Nimona Stars Talk Bringing Fan-Favorite Ship to Life (Exclusive)

Now that the Nimona movie is out into the world, after several years of being development and a surprising move to Netflix, there is a lot for fans to take in. The animated film builds upon the story of ND Stevenson's beloved graphic novel in some fascinating ways — including honoring the beloved romantic relationship between Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) and Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang). After the Nimona film was scrapped at the now-defunct Disney-owned Blue Sky Studios reportedly due to its LGBTQ+ themes, the end result not only accurately represents Ballister and Ambrosius, but endears a whole new audience to their romance. While speaking to ComicBook.com about their work on Nimona, Ahmed and Yang touched on the opportunity to adapt that relationship.

"Well, I think for Ballister, he's not thinking about the significance of it," Ahmed explained. "He's in it. It's just a fact of his life, and that's a beautiful thing, and that's the way that it should be. I think that's one of the really powerful things about this film is that it really celebrates and leans into the emotional truth of that relationship. There's nothing tokenistic about it. There's nothing about it that feels like it's being experienced from the outside or being presented in some kind of way. It's really just part of the emotional truth of this character, and I love that. I think there's something so kind of effortless and unabashed about approaching a relationship like this in that way."

"As a fan of the graphic novel prior to the film too, I was really interested to see how we could potentially take what is already a beloved queer relationship and make it impactful in this medium," Yang revealed in a separate interview. "And I love how soft they are. They're the softest lead boys who are, I remember when I read the script and you see so early on that they are essentially hopelessly in love with one another. That really got me. And to be able to play into a romance like that, that feels like it's very honest and true and not forced, it's just part of their journey and just happens to be a lot of other stuff happens that gets in their way, and in the end they choose each other, is such a beautiful thing. And I couldn't have asked for a better romance to be part of. Because I usually go ick at romance. And I think this is one that I'm like, "Yeah, do it. Oh, I want them together."

What Is Nimona About?

In Nimona, when Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight in a futuristic medieval world, is framed for a crime he didn't commit, the only one who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a mischievous teen with a taste for mayhem — who also happens to be a shapeshifting creature Ballister has been trained to destroy. But with the entire kingdom out to get him, Nimona's the best (or technically the only) sidekick Ballister can hope for. And as the lines between heroes, villains, and monsters start to blur, the two of them set out to wreak serious havoc — for Ballister to clear his name once and for all, and for Nimona to…just wreak serious havoc. Nimona is directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane. The film also stars Eugene Lee Yang as Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, Frances Conroy as The Director, and Beck Bennett as Sir Thoddeus Sureblade.

"I don't think it could be happening at a better time," Stevenson told ComicBook.com in a separate interview. "It truly is this story that has just gained meaning since the comic. And it does... A lot of things have fallen into place for me, clearly. But it's also a time in the world where it's just like we really need, I think that it asks people to have love and empathy, even if they don't fully understand. And I think that that's really, really needed right now in the world. Not only for people who identify in that way who are seeing themselves, but also for people who love someone who is trans or queer in some way and in some movie that just asks you to see people and listen. And I think we really need that right now."

Have you watched Nimona yet? What do you think of Ballister and Ambrosius' relationship? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Nimona is now available to stream exclusively on Netflix.