A New Gen Of Heroes – Derek Luh Talks Playing One Half Of Bigender Hero Jordan Li
For the uninitiated, Gen V is the spin-off series based off the Prime Video series The Boys. Gen V introduced us to a slew of new characters and superpowers including Jordan Li; a character who can switch between a male and female form with each demonstrating a unique ability.
Derek Li plays the male form of Jordan and has given an interview with Variety about playing this complex bigender character and their romantic life.
Spoilers ahead
In the world of The Boys, “supes” are often far from the heroes they’re marketed as. The series satirises the notion of celebrity and unchecked power through the lens of the superhero genre.
Gen V is the latest offering to this world and delivers Jordan Li (played by Derek Luh and London Thor); a bigender hero who can effortlessly switch between a male and female form. Male Jordan is nearly indestructible and has immense strength whereas female Jordan is agile and swift with the ability to launch energy blasts.
Talking about playing half of this character, Luh explains how Jordan’s personality switches as their form does. “We got so fortunate that me and London are so similar and so different, which I think is beautiful for Jordan, because what we really wanted to show was, in Jordan’s male form, I’m a little more reserved, a little less confident, less confrontational.
“And in Jordan’s female form, they have more swag and are a little more punk rock and a little more confrontational and have that dry humour. The way we describe it is that the female Jordan is the mask that we wear. And then when we’re in our male form, that mask is off and it’s like an open wound,” he says.
Talking about the romance aspect of Jordan’s character, Luh believes that they instinctually feel safer in their male form when being intimate with Marie Moreau (played by Jaz Sinclair). Being that Jordan is less confident in their male form, their powers being invulnerability certainly help, but Luh also says there’s an aspect of insecurity, too.
“For me and London, we discussed how Jordan was a little more uncomfortable in our female form because we didn’t know if Marie liked us in our female form,” he says. “You see most of the kissing and intimate scenes in the male form because we think that’s what she wants… So I think we played it like London in her female form is very cautious about being too forward with that, and then in Jordan’s male form, I was definitely more vulnerable and more open to showing Marie affection.”
Despite having the ability to switch between genders, Jordan is a bigender person who goes by they/them pronouns. The relationship with Marie is inherently queer and Gen V explores this in a fascinating way that only a show with powers or fantastical elements really could. The fandom has gone wild for this character; so basically GIVE. US. MORE. BIGENDER. HEROES! The audience is clearly ready for it.
