VisionQuest's Ruaridh Mollica confirms Joe Locke returns as Billy in later episodes
Ruaridh Mollica, who plays Tommy Maximoff in Marvel's VisionQuest, told Entertainment Tonight that Joe Locke will return in later episodes. In a separate Variety interview, Mollica discussed joining the show and playing a bisexual character.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1Ruaridh Mollica, who plays Tommy Maximoff/Thomas Shepherd in the Marvel series VisionQuest, confirmed in an Entertainment Tonight interview that Joe Locke will return in later episodes. Screen RantN “Ruaridh Mollica, who plays Tommy Maximoff/Thomas Shepherd in VisionQuest, confirmed that Joe Locke will return in later episodes” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1Mollica said that shooting with Locke "was amazing". Screen RantN “sharing that "it was amazing [shooting with him]."” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1Locke previously played Tommy's brother, Billy Maximoff/William Kaplan, in Agatha All Along. Screen RantN “Locke previously played Tommy's brother, Billy Maximoff/William Kaplan, in Agatha All Along.” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 1Screen Rant's lede said the actor had earlier brought back Ultron, Jarvis and other longtime MCU characters, and described Locke's return as another major character return. Screen RantN “After bringing back Ultron, Jarvis, and other longtime MCU character, the actor playing Tommy Maximoff confirms another major character return.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Left · 1In a Variety interview given the morning before the UK premiere of VisionQuest, which is now on Disney+, Mollica described joining the MCU as the older twin brother of Locke's Billy. VarietyLC “We’re speaking the morning before the U.K. premiere of “VisionQuest” (now out on Disney+)”“would be joining the MCU as his older twin brother, Tommy Shepherd/Tommy Maximoff” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1Variety reported that Mollica and Locke had shared a stage in the West End production Clarkston, and that Mollica once appeared at the stage door wearing a VisionQuest hat while Locke wore an Agatha All Along cap, before news of the casting leaked. VarietyLC “appeared at the door one evening wearing a “VisionQuest” hat. Smiling next to him: his stage co-star Joe Locke sporting an “Agatha All Along” cap.” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 1Mollica said Tommy is introduced midway through the first episode as a teenage hustler and conman on London's streets, and that the character is a bisexual role Mollica is proud to play as a bisexual actor: "I feel so seen." VarietyLC “Mollica’s Tommy is introduced in “VisionQuest” midway through the first episode as a teenage hustler, pickpocket and conman on the streets of London.”““I feel so seen.”” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1Mollica noted that the show does not depict Tommy being attracted to men, but said the flirting with Lisa Molinari still made Mollica feel seen as bisexual. VarietyLC “Mollica says there was some discussion around the fact that Tommy isn’t shown being attracted to other men in the show.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1Mollica also said Paul Bettany suggested during a screen test that Mollica use their own Scottish accent, and mentioned upcoming projects including Bare, Isle of Man and the Paramount+ series Laird. VarietyLC “Paul was just like ‘Terry, what do we think about his own accent?'””“joining the cast of “Laird,” the very Scottish Paramount+ saga” Read at Variety ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Long profile of Mollica centred on representation, with the bisexual character and actor as the headline angle.
- Emphasis
- Mollica's career path, the 'honor' of a bisexual actor playing a bisexual character, and Scottish identity.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report Locke's confirmed return in later episodes; the Locke link is the twin-brother relationship and stage-door anecdote.
- Charged language
- “I Feel So Seen”“Honor”
- For example
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““I feel like Marvel did a great job by casting a bisexual actor for this and it’s such an honor to be portraying that in the MCU,”” — Variety
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Short entertainment-news item treating the Locke return as a confirmed spoiler-style reveal, headlined as a 'major MCU character return'.
- Emphasis
- The casting confirmation and the run of returning legacy characters.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No detail on which episodes Locke appears in, or on Mollica's wider comments.
- Charged language
- “Major MCU Character Return”
- For example
-
“A major Marvel Cinematic Universe character is confirmed to return in VisionQuest.” — Screen Rant
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Ruaridh Mollica plays Tommy Maximoff in VisionQuest.
- Joe Locke played Billy in Agatha All Along and is Tommy's twin brother in the MCU.
Ruaridh Mollica person
Confirms Locke's return in later episodes and says shooting with Locke was amazing; separately says playing a bisexual character as a bisexual actor is an honor.
“confirmed that Joe Locke will return in later episodes” — Screen Rant
“it’s such an honor to be portraying that in the MCU” — Variety
Left1 article
-
Sympathetic Warm interview profile highlighting representation and Mollica's rapid rise from indie film to Marvel.
Centre1 article
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VisionQuest's Tommy Star Confirms Major MCU Character Return
Neutral Brief news item relaying Mollica's confirmation to Entertainment Tonight that Locke returns.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 15 Oct 22:54 First Screen RantN VisionQuest's Tommy Star Confirms Major MCU Character Return
- 16 Oct 17:42 +18h 48m VarietyLC Ruaridh Mollica on Joining ‘VisionQuest’ and the ‘Honor’ of Being a Bisexual Actor Playing a Bisexual Character in the MCU: ‘I Feel So Seen’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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