We talked to Candice Patton (The Flash), Caity Lotz (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) and Danielle Panabaker (The Flash) at DC in DC 2018! They discussed inclusion and equity in the Arrowverse and beyond, along with what they’d like to see from their characters in the future.
Entertainment and politics have always been interesting bedfellows, so it shouldn’t surprise is that Warner Bros. Television Group and DC Entertainment hosted their pop cultural event DC in DC 2018 in the nation’s capital. Stars and creators from Warner Bros. Television’s DCTV series, DC Entertainment comic book writers and artists were joined by invited guests from politics, government service, entertainment, business, academia and more.
Washington DC, as the political capital, was a great location for this event. But as “Chocolate City”, DC during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend was the perfect backdrop for conversations about intersections of comics, culture, entertainment in American politics and society.
I had a chance to attend DC in DC 2018 with We So Nerdy and can attest to how edifying the weekend was. It was an honor to be able to talk to talent, creators, and fellow fangirls/fanboys about what it means to them to be part of these discussions and progress.
We talked with The Flash’s Candice Patton and Danielle Panabaker and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s Caity Lotz about why this is such a watershed moment in terms of representation, inclusion, and equity in entertainment and beyond. According to Candice, television provides the opportunity to create the world as we want to see it and has real consequences for society’s perceptions. In a context where civil/political rights and equity are under siege, television and superheroes remind us of the possibilities for change. Similarly, Caity talked about how the viewers are integral to pushing for diversity in media. Through social media and spending, the public has advocated for more inclusive characters and stories across the board.
In terms of their shows this season, both Danielle and Caity said that they would like to explore their characters’ familial relationships. Danielle also made an interesting point about how Killer Frost had the potential to be the “big bad” for an entire season. What makes Killer Frost so killer? Caity suggests that Legends of Tomorrow could provide a chance to explore that…
Finally, when asked about the types of changes they would like to see behind-the-scenes and on-camera, Candice shared that she would like to see representation extend to writers’ rooms, such that stories about African-Americans would be told by Black actors, writers, and directors. Having Black voices is critical. Candice gives a great example about something she and Jesse L. Martin joke about all the time: Iris’ Grandma Esther’s noodles… “Black people don’t make… We don’t make noodles. It would be Grandma Esther’s sweet potato pie.” THIS TRUTH!
Watch the full interview below (***As you can tell, pressrooms can get a little loud. I’ve included the separate audio of the interview to make for easier listening):
For more, make sure to check out our DCTV weekly roundtables. You can also watch the full DC in DC 2018 slate of panels from the Newseum HERE.