Emma Corrin is no stranger to bending genre – or gender. The non-binary actor, known for their roles in period dramas and now as a Marvel villain, just added another title to their growing resume: Black Mirror heartthrob. In the seventh season’s third episode, Hotel Reverie, Corrin stars opposite comedy queen Issa Rae in a technicolor fever dream of AI paranoia, vintage cinema glam, and yes – queer love.
Directed by Haolu Wang, the episode dives headfirst into the unsettling fusion of artificial intelligence and art. Corrin’s character, a Hollywood A-lister named Brandy Friday, is sucked into a high-concept remake of a classic British film. The catch? She must follow the script to survive – literally. But in the center of this AI-induced nightmare lies something refreshingly human: a tender romance between Corrin and Rae’s characters that brings surprising warmth to the dystopia.
“She’s brilliant,” Corrin gushed about Rae. “Her comic timing is unreal. It’s a love story at the heart, which I think is going to be surprising for people. It’s not this big horror warning.”
The chemistry between the two actors is undeniable, with Corrin recalling their awe when walking onto the “hand-painted black and white” set. The old-Hollywood aesthetic combined with modern queer intimacy creates a visual – and emotional – dissonance that feels distinctly Black Mirror but also completely new. Gone are the cold, digital nightmares of past seasons; in Hotel Reverie, the warmth of sapphic love takes the spotlight.
AI, Art, and Queer Resistance
While Corrin plays with fantasy on-screen, their off-screen views on technology are clear: they’re not buying into the AI hype. “I’m not a fan,” they said. “It terrifies me.” For Corrin, the danger of losing the “organic creativity” that comes from being in a room with other people is real – and urgent. In an era where studios flirt with AI-generated scripts and digitally resurrected performances, Corrin’s plea to preserve authentic collaboration hits hard.
But perhaps more pressing than any tech-induced artistic crisis is the political one. As a non-binary public figure, Corrin didn’t hold back on their fears about the growing wave of anti-trans rhetoric, particularly in the United States under Trump’s second term. From banning trans individuals in the military to barring trans teens from accessing healthcare, the current administration’s policies are already sending ripples across the world.
“It is truly terrifying to think of the generations of kids who are going to grow up with a permanent feeling of fear and an inability to express themselves,” Corrin said. “That is really sad. It feels very hopeless.”
They’re not just concerned about the US. “The UK has its own host of problems,” they noted, adding their worry that regressive policies abroad could inspire similar backslides at home.
Why This Matters to the LGBTQ Community
Representation matters. Queer love on screen – especially in big-budget, internationally beloved shows like Black Mirror – is a powerful form of visibility. Corrin and Rae’s portrayal brings a nuanced, emotionally rich queer relationship into a genre often devoid of it. And for non-binary and trans viewers, seeing someone like Corrin speak out – and kiss the girl – matters more than ever.
At a time when legislative attacks on trans and non-binary people are ramping up, episodes like Hotel Reverie don’t just entertain – they affirm. They whisper to every queer viewer watching, “You exist. You are loved. And your story is worth telling.”
Emma Corrin is right. We need rooms filled with real people, telling real stories. And in one such room, somewhere on a set painted in black and white, two queer icons made something unforgettable.