Henry Selick discusses inclusion and representation in Wendell & Wild during this exclusive interview with Mama’s Geeky.
Henry Selick Talks Gender Representation In Wendell & Wild
Henry Selick is a legend in the filmmaking industry as he has solidified his name with films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, and Coraline. His latest movie, Wendell & Wild, comes to Netflix this week and during this exclusive interview, he discusses the importance of gender representation and inclusion in the film. The most important thing about the character Raul (voiced by Sam Zelaya) to him? That yes, he is trans, but the story isn’t about that, it is simply a fact about that character.
“I always try to make things like having a trans character, not have the movie about him being trans, but he is trans, and he’s important part of our story. It’s like, by the way he is that.” It is important for people everywhere to get to see themselves on screen, which Wendell & Wild does wonderfully.
Henry Selick says that he had an idea that there was one boy in an all girls school in Wendell & Wild, and why would that be? “That was really the best answer, story wise. And I work with a very diverse crew, there was several trans people on the team — one of the assistant editors and few other folks. You care about the people on your team and representation. It felt like he was a very natural way for Raul to be that.”
Included in Wendell & Wild are some real life situations that trans people might go through, as well. “His friends are getting used to it. There’s no, there’s no push back. You know, people forget, because it’s sort of a recent thing.”
Raul isn’t just there to be a trans character, though. He is a very integral part of the story. “He’s also incredibly talented and kind of an outsider, or he’s become an outsider, in this place that was formerly comfortable. He sees Kat coming in as an outsider and is immediately kind of inspired by her and immediately wants to know about her.”
See how Kat and Raul’s friendship develops in Wendell & Wild — in select theaters now and coming to Netflix on October 28th.
Full Henry Selick Interview
Be sure to check out my fill interview with Henry Selick where he talks about the evolution of stop motion animation, the inspiration behind Wendell & Wild, and more.
NEXT: Wendell & Wild Review (2022 Movie)
About Wendell & Wild
Director, Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline) and producer Jordan Peele (Nope, Us, Get Out) team up to bring us a phantasmic thrill ride in the new stop-animation feature, Wendell & Wild.
The titular characters, a pair of demon brothers played by comedy icons Key & Peele trick troubled teen, Kat Elliott (Lyric Ross), into bringing them from the underworld into the land of the living and mayhem ensues.
