Actor Billy Dee Williams is living proof that gender fluidity isn’t just something invented or embraced by younger generations, as some naysayers like to claim.
In an interview with Esquire, the 82-year-old, who is currently promoting his new film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, said he uses both masculine and feminine pronouns to describe himself.
“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 first played Lando Calrissian 1980’s Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. He is reprising the role in the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which will be released later this month.
In 2018, Donald Glover portrayed a young Landon in Solo: A Star Wars Story and caused a stir when he talked about the character being pansexual.
Williams also spoke to Esquire about breaking other sorts of barriers.
Recalling his performance as Gale Sayers in the 1971 TV movie Brian’s Song, for which was received an Emmy nomination, he explained, “It was a love story, really. Between two guys. Without sex. It ended up being a kind of breakthrough in terms of racial division.”
He also discussed attending Disney’s D23 Expo last summer, where he spent time with the Rock and Jamie Foxx, both of whom said they owed their careers, in part, to the character of Lando.
“The Rock calls me the OG,” Williams said. “What I presented on that screen people didn’t expect to see. And I deliberately presented something that nobody had experienced before: a romantic brown-skinned boy.”
The response to Williams’ coming out as gender fluid has been overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what people are saying…
Represent! Billy Dee Williams just came out as gender fluid. ???? pic.twitter.com/P33aiQ1z4j
— Delaney King?????????? (@delaneykingrox) November 30, 2019
Billy Dee Williams comes out as non-binary and gender fluid. So good to see a Black elder living her /his authentic life. ?? https://t.co/vNoY9gDUzL
— Campbell X (@CampbellX) November 29, 2019
Billy Dee Williams coming out as non-binary is important because it goes against the popular image of non-binary people as young, white and androgynous.
— The Cat Painting from House (1977) (@elevatorcore) November 28, 2019
Love to see it. Especially for all those who act like we just sprouted 5 years ago. https://t.co/Rb9UnmRiVO
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) November 30, 2019
STAR WARS: we'll subtly imply Lando is pan and maybe a little genderqueer
BILLY DEE WILLIAMS: fuck that noise, I'm nonbinary— Peré Noél (Noel's Pear) (@jillianbmiles) November 30, 2019
Billy Dee Williams talking about his preferred pronouns and feelings about his gender identity at age 82 just makes my heart melt. I love this man so much. So happy to be seeing him onscreen again. https://t.co/3jNc56Dnrk pic.twitter.com/AyHnCOpU6k
— della gon deliver it to ya (@della_morte_) November 27, 2019
Shoutout to all the shitbrains who lost their minds over Donald Glover playing Lando as pansexual in SOLO now having to confront the fact that Billy Dee Williams is genderfluid (they’ll, of course, just put their heads in the sand).
— David Daut (@DavidMDaut) November 28, 2019
Billy Dee Williams describing themselves as genderfluid and using both he/her and she/her depending on how they feel is just the kind of out of nowhere surprise 2019 is gonna throw out huh
How fuckin rad is that, at EIGHTY TWO years old
— Zoe! That's Me! (@Blankzilla) November 29, 2019
I missed the news yesterday that the legendary Billy Dee Williams, at 82 years old, revealed that he now identifies as both he and she, depending on how he‘a feeling about his masculinity/femininity. How fucking rad is that? I want to buy that human a beer. ??? pic.twitter.com/s6LjbcrHvj
— Ted Geoghegan (@tedgeoghegan) December 2, 2019
Billy Dee Williams coming out as gender fluid at 82 years old is arguably the coolest thing he's ever done, and he's fucking famous for being cool.
— Matt Mustin (@MattMustin) December 1, 2019
Cam
Talking about this at his age. Well done!
maleficent
so so beautiful. makes me re-remember all his roles in another (possible) way.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Isn’t it usually that at 82 a person has fluid leaking?
Hussain-TheCanadian
……………..(biting on tongue not to laugh)………………
I always thought BDW fashion sense was a dead giveaway that he cant be straight, the man is a fabulous dresser.
maleficent
for God’s sake go away…. can you appreciate anything other than nasty vile behavior??? Go beat your head against the wall..
controversial2019
I wouldn’t say referring to themself as ‘Himself’ and ‘herself’ equates to gender fluidity. Nor is embracing ones femininity.
It’s not at all unusual in the community for gays to refer to other gays as she or her etc but it doesn’t make them gender fluid. And most gays have an element of femininity; accepting/embracing that doesn’t make one gender fluid.
Oranos
I agree with controversial’s statement.
HOWEVER, I believe that this is a way that he can “ease on down the road” in the gentlest way possible for him. Even if he’s mistaken as to what others consider gender fluid, I think what he’s saying is that he’s not afraid to be emotionally available to either gender. Whether or not that includes having sex with a man, I wouldn’t know. Only he knows that. But given that he’s 1), Black, and 2), a heartthrob in the Black community, he’s quite aware that his statement might upset those who remember him as the romantic (and totally straight) lead in “Lady Sings The Blues.”
Myself, I always thought he was wayyyy too pretty not to have been hit on by other brothers (Black men) mainly, and, as society changed, along with attitudes, any man of a different hue or culture. His couture, however, has nothing to do with it. In the Black community, a sense of style is noticed by both genders. And admired.
Smith David
From the words of a very wise man. Billy, at your age, nobody cares.
MISTERJETT
i care. people who care about other human beings care. people who were raised the right way care.
throwslikeagirl
I care. A lot. This means something to me and I’m positive many others. It’s newsworthy and because of his age, historic even.
sonic_source
So….he wasn’t banging Diana Ross?
MISTERJETT
NO!!!!!!!
MISTERJETT
back in the day, he was a pretty man. so so pretty!!!!!! damn was he pretty!!!!!!!!
Rock-N-RollHS
The lack of critical thinking on this site continues to astound.
Nowhere did he say is was sexually fluid–which isn’t a thing anyway. You are gay, straight, or bi.
Gender fluid is another ridiculous label as, clearly shown here, it means whatever a person wants it to mean.
Brian
Yeah, unless there was more that wasn’t included in this article, it seems like quite a leap to say that this is a person coming out as genderfluid.
throwslikeagirl
Any label can mean what a person wants it to mean. We are a very diverse species. Hooray for that!
enlightenone
Throwing around labels to be relevant at 82 and to promote a movie is irresponsible and cowardly – especially for the Black Communities! The same can be said for Clive Davis to a lesser extent.
Jimmyk321
Please stop talking, there adults here (some) with actual brains. Shhh, it’s OK.
Polaro
Gender fluidity is nonsense. Sorry. It’s all about attention. People’s feelings change, their attitude changes, their gender does not change on a whim.
Jack Meoff
I thought everyone became gender fluid at that age due to the hormones drying up.
broadshoulder
And an extra big up for Rise of the Skywalker. Lets get Bill Dee Williams to show that he was gender fluid. Thats hip! Thats edgy!
The film is gonna need those extra fans
Jimmyk321
It’s projected to make $200 million in the US opening weekend, it’s fine, moron.
rustyiam
Alt left always with the labels, you morons are responsible for Trump!