Leonardo Nam will never forget the moment he saw his husband and two sons watching him on the big screen.
During the premiere of Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, Nam looked over at his family as his character, Maddox Hatter, performed the villain song “Mad.”
“I could just see the movie reflecting in their eyes,” Nam told Gayety. “I just thought to myself, ‘Right, Leo, remember this moment.’”
The experience carried a deeper meaning for the queer actor, who once struggled to imagine that marriage and fatherhood could be part of his future.
“I never thought growing up that I would be a father, be married,” he said. “I’m so grateful that I can, and I can share it with my kids.”
That is also why Nam made the intentional decision to bring his entire family to the premiere. It was a personal celebration, but it was also an opportunity for other LGBTQ+ people to see a queer family proudly sharing such a major milestone.
“To see that exposure out there for everyone in the community, I think, is always a positive thing,” he said. “I’m really glad and proud that, as a family, we’re able to do that.”
Nam and his husband recently celebrated their 12th anniversary. Their children are now learning about the fight for marriage equality and asking questions about a time when their fathers could not legally marry.
“They talked about, ‘Oh, so before it wasn’t legal,’” Nam recalled. “We’re having these conversations now, which I really, really appreciate.”
For Nam, seeing his family reflected in the light of the screen was more than a memorable premiere moment. It represented a life he once could not picture becoming real.