Photo credit: Lucasfilm

From Digital Spy

One thing that seems to be shared by all major shared cinematic universes is a complete absence of LGBT characters.

But the new Star Wars book Leia: Princess of Alderaan is hinting that George Lucas's beloved universe might be getting its first LGBT figure on the big screen in the form of Star Wars: The Last Jedi's Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (via Screen Rant).

Photo credit: Lucasfilm

Claudia Gray's novel, which is set before A New Hope, sees an exchange between Holdo (played by Laura Dern in the upcoming movie) and Princess Leia Organa in which they speak about who they find attractive.

"It's just humanoid males for me," says Leia, to which Holdo responds: "Really? That feels so limiting."

It's not much to go on, but it does tacitly indicate that Holdo's tastes extend beyond males (and humans, for that matter). This probably won't even been reflected in the film, but when Dern shimmies across the screen in her pink hair, we can at least see her as a tiny blow for representation.

It also reveals that Holdo and Leia's (possibly antagonistic) relationship stretches over several decades.

Photo credit: Lucasfilm / Disney

A few LGBT characters did feature in the old (and now non-canon) Extended Universe – mainly in video games which allowed you to choose who your characters fall for.

Moff Delian Mors and Sinjir Rath Velus are among the few LGBT characters who have been introduced in Disney's new canon.

This is, of course, ignoring that Fin and Poe Dameron are definitely in love and that The Last Jedi is certain to focus on their blossoming romance, right?

Photo credit: Lucasfilm

A petition for the introduction of an LGBT character in the next movie was launched to memorialise Christopher Andrew 'Drew' Leinonen, one of the victims of the Orlando club shootings.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be released on December 14 in the UK and on December 15 in the US.

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