Matt Bomer talks representation in Doom Patrol

Doom Patrol is a wild show with characters we never knew we needed. But it is also giving us a lot of representation, which Matt Bomer discussed recently.

If ever there was an odd group of superheroes on our television screens, it would have to be the team on Doom Patrol. But what makes this series so interesting is the fact that the group is so quirky and almost unheroic. And of course, as Matt Bomer discussed in a recent interview, there is also the fact that the series is giving the genre the representation it has been lacking.

In an interview with Collider, Bomer opened up about how he feels playing a gay superhero, and how the show is giving us the representation we want. And considering the latest episode of Doom Patrol actually gave us more of Larry Trainor (played by Bomer)’s back story, we can’t help but think this is a perfect time to discuss how the series is being more inclusive than ever.

Getting to know Larry Trainor, who is also known as Negative Man, has been an interesting experience so far on Doom Patrol. Even when he was still a handsome man with a family and an exciting, but dangerous job, Larry always felt like a monster. And now that he is Negative Man, it seems more like the way he felt became a reality, which is something Bomer says really drew him to this character. According to the actor, when he was learning about Larry/Negative Man and who he was, his initial thoughts were “that’s a really interesting dichotomy to get to play.”

Sure, Bomer gets that the entire series is out there, but that is what drew him in (and we agree that it’s the sheer oddness of the show that makes it so appealing). He said that it wasn’t until after he had already read the pilot and learned a little about his character that he got deeper into the comics. What he found had him asking, “Did everybody just do LSD, and then just throw spaghetti against the wall?”

But it isn’t just the unique tone of the series that calls to us and Bomer, it is also the fact that the show doesn’t shy away from giving us the representation the genre needs and wants. In fact, it was one of the main reasons he wanted to play this character, because Larry is a gay man who also happens to be a superhero. It is not the main thing that defines the character, nor does it detract from his abilities. Literally, it just is a thing that he is: a man who happens to be gay.

When talking about how important this representation is in the DCEU, Matt Bomer said, “I’ve never really seen a gay, male superhero, and what I love most about the character is that, even though it’s a huge struggle, internally, for him, it’s not the sole thing that defines who he is.” This is a character who is more than just a gay man struggling with his identity. And that is something that allowed Bomer a chance to embrace this role.

"He’s such a multi-faceted character. If it had just been one stereotypical thing, I think I would have had more reservations about it, but the fact that he is this nuanced character who has so many places to grow, and he has so much shadow and so much light that he doesn’t even know he has, is what appealed to me, just as much as his sexuality."

After watching the first three episodes, we can’t wait to see what comes next and how Larry continues his journey to acceptance and understanding of who he is. At the same time, we love the fact that Matt Bomer is getting the chance to give the superhero genre more of the representation it has been lacking.

Even in the most bizarre superhero show, representation matters. And it says a lot about the show that they were able to give us a group that includes such a diverse cast of characters without it ever being about their sexuality, skin color, or gender. Instead, it is about who they are as a team of misfits, and how they can work together to save a friend, and perhaps even the world.

Doom Patrol streams on the DC Universe platform, with new episodes being released on Fridays.