Broadway star Jinkx Monsoon manifesting Mystique role in Marvel’s X-Men

Broadway star and prominent drag queen Jinkx Monsoon has expressed a wish for her dream role in Marvel's X-Men. In a conversation on Vulture's Good One podcast, Monsoon candidly mentions that she wishes to play the role of Mystique, as she says:

“I texted my agent, I was like, ‘I don’t know what’s going on there, but please start dropping my name.”

Keep reading to find out more about what Jinkx Monsoon says about her wish to play the character in X-Men.

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“She is my favorite Marvel character of all time," says Jinkx Monsoon about Mystique of X-Men

Jinkx Monsoon has made her name as an actor on both stage and screen. Also, a distinguished drag queen, she won an iconic win at RuPaul's Drag Race in 2013. Some of her theater work includes Henry V (2010), The Threepenny Opera (2011), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2013), Chicago (2023, 2024), and Oh Mary! (2025), to name a few. Monsoon has also worked on TV, including Teenage Euthanasia (2023), Doctor Who (2024), and more.

On the Vulture's Good One podcast with Jesse David Fox, Jinkx Monsoon expressed a wish to work with Marvel for a specific role. When Fox asked her about what she would do if she were cast in a Marvel film, Monsoon responded:

"Oh, I have more than enough ideas. Can I manifest something?"

Then, she spoke about the idea of Mystique of Marvel's X-Men being portrayed by a trans woman. Monsoon said:

"Well, I'm sure they already have plans. I'm sure I'm too late. But Marvel now has regained the rights to X-Men. I think it would be a really cool idea to have a trans woman be Mystique."

Jinkx Monsoon said how Mystique appeals to her, and to many people in the trans community. She also sheds light on the fact that Mystique is a character who has dealt with a lack of acceptance within society. So, to achieve that, she had to undergo a process of transformation. Monsoon continued:

“She is my favorite Marvel character of all time, and I relate to her so much and I think a lot of trans people do and we think about how nice it would be to be able to just blend in and not have everyone pay attention to us if we don't want. And we also relate to the fact that like, she's not accepted in her original form. So she has to transition to even walk around people."

An enigmatic figure of the X-Men, Mystique, who was originally Raven Darkhölme, has been in existence since May 1978, when we saw her in a cameo appearance in the comic Ms. Marvel #16, by Chris Claremont and David Cockrum.

Mystique is a multilayered character with both anti-heroism and villainous elements. Her power lies in her shape-shifting qualities. When she was young, her ability to transform was met with hostility and prejudice from people. Her original form is a blue-skinned person with glimmering yellow eyes and red hair.

Mystique has been portrayed by actors Jennifer Lawrence, Rebecca Romijn, and Morgan Lily (as the young Mystique). It began with the 2000 film X-Men, where Rebecca Romijn plays the role.

Here are the rest of the films where Mystique makes an appearance:

• X2 (2003, played by Romjin)
• X-Men: The Last Stand (2006, played by Romjin)
• X-Men: First Class (2011, played by Lawrence and Morgan Lily)
• X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014, played by Lawrence)
• X-Men: Apocalypse (2016, played by Lawrence)
• Dark Phoenix (2019, played by Lawrence)

If Marvel Studios watches this podcast, they might as well want to recast Mystique's character. It shall be compelling and delightful to witness Jinkx Monsoon's dream come true.

Here is an excerpt of a text that Raven Darkhölme says to Hank McCoy in X-Men: First Class, which speaks volumes. She says:

"We are different. But we shouldn't be trying to fit into society. Society should aspire to be more like us. Mutant and proud."

Fun Fact: As per Polygon, Mystique is actually Sherlock Holmes, as she had disguised herself as the classic detective in Immortal X-Men #8.

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Also read: Which characters have the power of shapeshifting?