Donald Glover on Lando Calrissian's sexuality: 'How can you not be pansexual in space?'

Carly Mallenbaum | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Meet the young Han Solo in new 'Star Wars' movie Young Han Solo meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian.

Here's something Star Wars fans have long known about Lando Calrissian: He's likely the most charismatic character in the galaxy.

Here's something they just learned, via Solo: A Star Wars Story writer Jonathan Kasdan: Lando (played by Donald Glover and, earlier, Billy Dee Williams) is pansexual.

When explicitly asked about Lando's gender identity by Huffington Post, Kasdan said, "There’s a fluidity to Donald and Billy Dee's (portrayal of Lando’s) sexuality." He continued, "I mean, I would have loved to have gotten a more explicitly LGBT character into this movie. I think it’s time, certainly, for that, and I love the fluidity ― sort of the spectrum of sexuality that Donald appeals to and that droids are a part of.”

What does Solo star Donald Glover say about his character's just-announced sexuality? He laughed about how uncontroversial the news is in a SiriusXM interview.

"How can you not be pansexual in space? There's so many things to have sex with. I'm serious," he said. "It just didn't seem that weird to me. You're in space; the door's open."

In Solo, Glover's Lando is as charming as he's always been since Empire Strikes Back, and maybe even more into his capes than ever before. In the new film, his female droid L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) comments, "I'm sure you noticed that Lando has feelings for me." And, as some fans have noted since the Solo trailer was released, Lando is flirty toward Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich), at one point calling him "baby."

Waller-Bridge told USA TODAY this about Lando's relationship with her droid in the film: "The fact that they can be rude and short with each and they can boss each other around is actually what reveals their love for each other and trust for each other," she said. "They’re both very independent characters in their own right and yet they’ve chosen to partner with each other. There’s something I think really romantic about that."

She continued: "This world of Star Wars is just so accepting and beautiful that the idea a droid and a human are trying to waddle their way into a relationship is something that’s celebrated."

But there's nothing overt about Lando's sexuality in the film; nothing romantic goes on between him and any human or droid.

Jonathan Kasdan's father, co-writer and longtime Star Wars scribe Lawrence Kasdan, didn't weigh in on Lando's sexuality in the Huffington Post interview, which he was present for. But the younger Kasdan says Lando's pansexuality is canon.

"I would say yes," he said. “He doesn’t make any hard and fast rules."

Cue the Internet reaction that comes from announcing an LGBTQ character in one of the biggest movie franchises in the world.

Many caps were used

"PANSEXUAL LANDO I AM LIVING," tweeted @RoseLGBTico.

PANSEXUAL LANDO I AM LIVING — Sky🏳️‍🌈 (@RoseLGBTico) May 17, 2018

Lando is "really out there doing the MOST????" wrote @roguesanakain.

lando calrissian is a canon pansexual fashion and space icon??? he’s really out there doing the MOST???? i love a legend — arfa (@roguesanakin) May 17, 2018

Pansexual fans rejoiced

@corylwrites explained why the news matters: People "get to see themselves in the 2nd highest grossing media franchise in the world," she said.

All the people asking "Why does it matter? Who cares?" re: Lando being confirmed as pan: GO TALK TO A PAN PERSON ABOUT IT. Especially any pansexual black men out there. They get to see themselves in the 2nd highest grossing media franchise in the world. — Coryl Reef; she/they (@corylwrites) May 17, 2018

"It is our time," tweeted @HUGGERSECTION.

lando is PANSEXUAL, deadpool is PANSEXUAL



it is our time — grace | today!! (@HUGGERSECTlON) May 17, 2018

Others weren't surprised by the news

@pinkishdawnya tweeted, "there's no way a man like lando would ever be straight."

coworker: oh, lando is pansexual

me: duh

coworker: duh? was it obvious?

me: there's no way a man like lando would ever be straight — Dawnya 💕🌸 (@pinkishdawnya) May 17, 2018

@LOKISITH shared an apt GIF.

lando: is a canon pansexual character



me: pic.twitter.com/XInNiXrqTD — mari is back please fb? (@LOKlSITH) May 17, 2018

Then again, there were "Star Wars" fans not ready to celebrate just yet.

"Hey let’s not completely dunk on the whole Lando being pansexual thing? We can both be happy about it and critical that it likely won’t play out on screen, yes?" said @OhHeyDJ.

Hey let’s not completely dunk on the whole Lando being pansexual thing? We can both be happy about it and critical that it likely won’t play out on screen, yes? — Lil’ M’Baku (@OhHeyDJ) May 17, 2018

From 2017: Are ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Power Rangers’ queerbaiting LGBT fans?

Contributing: Brian Truitt