Some Are Petitioning For Pose’s Dominque Jackson To Portray Storm
Comic book fanatics, superhero cinema lovers, and closet geeks all around are united about their extreme excitement for the Uncanny X-Men to make their first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fan theories are running rabid as we try to guess exactly how the superheroes will be introduced. A logical and heavily rumored introduction could likely see power and life absorbing Rogue take Captain Marvel’s (Brie Larson) powers in a mid-credits scene of Captain Marvel 2, but currently that is only serving as fan fiction. Another introduction fans have been spinning is for African Weather Goddess, Storm, to be a character in Black Panther 2. Comic book scholars will know Storm and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) eventually fall and love and marry. Halle Berry originally played the character in disgraced Director Bryan Singer’s X-Men franchise, but it’s unlikely she’ll take the mantle from another actress this go-around, despite being one of Hollywood’s most beautiful and talented women. Storm, arguably the first major-main African American female character of the MCU, and her recasting is highly anticipated and fans are going crazy to find out which actress will take her name. However, some progressive fans are calling for Storm to be transgender.
According to Fox News, a Change.org petition has been made for Pose standout, Dominque Jackson, to take the lead as Storm in the MCU. Jackson portrays House Mother and one of the main characters, Elektra Abundance in Ryan Murphy’s hit series focusing on transgender and gay persons of color through the late ‘80s during the AIDS crisis and ballroom scene. She’s a heavy hitter – playing her role so well you’d believe she acts like her abrasive, conniving character in real life. Her sincere acting chops has garnered her as a fan favorite and an incredible anti-hero for the series.
Fans have been eager to see a relatively modern version of Storm on the screen for years. The introduction of the X-Men into the MCU is going to be absolutely star studded and mind blowing. It’s been over a decade since fans have been asking for them! Storm has a long bill of actresses to play her – and especially seeing her be a leader and eventual love interest of one of the most popular Marvel superheroes ever.
Jackson, however, is thrilled with the fan petition. She took to her Instagram to thank her fans and wishes everyone will continue to uplift everyone around them as they have uplifted her today. Check out her post below:
Do you think Jackson – or a transgender actress – should be given the role of Storm?
While Jackson has the ability to portray Storm – and honestly the look from head to toe – would there be an issue with casting the first Black female superhero with a transgender actress? We’ve grown to love Ian McKellen as both Gandalf and Magneto, but both characters do not have the cultural significance of Storm. And McKellen playing these characters didn’t make the characters gay. And we have not seen any mention that casting Jackson as Storm would be a step in rewriting Storm as a transgender weather goddess, or have we?
Here is two thirds of the Change.org petition. In it, it seems the writer toggles back and forth from desiring that transgender Jackson play the X-men Storm and Jackson portraying Storm as a transgender superhero. It’s a little hazy.
If there’s anyone that could fill [Storm’s] cape it would be Ms. Jackson. From fleeing persecution as a transgender woman in her home country of Trinidad to being a pioneer and leader for the Ballroom and LGBTQ community, Ms.Jacksons knows what it’s like to feel to be an outcast only to find strength in community. Ms.Jackson journey has all the makings of a true X-men, compassion, nerve, and leadership. Appearing in the Emmy nominated drama “Pose” as Elektra, Ms. Jackson knows how to command any scene she walks into while also being able to deliver strong witted monologues off the top of her head just like Storm does before summoning a bolt of lightning. How amazing would it be to have Jackson deliver the same type of reads with the added power of lightning and thunder? It would be epic
Casting Ms.Jackson will finally give fans a spot on portrayal of one of the most beloved comic boom heroines of all time.The X-men have always represented marginalized groups of people. People of color and LGBTQ+ individuals all feel oppressed more than ever in today’s society. Casting a black trans women as the iconic character would reach out to new demographics by depicting the heroine as strong and unapologetic leader who like the rest of us is also human.
So is the petition for a trans actress to play the role or for the role to be rewritten as trans?
After an Instagrammer recently shared a modified pic, we shared a post Could Matt Bomer Replace Henry Cavill As Superman? Would this be the same debate?
The role of Storm is a coveted position as Ebony.com shares:
The most recognized and popular female Black superhero would be Ororo Munroe as Storm. She was part of a wider Black superhero rollout in the late’70s and early’80s that included Cyborg, Deathlok and Blade, and she even became the eventual leader of the X-Men. As far as the successful X-Men film franchise, both Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp’s portrayals of Storm were received with mixed results.
Results from our study show Storm is easily the most popular Black female superhero (47 percent), followed by Bumblebee (7percent), Nubia (6 percent) and Vixen (6 percent). – Ebony.com
Whomever receives the nod to play Storm, it will be powerful. Of course we’ve heard rumors about Beyoncé as the next Storm and there’s been the messages from ‘American Gods’ actress Yetide Badaki and her desire to play the mutant. In this series of Tweets, she shares those thoughts about the role, in addition to coming out as bisexual this past May.
We all know about representation and seeing someone “like us” on the big screen. When we saw that first gay man on television, or in the movies, we felt represented, seen, Hollywood is saying we exist, we are part of society. Would casting the first African American female super hero to be played by a transgender actress hurt any African-American little girl’s (or woman’s) belief that she is represented? Would they love Storm any differently? And who is to say a little Dominique Jackson did not look up to Storm as a role model, as representation?
May the best actress get the role. That is what it should come down to. May they be bisexual, transgender, lesbian, straight, fluid, cis. Not everyone will be happy no matter who gets the to play the goddess. Storm may be a fictional character and someone to look up to, but remember, we had the first African American woman to win an Academy Award for best actress play Storm and her/Berry’s portrayal of the superhero was not well received. It truly was the writing that did her in. So Hollywood, figure out who you want as an actress in the role and write them a good, powerful, prominent role so no matter what Person of Color dyes their hair white, we can cheer them on to success.
Instincters – what do you think? Who has your vote to play the next Storm? Bring back Berry? Beyoncé? Badaki? Jackson? Would there be backlash from cis Black females if their first “superhero icon” was to be rewritten as transgender or be be played by a transgender actress?
Writer’s Note: This is the opinion of one Instinct Magazine contributor and does not reflect the views of Instinct Magazine itself or fellow contributors.
Source: Fox News
