Supernatural prequel The Winchesters introduces non-binary lead
The Winchesters boasts a non-binary lead in the bisexual demon fighter Carlos Cervantez. Played by non-binary actor JoJo Fleites, the character marks the first-ever queer lead in the Supernatural universe.
Set decades before the events of the aforementioned drama, which became the longest-running American live-action fantasy series of all time, The Winchesters tells the story of how Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam’s (Jared Padalecki) parents met fell in love and battled the forces of darkness.
Speaking with Variety, Jensen – who narrates and executive produces the series alongside his wife Danneel Ackles – said the inclusion of a non-binary hunter “felt very natural”. “Also, if you go back to that time period – you go back to the late 60s and early 70s, and that’s when things were really kind of shifting from a social perspective,” he explained. “It just made sense that of course there would be some sort of a Hispanic hippie rolling into town and and doing his thing or there was a book smart British woman of Indian culture.” Danneel added: “Life has always been that way.
I know some people don’t want to think that but there have always been non binary people. So for us to include a non binary character, that just makes sense because that is life.” Jensen continued to explain that “we’re in a space now” where non-binary identities are “not only largely accepted, but it’s encouraged and I think that that’s fantastic.
