THE CW Press Tour Summer ’17! Yes, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s Newest Hero Is Muslim (But That Shouldn’t Matter Much!)

By Delaina Dixon | August 2, 2017 | Entertainment

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s producers spoke with pride of their newest character Zari Adrianna Tomaz┬á during the series Summer press tour panel. Yes, she’s Muslim and it does play a role in how she interacts with the rest of the heroes, but that isn’t her all being.

“Whenever we bring a new character to the ship, there’s no duplication … we want someone to bring a new point of view,” says producer Phil Klemmer. “It’s fun to invite someone in who has a totally different perspective.”

Zari’s a computer hacker from the future – her Muslim background plays in when the others try to understand her view of times past. She makes it clear that even though the Legends have been changing history – it hasn’t done enough for her. “That makes them want to step up their game,” Phil explains.

Despite the political climate of our nation, bringing on a Muslim character isn’t meant to be a political statement, according to fellow producer Marc┬áGuggenheim, who saw the addition as an answer to more strong female characters in the mix. ┬á”Someone’s race or religion or sexual orientation is not the only aspect of their character,” he shared

Actress Tala Ashe, who plays Zari and is originally from Iran, explained her character as someone who is “speaking truth to power pp she’s a hacktivist.” She doesn’t just want to fix history; she wants to change it. It becomes a┬áphilospical challenge, as she’s living in a time that’s so bleak (and only┬áabout 30 years off), it’s hard to be a humanitarian. The question is, ┬á”can she become a part of the [Legends] family,” Tala questioned. We’ll just have to wait and see.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow returns to The CW in October.

photo credit: THE CW