Actor John Cho‘s helmsman will come out of the closet in this month’s ‘Star Trek Beyond.’
It’s a classic (or contrived) attempt at art imitating life, as the Sulu character famously played in the original tv show by gay icon George Takei, is coming out to the galaxy.
Spoliers from this month’s Beyond, reveal it will be established that Sulu is not only in a relationship with another man, but that the two have a daughter together…how intergalactic custody battles are settled is for the screenwriters to figure out.
Cho spoke out about the forthcoming portrayal of the homosexuality of his character, “I liked the approach, which was not to make a big thing out it, which is where I hope we are going as a species — to not politicize one’s personal orientations,” he said…while ironically making a big deal out of the character’s sexual orientation.
Sulu will serve as the first canonically onscreen queer character in the series…at least of the human species.
But in a summer of bad box office results, and in the shadow of cast member Anton Yulchin‘s tragic death, this movie may not be a welcome platform for social activism, time will tell.
