Raya and the Last Dragon is officially available for purchase on Disney+, and the movie is a hit with critics and audiences alike. Currently, the movie is up on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive 95% score after more than 200 reviews. One particularly eye-catching thing about the new animated movie is the relationship between Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) and Namaari (Gemma Chan). There’s undeniable chemistry between the two characters that goes beyond a frenemy-ship. Many fans have interpreted them as romantic, which is no surprise after reading what Tran had to say about the characters’ sexuality while speaking with Vanity Fair.
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During the interview, Tran explains that her interpretation of Namaari and Raya’s relationship isn’t the official line from Disney, but she believes there were “some romantic feelings going on there.” She explained, “I’m obsessed with Namaari and I’m obsessed with Gemma Chan. So I’m really excited you brought this up.”
“I think if you’re a person watching this movie and you see representation in a way that feels really real and authentic to you, then it is real and authentic,” Tran shared. “I think it might get me in trouble for saying that, but whatever.”
It’s awesome to know that Tran sees her character as queer, especially considering Disney hasn’t exactly been the most inclusive when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation. The company’s biggest moments have been pretty fleeting like Joe Russo’s cameo in Avengers: Endgame, a background kiss between women in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, a mention of a woman character’s girlfriend in Onward, and a brief hint in the live-action Beauty and the Beast.
In a perfect world, we would get a Raya and the Last Dragon sequel that would feature a romantic relationship between Raya and Namaari, but we won’t hold our breath. However, the duo’s romantic vibes are getting some love on social media. You can check out some tweets below:
Thank you disney for giving us the enemies to lovers sapphic relationship we deserve#RayaAndTheLastDragon pic.twitter.com/C7749FBZR2
— ✨Shi0✨• AOT spoilers • BLM (@5hi0_art) March 6, 2021
stares in enemies to lovers excellence #RayaAndTheLastDragon pic.twitter.com/3RFUCfUNJO
— ju ꨄ sk8 spoilers (@catrasmile) March 6, 2021
raya and namaari serving childhood friends to enemies to lovers trope so true of them#RayaAndTheLastDragon pic.twitter.com/IJcStQqqQM
— erin (@avasiIva) March 6, 2021
Raya and The Last Dragon is now playing in theaters and is available to purchase on Disney+ Premier Access.
