Tag Archives: BBC America

Tatiana Maslany Feels ‘Strong Responsibility’ To Orphan Black’s LGBT fans

Tatiana Maslany has said that she feels a “strong sense of responsibility” to Orphan Black‘s LGBT fans.

Maslany portrays a number of different characters in the sci-fi clone drama, including scientist Cosima – who is engaged in an on-off relationship with Delphine (Évelyne Brochu).

Talking at New York’s PaleyFest Orphan Black panel, Maslany said

I knew subconsciously we were talking about bodily autonomy, but it was reading essays from trans people and gay people that opened my eyes to how that was being talked about.”

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Maslany also praised the show’s style, adding:

What I like is the show isn’t preachy, it just is. We put women at the centre, [and] they’re the default, but who cares? And that to me is so awesome and I hope for more of that

It’s everywhere; reproductive rights, LGBT rights, transgender rights – I’m glad we get to reflect that. We talk about how your choices aren’t your destiny, your body’s not your destiny. You’re your destiny.”

In another interview earlier this year, Maslany talked candidly about the show’s bisexual representation between Cosima and Delphine – saying that she is not on display for the “male gaze”.

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We offer good representation in terms of complex characters that aren’t defined just in terms of their sexuality, but by every facet of what it is to be a person.

One of my favourite things that has ever been written on the show is when [Cosima] said ‘my sexuality is not the most interesting thing about me’. They’re not ‘on show’, they’re not on display for the male gaze. They’re not sexualised in that way, but they are sexual with each other, and they are intimate.

Whether Delphine identifies as bisexual, however she identifies herself, she’s open to loving Cosima, and there’s no question.

It’s about the love between them, not about the fact that they’re two women.”

Tatiana Maslany Says Lesbian Sex Scenes in Orphan Black Aren’t for the Male-Gaze

This week on GLAAD’s video series, GLAAD: All Access, host Claire Pires interviewed Tatiana Maslany, the star of BBC America’s hit show, Orphan Black.

In this interview, Maslany talks candidly about the show’s LGBT representations, and specifically focuses on the bisexual representation between Cosima and Delphine on the show – saying that she is not on display for the “male gaze”.

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Maslany portrays a number of different characters in the sci-fi clone drama, including scientist Cosima – who is engaged in an on-off relationship with Delphine (Évelyne Brochu).

Also read: ‘Orphan Black’ Has LGBT Characters: So What Says the People Behind the Show

Speaking to GLAAD, the Orphan Black star said:

We offer good representation in terms of complex characters that aren’t defined just in terms of their sexuality, but by every facet of what it is to be a person.

One of my favourite things that has ever been written on the show is when [Cosima] said ‘my sexuality is not the most interesting thing about me’. They’re not ‘on show’, they’re not on display for the male gaze. They’re not sexualised in that way, but they are sexual with each other, and they are intimate.

Whether Delphine identifies as bisexual, however she identifies herself, she’s open to loving Cosima, and there’s no question.

It’s about the love between them, not about the fact that they’re two women.”

In a surprise twist last year, the show introduced its first male transgender clone Tony, after the idea was championed by Maslany.

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The show’s creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett said at the time:

Maslany had already come up with the idea sort of on her own. There was never a moment where we were trying to convince her. We were all immediately on the same page.

We definitely felt the responsibility of portraying this. We did a lot of work and Tatiana did a lot of work to portray this character in a way that we felt was respectful of that community but also worked within the context of our show.”

Watch the interview below:

‘Orphan Black’ Has LGBT Characters: So What Says the People Behind the Show

The three of the people behind Orphan Black — science adviser Cosima Herter and showrunners John Fawcett and Graeme Manson
– really don’t give a fig what you think about their LGBT characters.

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In fact, they say their show looks more like the real world than its painstakingly heterosexual TV counterparts.

It’s less spectacular than it is actually a mundane fact of life.”

Since its premiere in 2013, Orphan Black has always been pretty queer.

Two years ago, Jordan Gavaris, who plays the Felix on the show, was applauded for defending the character’s flamboyance.

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You cannot collectively as a society decide that you are only going to represent one part of a minority.”

