SYFY’s new show Reginald the Vampire may feature fat jokes and examples of fat shaming, but actor Jacob Batalon hopes viewers will understand that it “fits the narrative” of a character learning self-love, he told Newsweek.
The dark comedy premiered on Wednesday, October 5, and follows Batalon’s Reginald, a college graduate wracked with debt who works a dead-end job at a slushy shop and is too scared to ask out the girl he likes, Sarah (Emily Haine).
In comes Maurice (Mandela Van Peebles), a vampire who takes a shine to Reginald and turns him into a creature of the night after Reginald is attacked by other vampires.
Jacob Batalon Addresses Fat Shaming Jokes in ‘Reginald the Vampire’
James Dittiger/SYFY
Reginald the Vampire is based on the book series Fat Vampire by Johnny B. Truant—and with a name like that, fans should probably expect a few jokes at the expense of Reginald’s physique.
Although the show has a different name, it doesn’t shy away from the topic, with Reginald doling out the jokes himself as a means to control the situation when he is verbally abused by one of his co-workers.
Even when Reginald is turned into a vampire, Maurice remarks on how he might not be as strong as his cohorts because of his weight.
Batalon reflected on this part of the storyline in an interview with Newsweek, saying it was something often ignored in Hollywood because it was too sensitive a topic for viewers, but it is one that makes sense in the context of his show.
“I feel like we, as in Hollywood, we try not to poke fun at that stuff because it’s like a touchy subject amongst other things like sexual abuse and racism,” Batalon said.
“I will say that self-love is one of the things that we barely touch upon, so I think that, as a fat person growing up my entire life being overtly obese, I would say that it’s OK, you know what I mean?
“Like, we have to tackle these issues and on that note I would say that health is a part of self-love, and I’m not saying that you need to look like a Hollywood movie star to be healthy. You’ve just got to live a healthy lifestyle.”
The Spider-Man: No Way Home star went on to say that he hoped viewers would see what the show is trying to achieve by including fat jokes, adding: “I would say that [viewers] would probably understand the meaning behind the fat shaming, and understanding that it is something that we can absolutely control and absolutely fix the narrative on.
“I would say that young people today are very much a lot more self aware, they’re a lot more open-minded to the plight and tribulation of marginalised people.
“So, I would say that fat shaming may not be a priority, may not be at the top of the priority list, but, you know, respect and reverence for others and the way that they shape their lives should be noted.”
He added that Reginald’s weight might be a topic of conversation in the show, but “it doesn’t stop him from doing what he’s doing, that’s for sure.”
On Leading His Own Series
James Dittiger/SYFY
Batalon is best known for his role as Ned Leeds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ned is best friends with Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and the actor has appeared in five Marvel movies to date, including three Spider-Man films.
But Batalon felt it was the right time to lead his own series, saying it was a great opportunity.
“I feel like I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time and be a part of the right project,” he said. “I think a lot of it depended on if I really agreed with the messaging and agreed with the storytelling, and really enjoyed the process. And, you know, in the end it was so worth it.
“I think that we made such a great show, and I’m very, very, very happy to be at the forefront of it.
“I don’t want to say this out loud and sound like I’m bragging, but I’m way more tied to things if I’m in it more. So, I really enjoyed it and it’s great, like being Reginald is my chance to be charming and fun and sweet, and do things emotionally that I don’t really have the opportunity to do with other things that I’ve done.”
The actor also explained why the role appealed to him: “It’s a very human story, I think that with the backdrop of vampirism we don’t really fall in love with the romanticism of it, we poke fun at it and joke around about it a lot on the show.
“It’s very light-hearted in that sense and, with that in mind, it’s really just about Reginald discovering who he is as a person, through that.
“He goes through all the human things of finding his first love and building friendships, and [finding] people he can really count on.
“And then, also, because he sort of embodies all the sort of insecurities that we’ve all had as human beings—we’re not socially acceptable because of the way we look and all these things, and because of that it affects who we are as people.
“His story is really an underdog story about [how] you may not seem like the Hollywood version of the leading man, or the hero, but you absolutely can be the hero of the story.”
Reginald the Vampire airs Wednesdays on SYFY at 10 p.m. ET.