In a recent interview with Esquire, 82-year-old “Mahogany” actor Billy Dee Williams opened up about identifying as gender fluid and using his/her pronouns.
“I never tried to be anything except myself,” he shared. “I think of myself as a relatively colorful character who doesn’t take himself or herself too seriously. You see I say ‘himself’ and ‘herself,’ because I also see myself as feminine as well as masculine,” Williams explained. “I’m a very soft person. I’m not afraid to show that side of myself.”
Williams, best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in the 1980s “Star Wars” films, returned to the franchise to reprise his iconic role in the upcoming installment of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which is scheduled to hit theaters on December 20.
In the interview, Donald Glover was mentioned, who played a young Calrissian in last year’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” and described the character as pansexual. “Yeah, he’s coming on to everybody,” Glover said of Calrissian. Pansexuality refers to an attraction to people that is not limited by a particular gender identity or sexual orientation.
Glover, musically known as Childish Gambino, continued, “I feel like if you’re in space it’s kind of like, the door is open! It’s like, no, only guys or girls. No, it’s anything. This thing is literally a blob. Are you a man or a woman? Like, who cares? Have a good time out here.”
To Glover’s sentiments, Williams replied to Esquire, “Really? That kid is brilliant — just look at those videos,” he said, referencing Glover’s song “This Is America.”
Although Calrissian is his most famous role, Williams says he is most proud of his Emmy-nominated performance as Gale Sayers in the 1971 TV movie “Brian’s Song”. He said, “It was a love story, really. Between two guys. Without sex. It ended up being a kind of breakthrough in terms of racial division.”
