- Quintessa Swindell stars with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in DC’s new superhero flick ‘Black Adam’
- The actor plays Cyclone, a brilliant young heroine with the ability to manipulate the wind
- Quintessa had a small role in HBO’s ‘Euphoria’ as Anna
The DC Universe became that much more exciting with the installment of Black Adam starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The superhero flick, which follows the adventures of the titular anti-hero, also features a few other newbies to the comic book film genre, including Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell. While the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before actor takes on Atom Smasher, Quintessa plays Cyclone, aka Maxine Hunkel, a brilliant young heroine with the ability to manipulate the wind. Keep reading to find out more about Quintessa, below.
Quintessa Identifies As A Non-Binary Actor
Born on February 8, 1997, Quintessa, who uses they/them pronouns, is the first nonbinary actor who identifies as gender-nonconforming to play a superhero in the DC Universe. They often support LBGTQ+ rights on their Instagram.
“I feel as though there is an absolute necessity, given the current political climate, to draw focus to the many queer communities that lack representation on television and in film,” she told GLAAD in 2019. “Without proper representation for queer communities, people who are exploring their identity can be pushed to the side. In my experience, if I had not moved out of my small town and found a way to be surrounded by queer peoples, I would not be who and where I am today.”
They Studied Dance To Play A Superhero Who Controls Wind
Quintessa looked at modern dance pioneers like Loie Fuller and Isadora Duncan to get into the spirit of Cyclone, according to EW. “Through movement, there’s an emotional release,” she told the outlet. “So when I was training, I became more comfortable in my body, and really empowered in a way that I honestly didn’t think would happen.”
Quintessa Also Took Inspiration From ‘Star Wars’ & ‘Game of Thrones’
“I was also looking at other films that incorporated a lot of CGI or VFX to understand how an actor would either fully realize their environment or just focus on the character interaction and let the green screen do its thing,” they told SYFY Wire. “So I was looking at Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones.”
“With Star Wars, it was like they’re not really focused externally, like if they’re on Naboo you know, they’re looking out and realizing where they are and embracing that and letting that inform the vibe,” they added.
They Dished On A Spin-Off With Noah Centineo
Quintessa stars alongside Noah Centineo, who plays Atom Smasher. Their characters bond in the film and the actors were asked what a spin-off would look like for the superheroes. “A lot of butting heads,” Noah told SyFy Wire, to which Quintessa responded, “Oh, absolutely. And chaotic.”
Quintessa Revealed Their Dream Role
Quintessa is just starting out in their young career, but they already have their eyes on some major roles. “If she would allow it, I would deeply love to play Angela Davis in a biopic about her life and struggles during the 70s Civil Rights movement,” Quintessa told GLAAD.