Tatiana Maslany, who plays all the female clones on the series, said,

We sort of embrace the idea of every human having the potential to be anything, and I think that opens the door for all kinds of dialogue about sexuality and about gender.”

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The key characters Cosima (played by Maslany), Felix, Delphine (Évelyne Brochu), and Tony (also Maslany) are all queer.

The show’s science adviser Herter says biology has always been used for political ends, to regulate “what’s a good body and what’s a bad body”. For example, it has been proven by science that women are inferior to men through science… “we can legitimize how we police them,” she said. It’s happened with women, and it’s happened with queer people.

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But Cosima and Delphine, in particular, are characters who were “born this way” biological: Cosima, though she’s genetically identical to her sisters, is the one lesbian clone (that we know of), while Delphine identifies as straight, until she falls in love with Cosima.

Showrunner Manson says

I can think of three examples in my life that have been like that, that just wanted to be with the right person. It’s not about questioning your sexuality or not questioning your sexuality — it’s about finding your person. Yes, you can be born like that. All of these things come together to shape your sexuality, and it’s vastly complicated, and why not allow it to be slightly mysterious?”

Fawcett added

Within the fact that we’re trying to tell a paranoid thriller, we’re trying to show little pieces of humanity. But we’re not trying to make any sweeping statements.”

Orphan Black Season 3 Features Clones At War With One Another

Season two of Orphan Black was a wild ride for the Sarah Manning, Cosima Niehaus and the other clones who are all played brilliantly (complete with different mannerisms, accents and personalities) by Tatiana Maslany.

The three big events of the series finale were when serial killing clone Helena was abducted and (potentially) forced into war and “pro” clone Rachel had her eye gouged out with a pencil, but not before Rachel sent Delphine (the girlfriend of gay clone Cosima) off to Germany. There was also the introduction of Project Castor, who are the male (in terms of biological sex) counterparts to Project Leda.

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In season three of Orphan Black, it’s those Project Castor clones that are going to be the biggest challenge for Sarah and co. Speaking to People, the show’s co-creator Graeme Manson explained that:

“This journey of discovering who Castor is, what they’re up to and how they apply to us is really a season-long trip that we’re taking. [The Castor clones] were raised like a little wolf pack in a military-type setting. They’re self-aware and aware of each other and aware that they’re multiples and different and special and that they have their own purpose. … The differences in how they relate to each other is one of the coolest things about it.”

Out of those Castor clones, we’ve met Mark who was part of the Prolethean cult that tried to use Helena’s body for surrogacy last season, there’s also “Scarface” Rudy who Manson says is “really an alpha and a proper psycho” and finally, there’s a soldier named Miller and another brother named Seth who we’ll meet in the season three premiere. The Project Castor clones won’t be making it easy for Project Leda should they decide to go and rescue Helena.

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Manson also says that “Those questions of ‘How far will you go to protect the ones you love?’ are big questions for us this season” so hopefully we’ll get some more answers on that when season three of Orphan Black premieres in April.

The Clones Are Back, Season 3 Of ‘Orphan Black’ Is Coming, And We Have 4 Teasers To Watch

The clones of Orphan Black return to BBC America for a third season on Saturday, April 18, 2015, and we can’t wait.

Orphan Black is a brilliant example of good television. One of few shows to feature a female lead (Tatiana Maslany), who pays a variety of different clones who look the same but in terms of personality are anything but.

More: Evelyne Brochu Discusses Kissing Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black

For the uninitiated, the five main clones are less than legal hoodlum Sarah Manning, the insanely intelligent Cosima Niehaus, finicky mother Alison Hendrix, trained killer Helena and ‘pro’ clone Rachel Duncan who was raised with awareness of her clone-ness.

There are other clones too and Maslany plays them all fantastically, proving herself to be the hardest women in television as she has different mannerisms, poses and accents for each character – which are so well done that you actually forget that they’re all being played by the same person.

Teaser #1: I Am Not Your Property

Teaser #2: I Am Not Your Toy

Teaser #3: I Am Not Your Weapon

Teaser #4: I Am Not Your Experiment