Billy Dee Williams opened up about his fluidity in Esquire interview.
Star Wars legend Billy Dee Williams, who played Lando Calrissian, revealed he identifies with male and female pronouns.
Explaining the path to coolness to Esquire, Williams said: “I never tried to be anything except myself. I think of myself as a relatively colorful character who doesn’t take himself or herself too seriously.”
“And you see I say ‘himself’ and ‘herself,’ because I also see myself as feminine as well as masculine. I’m a very soft person. I’m not afraid to show that side of myself.”
When told that Donald Glover, who portrayed young Lando in Solo, has spoken about gender fluidity, Williams replied: “Really? That kid is brilliant — look at those videos.”
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In the interview, Williams also shared his favorite acting moment was his Emmy-nominated performance in the 1971 film Brian’s Song. The film tells the story of the first interracial roommates, Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, in NFL history.
“It was a love story, really,” he emphasized. “Between two guys. Without sex. It ended up being a kind of breakthrough in terms of racial division.”
Williams plays Lando Calrissian in the upcoming film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. When interviewed by HuffPost, Jonathan Kasden, who co-wrote Solo, stated: “There’s a fluidity to Donald [Glover] and Billy Dee’s [portrayal of Lando’s] sexuality. I mean, I would have loved to have gotten a more explicitly LGBT character into this movie.”
He continued: “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.”
