It sure is Monday and this sure is your first Pop Culture Fix of the week!
+ Tessa Thompson joined Ramy Youssef for an Actors on Actors conversation last week at Variety. On the MCU (which is the most headline-worthy quote, but not the best part of her interview by far, so go watch it!):
The truth is these movies travel globally in such huge ways, and if you can represent people that are of color, if you can represent people with disabilities, if you can represent the LGBTQIA community inside of these films, it’s a pretty big deal. I think it’s really important for everybody, but for young people especially, to be able to show up to those movies and see projections of themselves. So I’m really excited that we’re able to continue to push the bounds of that and that I’m able to do that with Valkyrie. Because there’s so many cool queer characters in the comic books, and they should have a place on screen.
+ I started watching Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeats this weekend after Valerie and multiple commenters told me how good it is, and dang y’all were all right! And just in time, Shannon Miller over at the A.V. Club: Kipo’s Benson is leading the next wave of queer representation in youth animation.
+ Shrill‘s Lolly Adefope on Fran’s vulnerability, agency, and growth in season two.
+ From Emily VanDerWerff at Vox: Midsommar has a deeply trans narrative hiding in plain sight.
+ At Vogue, Emma Specter invites you to spend 24 hours with Laverne Cox.
+ Leo Baker, a gender-queer non-binary professional skateboarder, will be in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, making them the first trans athlete to be depicted in a video game.
+ An oral history of the Baby-Sitter’s Club movie.
+ Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner recall falling in love with each other 50 years ago.
+ Alison and Emily are back together now that Pretty Little Liars is really over, I guess?
+ Jasmine Davis hadn’t planned on coming out as trans — then came The Chi.
+ After leaving NCIS, Shalita Grant wanted to embrace comedy on Search Party.
+ The L Word: Generation Q showrunner Marja Lewis Ryan talked to The Cut about the art that shaped her.
+ Never Have I Ever will be back for season two on Netflix.
+ Denise Ho: Becoming the Song follows Hong Kong’s first lesbian pop star on her journey of activism.
+ Legends of Tomorrow‘s sixth season won’t be smoothing sailing for Sara and Ava.
While I’d love me some Avalance angst, I also hope that the writers take this chance to double down on Ava and Zari’s friendship. I want Zari to be a caring, supportive friend for Ava in her hour of need.
sigh. no. i do not want AvaLance discord.
no offense to Kristana. and of course yes to more Zari anything.
Emily VanDerWerff’s Midsommar article reminds me of how Jenny Lewis unintentionally wrote one of my favorite trans woman anthems with “Just One of the Guys”.
And while I don’t think I was as enamored with Midsommar as her, her reading of it could explain why I still find myself thinking about that movie frequently despite only having watched it once about a year ago. I keep wondering if maybe I actually did really like it??