Natasha Rothwell Gives Us a New Reason to Be Excited for Wonder Woman 1984

Natasha Rothwell is joining the cast of Wonder Woman 1984, giving us yet another reason to be excited for the upcoming sequel. Rothwell is best known as Kelli on Insecure, and has also appeared in Love, Simon. Her role is being kept under wraps. Rothwell announced the casting on Twitter:

I have no words. https://t.co/Vp95ZUQIyN

— Natasha Rothwell (@natasharothwell) July 25, 2018

Rothwell’s casting has me feeling like this:

I’m so excited, because Natasha Rothwell is wickedly funny in everything she does. While most people know her from her scene-stealing role in Insecure, she was also a writer on Saturday Night Live. She also appeared on Netflix Presents: The Characters, giving us the “Basic Bitch” anthem we never knew we always wanted.

The time jump of Wonder Woman 1984 means that we have to say goodbye to Wonder Woman’s World War 1 gang (unless they get Trevored into the 80’s, which I doubt is going to happen). This means we lose Etta Candy and Lucy Davis’s delightful performance as Steve Trevor’s secretary. Etta Candy is an important character, because she’s the first real-world woman that Diana meets when she leaves Themyscira. In the comics, she becomes Diana’s best friend and confidante, a role that, given the plot constraints of the first film, they weren’t fully able to explore.

While Natasha Rothwell’s role is still undisclosed, I’m hoping that she plays a Candy-like ally and friend to Diana. Since Diana is constantly surrounded by men (hello, Justice League) it would be great to see her form some real-world friendships. After the DC Rebirth, Etta becomes Commander Candy and forms a relationship with Barbara Minerva, before the latter transforms into Cheetah. She gets romantic feels for Barbara, which are implied to be reciprocated.

Now, there’s zero indication that Rothwell will be playing a new version of/a character based on the modern interpretation of Etta Candy … but what if she is? A queer woman of color in Wonder Woman 1984? All of the yes.

(via Deadline, image: HBO)

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