When it comes to depictions of Black girlhood in the realm of television, there’s a long list of Black characters brought to life by Black actress who’ve left their imprint on the culture. We’ve seen characters like Penny Proud (played by Kyla Pratt), Raven Baxter (played by Raven-Symoné), and many others. Recently, the fictional superhero Lunella Lafayette and her alter-ego Moon Girl, portrayed by Diamond White, are leading the charge of the next generation of young Black women who fall into that legacy. White’s character is the protagonist of Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, where she navigates the complexities of girlhood while moonlighting as a superhero, a role that comes with its own challenges. Earlier this year, the highly-anticipated second season premiered, where White leaned into her own experiences to bring the animated character to life.
“There aren’t many examples of this type of character; she’s the first of her kind. She’s the first 13-year-old Black superhero female in her own series, and Marvel and Disney are helping create that story. This is the first time we’ve seen something like that, and I just drew from my younger self; I’ve always loved science. Lunella is one of the smartest superheroes in the Marvel world, and I tested up at school when I was just 16. So, in some ways, I can relate to being a little bit smart, not as smart as Lunella, but a little bit like that. So, when it came to bringing her to life, I channeled my nine-year-old self. When my brother used to upset me, I would go in my bunk beds, make little potions, and put them in his shoes. Lunella has her lab underneath her apartment, but that was my lab, so I connected with my nine-year-old self who was creating potions and Lunella’s experiences doing this at 13.”
The Detroit native isn’t the only one who can relate to the title character. White’s impact in terms of representation is far and wide, and she’s especially excited about it.
“Lunella wears a bonnet at night, and little Black girls get to see that, as well as the fact that she’s so smart and well-spoken as a 13-year-old. All the younger kids and adults watching can learn something from the show. But it’s like, I don’t know. It’s been an incredible journey, and I think that Lunella impacts so many young Black girls, and there’s so much representation in the show. There are so many Easter eggs in the show that speak on the world right now. One day, I went to the fair, and I saw this Black girl with two poof balls in her hair, and she was wearing a Moon Girl shirt. I walked up to her, introduced myself, and asked to take a photo with her because I was so excited. When it comes to the representation, it really is making an impact, and it’s nice to know that young girls who look like me and feel like me and people from different communities can resonate with this character.”
The representation of the hit series doesn’t only play out externally but internally as well. White feels it’s equally important to tell diverse screens in all parts of the production process, especially behind the scenes.
“Moon Girl contributes in literally every way, shape, and form. When you look behind the scenes, you see people from all kinds of backgrounds. They’re mostly women, and they are all telling their stories. I had the opportunity to consult on the show, and that’s where the episode featuring the bonnet came from because it was a part of my experience growing up. Because we’re portraying a beautiful story on screen through animation and behind the scenes, we have the people who resonate with those stories, which is honestly just incredible because I can’t speak for other shows. I don’t know how they do their thing, but I know that on this show, on and off the screen, behind the scenes, the writers, the directors, the producers, they all actually care and are also telling their stories through the show. So it’s important.”
Regardless of which stories she tells through her gifts, White feels that representation and diversity should be at the helm of every story.
“I haven’t been on another show that goes that deep yet in my life, but I’m hoping to create a space for that through my own kind of thing,” White said. “It’s important to have that kind of representation throughout every story that is told, and I think that that’s super important, especially for my younger self.”