Marvel Studios Loses Its Out Lesbian Executive
Victoria Alonso, one of the top executives at Marvel Studios, and an out lesbian in the film industry, has exited the company.
In a major Hollywood shocker, it appears that Victoria Alonso, one of the top executives at Marvel Studios, has left the company. The news was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Alonso’s departure from Marvel Studios marks the end of an era. As one of the most influential executives in Hollywood, Alonso has played an instrumental role in shaping the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and pushing for greater representation in the industry.
During her 17-year tenure at Marvel, Alonso helped turn the company from one that was squandering its intellectual property into one of the biggest money-makers in Hollywood. She joined the firm before it became a powerhouse, and she was instrumental in the launch of the MCU.
Her work paid off, as the franchise became the highest-grossing in film history, with many films grossing more than $1 billion. She started by running visual effects for the company, but eventually worked her way to being a producer. She earned that title on dozens of films and even spearheaded Marvel’s move into TV as well. In fact, she’s been a credited producer on every title released by the giant for many years now, which gives her one of the best track records of wins of anyone in the business.
But Alonso’s impact on the industry extends far beyond her success at Marvel. As an executive producer on the recently Oscar-nominated international feature Argentina, 1985, Alonso proved her versatility and commitment to diverse storytelling.
She is also still listed as a producer on at least three upcoming Marvel projects, according to her IMDB, such as the third installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and the forthcoming Disney+ show Ironheart.
Throughout the year, Alonso has been an outspoken advocate for representation, using her platform to push for greater inclusion in the entertainment industry. The executive admitted in 2021 that despite making small inroads, Marvel still had a considerable distance to cover regarding representation.
According to Out, the producer commented, “It takes time, we have so many stories that we can tell.” She went on to add, “We will empower those that are. We’re not changing anything. We’re just showing the world who these people are, who these characters are…”
Alonso did, however, also dampen expectations when it came to LGBTQ representation.
“We’re not going to nail it in the first movie or the second movie or third movie, or the first show or second show, but we will do our best to consistently try to represent,” she said.
Alsonso’s efforts were particularly notable during Disney’s dispute with Florida over its “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which aimed to limit the representation of LGBTQ characters and content.
“As long as I am at Marvel Studios, I will fight for representation,” Alonso said. She has lived her life openly as a lesbian, and though Marvel isn’t known for its showing in this field, her presence suggested it was headed in the right direction.
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