Erin Kellyman on the Positive Queer Representation in ‘Willow’:

Erin Kellyman, who people may recognize as being in another Disney+ show The Falcon and Winter Soldier, embarks on a theme of discovery in episode five of Willow. Her character, Jade, learns the truth about her family: that they are Bone Reavers, and that she was lied to about her family for her entire life. She also learns and embarks on another journey: one where she can reveal her true feelings for the one she loves.

Fans of the show have probably followed the back and forth between both Jade and Kit, a Tir Asleen princess played by Ruby Cruz, and their feelings for one another that they did not fully reveal until episode five. Jade held back because as a knight, she knows she could not have any kind of romantic relationship. Once Jade finds out she is also a Bone Reaver, and once Kit says she will go anywhere with Jade, both women finally reveal the feelings they’ve kept hidden from one another. Kellyman, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, says the second Kit reveals her requited feelings for Jade and Jade finds out about her second family, she’s “all in. She’s been waiting a long time.”

Queer representation for Lucasfilm reflects the open and inclusive attitude of the studio, as Willow premiered after the season finale of Andor, a show with an openly queer relationship between Vel, played by Faye Marsay, and Cinta, played by Varada Sethu. Positive queer representation validates the community’s life and experiences, and helps to contribute to a society where the queer community feel comfortable being their true and authentic selves.

Kellyman herself is openly gay, and agrees with positive and normalized queer representation, along with feeling good about being that positive and normalized queer representation. In the same interview, she says, “It feels like I’m healing my inner child. Having not seen these shows [with positive representation] when I was younger, now being able to be the representation that I didn’t have is something that is so peaceful. I know that if I saw this when I was a kid, I would have been completely in love with Kit and Jade, and I would have felt a lot less isolated and scared and weird.”

If you want to catch the show, Willow is currently streaming on Disney+, where new episodes debut every Wednesday.

View this article at Collider.