The first trailer for Doctor Strange has just been released and one of the most surprising scenes is of a bald Tilda Swinton in the movie. Apparently, the entire look and its reveal had been planned from the beginning.
When Entertainment Weekly went to visit the set of Doctor Strangein London last year, Swinton's bald-headed Ancient One was asked to be kept secret. In fact, it was the 55-year-old actress herself who asked Marvel Studios head, Kevin Feige, to request reporters not to reveal her character's look.
Feige said:
She said, ‘I need to talk to you about something.' I said, ‘Do you not want him to say you're bald?' ‘That would be wonderful.' ‘Okay. I'll ask.'
Swinton also explained her decision to EW and said:
You're not going to talk about what I look like, because we mustn't! Please! It would be suchfunif people don't know anything.
It's no secret that the Ancient One is bald in Marvel's comics. However, the gender of the Ancient One is also male. When it was revealed that Swinton will be playing the character, it wasn't known until now how she'll be playing the character. The trailer shows that she plays the Ancient One in an androgynous manner.
Swinton also told this about her character's sexual identity:
I think it's all in the eye of the beholder. You know, your gender comes out of the mouth of the person who's addressing you.
It's something that I was so happy to develop with Marvel. They were so welcoming and we cooked it all up together.
Feige added:
Look, she's a chameleon in everything she does. She can harness this amazing androgynous sense. So, we use the term ‘her' and ‘she' in the film. But, other than that, it's very androgynous. Because it doesn't matter.
Knowing the actress' previous movie roles, it actually didn't come off as a surprise to me that she'll be portraying the Ancient One in such a manner. It's good to know though that she seems to be having fun with the film. Personally, I also think it makes sense that the Ancient One would have no suggested gender. If anything, it makes the character more mysterious and god-like. Feige is also right, it really doesn't matter. The Ancient One kicks ass and knowing Swinton, she'll probably do a hell of a good job portraying the character.
Do you think the Ancient One's gender matters?
Doctor Strange hits theaters on November 4.
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