In their new romantic comedy “The Wedding Banquet,” Oscar-nominated actress Lily Gladstone and her co-star Kelly Marie Tran open up about making a film that celebrates queer joy. The movie follows the story of Lee, a community organizer played by Gladstone, as she navigates her journey to have a baby with her partner Angela, also played by Tran.
Gladstone reveals that making “The Wedding Banquet” was an act of self-care for her, allowing her to revel in queer joy and explore themes of family and identity. Tran shares that the film’s exploration of tension between Angela and her mom, who initially spurns her daughter after coming out but later tries to course-correct as a public LGBTQ advocate, resonated deeply with her.
The actresses discuss how their own experiences as queer women inform their performances in the film. Tran credits “Rent” as a formative piece of queer media for her, while Gladstone draws inspiration from films like “Lord of the Rings” and “Little Big Man.” They also reveal that they found an ease with each other quickly, with Gladstone feeling protective of Tran throughout the production.
For Tran, making “The Wedding Banquet” has helped her come into her own queerness, providing a sense of acceptance and openness she’s never experienced before. The film marks a turning point in her journey as a queer woman, where she no longer feels the need to justify her identity or explain herself.
Gladstone, who comes from a theater background, finds comedy to be an effective register for her acting style. She credits her closest friends with noticing that “The Wedding Banquet” feels like hanging out with her, and reveals that she has some personal items she’d hide if she were playing the scene where Lee and Angela have to de-queer their house.
Through their conversation, Gladstone and Tran demonstrate a deep understanding of each other’s experiences as queer women in the entertainment industry. As they celebrate “The Wedding Banquet” and its exploration of queer joy, they inspire viewers to do the same.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/04/17/lily-gladstone-kelly-marie-tran-talk-wedding-banquet-movie/83079927007