‘The Acolyte’ Showrunner Leslye Headland Says Fans Are Thirsty For Qimir Because He “Flips Classic Gender Tropes Of Hypersexualization”
Rather than simply admitting “he’s popular because he’s hot”, The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland says that one of the main reasons fans have been so vocally thirsty over series villain Qimir is because he “flips classic gender tropes of hypersexualization”.
Search The Acolyte on any social media platform and it’s likely that, amidst the numerous criticisms and mockery being leveled towards the Star Wars series, one will no doubt encounter an absolute abundance of viewers who considered the ‘easy on the eyes’ appearance of Qimir, as played by Manny Jacinto, to be one of, if not the main reason they tuned in to each subsequent episode.
In light of her role in sparking this phenomena, the aforementioned Headland was pressed for her insight into the Sith Lord’s widespread ‘popularity’ as part of a recent interview given by Jacinto to GQ’s Yang-Yi Gooh.
“The Stranger flips classic gender tropes of hypersexualization,” said the showrunner. “But a true sex symbol is someone who resonates emotionally with fans. Manny’s magnetism is rooted in his acting, not just his physique. His ability to access vulnerability, empathy, and longing is very compelling.”
As for Jacinto himself, when asked for his thoughts as to why so many fans had found themselves attracted to his character, he playfully opined, “I mean, I think baby oil goes a long way. Baby oil and wet hair.”
Later offering a more serious answer, the actor asserted, “He’s like that high school bad boy. He just minds his own business. He’s not pulling you, he’s not telling you to come and be with him. He’s just living his own life, and you wind up intrigued by what he’s doing.”
Yet, despite the outpouring of thirst over his character, Jacinto still finds it hard to believe that he’s the one at the center of this affection.
“I think whether it be being Asian, or Filipino, or Canadian, there’s always going to be this sense of always being in disbelief that people actually find you attractive,” said the actor.
As noted the last time Headland attempted to justify her blatant sexualization of Qimir, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the fact that the showrunner and her audience wish to oogle the Sith in this manner.
However, what is an issue is in the fact that this is yet another hypocritical instance of ‘Rules for thee, not for me’, as history has shown such sexualization of female characters and actors is normally considered an offense most heinous, often to the point where those who even dare to comment find themselves accused of being everything from ‘incels’ to ‘porn addicts’.
In other words, at the end of the day, it’s either all okay or none of it is.
For those Qimir groupies looking to make Tumblr fancams and gifsets, all eight episodes of The Acolyte are now available on Disney Plus.
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