"She-Hulk" Star Tatiana Maslany Explained Why She Really Doesn't Want To Be Labeled A "Strong Female Lead"

    "It’s as if we’re supposed to be grateful that we get to be that."

    Tatiana Maslany may be playing She-Hulk, but she doesn't want to be labeled a "strong female lead."

    A closeup of Tatiana

    In fact, the actor says she finds the whole archetype kind of irritating.

    A closeup of Tatiana

    The phrase has long been used for characters who reject the "damsel in distress" trope and, instead, are the powerful hero in movies or television shows.

    A closeup of Tatiana

    "It's reductive. It’s just as much a shaving off of all the nuances, and just as much of a trope," Tatiana said in an interview with the Guardian.

    A closeup of Tatiana

    She continued, "It’s a box that nobody fits into. Even the phrase is frustrating."

    A closeup of Tatiana

    Tatiana added that the label also implies that women should be "grateful that we get to be that."

    A closeup of Tatiana

    The She-Hulk: Attorney at Law star also shared that she looks forward to the day when women playing superheroes is no big deal.

    Poster for "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law"

    "I'm really interested in when these [marginalized] voices get to speak without it being like: 'Oh my God, it’s all women,' or, 'Oh my God, this is a story about a queer couple,' and those stories become as innately expected as they are now special," Tatiana explained.

    A closeup of Tatiana

    And while Tatiana admits we're not quite there yet, she's doing her best to change the narrative.

    She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is set to debut on August 18 on Disney+.

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