“I never felt that I was queerbaiting”: Openly Gay Bryan Fuller Won’t Stand the Worst Criticism of Hannibal After Teasing Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy’s Intimacy

Hannibal certainly has a lot going on when it comes to its story. From Will’s declining mental and physical health to the serial killers that come and go, Lecter’s killings, Jack’s personal problems, and the secondary story of the Verger family. However, despite all the storylines, there is one unconfirmed element that ends up overshadowing when it comes to the fandom.

Over the years, one section of fans has been trying to convince the others that there is something romantic going on between Will and Hannibal. While many believe that they are just two friends who share a complicated bond, there is no denying that there are several points in the story that hint at them sharing something more.

Due to this ‘Will they, won’t they’, many may accuse the series of queerbaiting at the expense of their characters. However, Bryan Fuller would simply not let this pass.

Hannigram—Lovers or Best Friends?

The debate of whether Hannibal and Will were platonic or not is a conversation that should not last very long. There have been several moments throughout the series that hint at the pair sharing a romantic connection. At one point in the early episodes, Lecter refers to him and Will as the new ‘fathers’ of Abigail Hobbs.

I let you know me, see me. I gave you a rare gift, but you didn’t want it.

Didn’t I?

On top of this, small moments hint at the same, like Lecter smelling Will, Will asking Bedelia if Hannibal is in love with him, and the connection they build over the years. However, when season three rolls around, the mystery behind the nature of their relationship is completely thrown out the window.

I believe some of our stars will always be the same. You entered the foyer of my mind and stumbled down the hall of my beginnings.

One of the first interactions that Will has with him in season 3 is when he finds the body that Lecter left for him at the Norman Chapel. Upon further inspection, he realizes that the body has been skinned and morphed into a gigantic heart. The fact that Hannibal left Will his broken heart to be found on Valentine’s Day in a church, does not seem to be very friendly.

Can’t live with him. Can’t live without him.

It was even officially confirmed that when Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy were filming the final scene of the show, there were several takes where they ended up kissing.

Bryan Fuller Was Not Queer Baiting

While some could argue that all of these examples were of friendly interactions, this opens the doors for a different criticism. Many fans, over the years, have accused the series of queerbaiting. The main reasoning behind this criticism is the fact that the pair never end up kissing throughout the series. Despite this, Bryan Fuller still believes that he was doing their love story justice.

I was trying to tell an authentic story because I think exploring queerness from a heteronormative point of view is a complicated path,

A still from Hannibal | Credit: NBC

During an interview with IndieWire, the showrunner talked about the relationship that Lecter and Graham shared with each other. Fuller has constantly stood by his stance that he did not want to introduce sexual themes into a romantic connection that was so much more than that.

It certainly started out as a non-sexual same-sex couple experiencing a greater intimacy than they’ve ever experienced before. Then being able to transition through that to an intimacy that was qualified as love.

Talking about them connecting on an intellectual and personal level that is rarely ever seen, he mentioned that tainting that with something as simple as a kiss wasn’t something he was interested in. Fuller explained that he wanted to give a queer relationship the same amount of complexities that heterosexual relationships are given.

I never felt that I was queerbaiting. I think that’s a buzzword for a lot of folks to find something to complain about because it feels like they were duped or misled.

He then talked about the finale of the series, where the pair murder a man, and then fall off a cliff covered in blood. The scene has been given the title of one of the most romantic moments in the series, and it would seem that this was done very intentionally. With this in mind, Fuller did not agree with the sentiment that the show was trying to queerbait their audience.

Hannibal is available for streaming on Prime Video.