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Marvel actor accidentally confirms which character will be 'The Eternals' gay superhero

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 20: (L-R) Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Director Chloe Zhao, Lia McHugh, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Lauren Ridloff and Don Lee of Marvel Studios' 'The Eternals' at the San Diego Comic-Con International 2019 Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H on July 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Director Chloe Zhao, Lia McHugh, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Lauren Ridloff and Don Lee of Marvel Studios' The Eternals (Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)

It had been widely rumoured that forthcoming Marvel movie The Eternals would feature the studio's first openly gay character.

Then last summer, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige confirmed it.

But now, thanks to Lebanese actor Haaz Sleiman, who is playing a so-far unnamed role in the movie, the beans have been well and truly spilled.

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In an interview with NewNowNext, which it would seem has since been removed, Sleiman has revealed the whole shebang (perhaps, seeing as the video is now nowhere to be found, without the necessary authorisation).

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 27:  Haaz Sleiman attends the Queerty presents "The Queerties" Award Reception on February 27, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Queerty)
Haaz Sleiman (Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Queerty)

“I just shot a Marvel film with the first openly gay superhero, The Eternals. I’m married to the gay superhero Phastos, played by Atlanta’s Brian Tyree Henry, and we represent a gay family and have a child,” he blabbed.

He then went on to detail the Marvel franchise's first same-sex kiss.

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“Oh, yeah, absolutely, and it’s a beautiful, very moving kiss. Everyone cried on set. For me it’s very important to show how loving and beautiful a queer family can be,” he added.

“Brian Tyree Henry is such a tremendous actor and brought so much beauty into this part, and at one point I saw a child in his eyes, and I think it’s important for the world to be reminded that we in the queer community were all children at one point.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 20: (L-R) Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry and Salma Hayek of Marvel Studios' 'The Eternals' at the San Diego Comic-Con International 2019 Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H on July 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry and Salma Hayek of Marvel Studios' The Eternals (Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)

“We forget that because we’re always depicted as sexual or rebellious. We forget to connect on that human part.”

While this might not have been the way Marvel wanted it all to come out, they perhaps couldn't want for a more effusive description of what's in store for fans.

Phastos is one of the Eternals, the cosmic beings at the centre of the new movie, set to drop neatly into the hole left by the Avengers.

He is a the hammer-carrying inventor who makes the group's super-powered 'devices'.

Tyree Henry, best known for playing Paper Boi in Donald Glover's series Atlanta, is joined by Game of Thrones star Richard Madded as Ikaris, Gemma Chan as Sersi, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Salma Hayek as Ajak and Angelina Jolie as Thena.

Elsewhere, Walking Dead star Lauren Ridloff plays Marvel's first deaf hero Makkari, while GoT star Kit Harington is human warrior Dane Whitman.

It lands in the UK on 6 November.