In an interview with Huffington Post, Solo: A Star Wars Story writer Jonathan Kasdan confirmed an important aspect of Lando Chrissian's identity. When asked directly about his sexuality, Kasdan replied that he would "absolutely" consider Chrissian to be pansexual:

"There’s a fluidity to Donald and Billy Dee’s [portrayal of Lando’s] sexuality. I mean, I would have loved to have gotten a more explicitly LGBT character into this movie. I think it’s time, certainly, for that, and I love the fluidity―sort of the spectrum of sexuality that Donald appeals to and that droids are a part of"

Fans of Star Wars have long since advocated that queer people would exist in space, yet that declaration has only been supported by fan theory. Kasdan's confirmation is important because it actualizes this theory into canon; solidifying it within the story itself. But even so, this creates a new dilemma in terms of how representation is placed. This confirmation of Chrissian's pansexuality still disconnects from any scenes in Solo: A Star Wars Story directly referencing this. And so, it's important to ask: is there an obligation to perform queerness on screen, or are confirmations outside of the film just as valid?

Some, of course, may argue that we have come a long way from queer representation in the past, which rested almost exclusively on symbolism and allusion. While there may be some validity in any form of representation, many would argue that without inclusion in the film itself, this often reads as inaccurate. In fact, some fans consider this after-the-fact inclusion of queerness to be queerbaiting, or to imply a character's identity as a means to attract a queer audience.

This particular kind of queerbaiting has risen in popularity as of late. Movies like Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther,even the new Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsedy, have been included in conversations on whether their queer representation is enough. In the case of Black Panther, Ayo—one of the Dora Milage and expressly queer in the Black Panther spinoff comic series, World of Wakanda—had the scene where she flirts with General Okoye cut from the final film. In Thor: Ragnarok, Valkyrie is coded to be queer but the scene which would have confirmed this remained platonic.

The wave of queer characters not having their stories told onscreen can send specific messages to audiences, which can include that their stories aren't as important to tell as those of straight characters. Queerness is more than just an afterthought identity.

Whether we're seeing more queer characters on screen or continue to get the confirmation through Queer audiences deserve more than just after-the-fact confirmations — they deserve to see themselves reflected fully on-screen.