Salma Hayek says the diversity in Eternals isn't forced, because director Chloé Zhao chose each cast member for a specific reason. In another world, Eternals would have debuted last year. Instead, however, it is still several months away from release, having been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, the movie is slated to arrive in November; the very first Eternals trailer arrived Monday morning, giving fans a proper look at what lies ahead for the MCU's newest super team.

Packed with a star-studded cast, Eternals will introduce the titular group of cosmic beings to the MCU. Zhao, who recently made history by winning Best Director at the Oscars for her movie Nomadland, has already received praise for her work on the Marvel movie, with MCU mastermind Kevin Feige recently expressing admiration for how she created beautiful locations without VFX. With a cast that includes Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Angelina Jolie, and Hayek, Eternals also stands as one of the MCU's most diverse projects yet.

Related: When Is Eternals Set In The MCU Timeline?

Hayek, who plays Ajak for the film, recently spoke about Eternals as part of a broader profile with Variety. When discussing the diversity of the movie, Hayek expressed her enthusiasm for Zhao's approach. “I think a lot of people are going to feel seen and that’s important and that’s what matters,” she said. She then added, “It’s not diverse for the sake of being diverse. It’s the way she chose every single one of us that really creates a family for the purpose of the Eternals. For the purpose of the film. It doesn’t feel forced.”

Salma Hayek in Eternals

Nanjiani previously gave some insight into Zhao's Eternals casting process, explaining she chose each actor because of what they could bring to their characters. That, coupled with Hayek's comments, suggest Zhao was focused on simply finding the right person instead of checking off diversity boxes. At the same time, this approach shows that the right person for a comic book movie doesn't always have to be a white man. Looking outside the box can be good. The movie has an impressive cast, and it'll be thrilling to see Hayek and the others step into the role of superheroes. Plus, as Eternals promises to introduce the first LGBTQ hero, as well as the first deaf hero, it looks to take the MCU into some new territory that the superhero genre hasn't quite broached yet. That's a special thing.

The MCU has made some major strides over the years when it comes to diversity, but there is still a good ways to go. Eternals is quite the step forward, and even aside from its representation, it's an exciting project. Zhao has cemented herself as a filmmaker to watch, and the newly released trailer indicates this will be a Marvel movie unlike any other. Eternals is still a ways away, but each new tease about the movie only makes it more thrilling. Stay tuned for more peeks at Eternals in the months to come.

More: MCU's Eternals Footage Suggests A Major Comic Book Story Change

Source: Variety

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