Even when critics are bombing the Eternals for having the first openly gay superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, star under heat Brian Tyree Henry playing Phastos reveals that portraying the character had his “faith in humanity restored,” and no matter what the others say, he knows that having an LGBTQ+ representation on the big screen especially for a large franchise such as the MCU.
A lot of talks are circling about the Eternals from the comic book readers as characters got an overhaul from their gender, race, and sexuality in the movie adaptation. However, the attention of those who were criticizing the film circles around Phastos, portrayed by Brian Tyree Henry, as he has the most controversial change: he is the first openly gay superhero in the MCU where he has a husband and a child.
Phastos is the handyman of the Eternals. As described by Brian Tyree Henry in a featurette introducing each of them, he can “assemble anything out of any kind of technology.” Seen in various trailers, he creates things from technology and uses it as weapons. He also has the key to what seems like the ship they used to come here on Earth.
The inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters seem to have agitated critics even when they haven’t seen the movie yet given that it is yet to release worldwide. The character is the blacksmith of the team. Another character up for diversity and representation, he will be the other half of the first openly gay couple in the MCU, living a happily married life with his husband and his child, even shown in trailers as the kid who Thena babysits.
Related: Eternals is the Lowest Rated MCU Movie on Rotten Tomatoes
In a chat with Variety, Brian Tyree Henry shared how playing Phastos changed his life, “Beyond a dream come true, it’s life-saving. I wish I had that when I was a kid to see this. My god. I wish! Can you imagine how many lives this is going to be saving — kids, young queer folk, who are being bullied, committing suicide, and not seeing themselves being represented? And now they get to see this — it’s above and beyond.”
Kudos to Marvel for such a bold move!
See Phastos’ debut in the MCU on Eternals in theaters on November 5, 2021.