’ positions from anyone else, ‘it’s about giving opportunities to people who might not have had that chance before.’
‘Whether it’s a woman in a role that you might not normally see, or whether it’s a person of color, it’s becoming more normalized but I think it’s good for storytelling diversity and it’s good for business,’ Abrams said.
‘I think people are hungry for things that are not just the exact same things we’ve seen forever,’ Abrams added.
Diverse: ‘Whether it’s a woman in a role that you might not normally see, or whether it’s a person of color, it’s becoming more normalized but I think it’s good for storytelling diversity and it’s good for business,’ Abrams said
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker earned $177.3 million in its opening weekend domestic, and it’s earned $433.5 million worldwide in its first week in theaters.
The Rise of Skywalker is the ninth and final film in the Skywalker Saga, which started back in 1977 with Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
LucasFilm has a new trilogy of Star Wars movies written and directed by Rian Johnson, though it isn’t known when they will hit theaters
Box office hit: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker earned $177.3 million in its opening weekend domestic, and it’s earned $433.5 million worldwide in its first week in theaters