Shock as Star Trek’s George Takei condemns Sulu being made gay
John Cho as Sulu
While many have welcomed news that the iconic Sulu will be revealed to be gay in the latest Star Trek movie, the character’s original actor (who is gay) isn’t impressed.
John Cho, who now plays Hikaru Sulu, told the Herald Sun that the character will be shown in the upcoming Star Trek Beyond as raising a daughter with a male partner.
“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 politicise one’s personal orientations,” said Cho.
Sci-fi fans have for decades called for more LGBT characters in mainstream films like Star Trek, and so the move is pretty groundbreaking.
The decision was, said Cho, made by the film’s writer Simon Pegg and director Justin Lin as a tribute to George Takei, who first played the role of Sulu in the original series and movies.
Takei is not only openly gay himself but has also become a vocal and respected LGBT activist.
Surprisingly, the one person who is upset about the news is Takei himself. The star told The Hollywood Reporter that while he’s “delighted that there’s a gay character” he doesn’t believe it should be Sulu.
In light of the franchise’s 50th anniversary this year, Takei believes that the character should have stayed as he was conceived by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry – a straight man.
George Takei originally played Sulu
He revealed that he was called months again by Cho who told him about the decision and that he tried to convince the younger actor not to go ahead with the plan.
“I told him, ‘Be imaginative and create a character who has a history of being gay, rather than Sulu, who had been straight all this time, suddenly being revealed as being closeted.'”
Takei believed that the filmmakers would take his thoughts to heart and was disappointed when he recently discovered that they did not.
“Unfortunately, it’s a twisting of Gene’s creation, to which he put in so much thought. I think it’s really unfortunate,” he said.
As Star Trek fans ourselves we aren’t with Takei on this one. We say: Move with the times and bring on the gay Sulu!
Star Trek Beyond is released on 26 August in South Africa. Watch the trailer below.
Mongols !