Diamond White returns as Marvel’s ‘Moon Girl,’ the first Black teen heroine, just in time for Black History Month

The second season of “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” premieres Feb. 2, with its first two episodes.

Diamond White’s superhero status in Marvel’s “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” is a role she does not take lightly. 

As the first Black teenage heroine in the superhero franchise, White has seen the show’s impact directly, proud that it won four Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in December 2023 for its debut season.

“It’s exciting,” White told theGrio. “I’m glad that the show is getting the response that it deserves, and it makes me happy to see people really excited about it.”

The renowned animation series follows White’s character, Lunella, or Moon Girl, as she protects her community from villainous creatures and navigates the distinct challenges she faces as a 13-year-old girl. In Season One, viewers watched as Lunella used her intellectual brilliance and accidentally created the giant Devil Dinosaur, who became her partner in crime. Together, the dynamic duo fought threats that entered her Lower East Side neighborhood of New York City.

White teased Season Two, which begins Feb. 2, noting that audiences will see Lunella’s confidence in her superhero identity grow.

“Last season, Lunella was falling into how to become a superhero,” White shared. “… The second season, she [Lunella] is more aware that she can make a difference and knows for a fact that she is protecting the Lower East Side.”

White’s character will also experience different hardships that intersect more with her personal life as she battles with the decision of whether or not to reveal that she’s Moon Girl to the rest of her family members. 

“Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” expands Marvel’s increasing representation of people of a diverse range of races, genders and sexualities throughout the cinematic universe.

“This type of show was something I needed growing up,” White said over Zoom. “I see representation for myself, but also for the Latina community and the LGBTQ community. If you watch the show, you’ll probably spot yourself somewhere in it, so it’s really cool.”

White also recognized the importance of that diverse representation in animation and how the show intentionally creates a space where viewers of all backgrounds feel seen.

“When it comes down to it, it’s not just a Black show,” White added. “We represent America. We represent the world.”

“We need to keep shows running like this,” she continued, “and keep developing more shows like ‘Moon Girl’ for our younger generation to see. It needs to be seen.”

The show’s high-profile guest star list also makes “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” unique. The first season featured Jennifer Hudson, Method Man, Arsenio Hall, Jackée Harry, Daveed Diggs, Wesley Snipes, Indya Moore and others.

While Season Two’s guest stars have yet to be announced, theGrio received an exclusive clip featuring Robin Thede as she appears in the upcoming season. Thede voices Quickwhip, a villain described as “stealthy, slippery and can usually talk herself in and out of anything — especially capture.”

The series’ cast also includes Alfre Woodard (Mimi), Laurence Fishburne (The Beyonder), who also serves as the executive producer; Fred Tatasciore (Devil Dinosaur), Libe Barer (Casey), Sasheer Zamata (Adria), Jermaine Fowler (James Jr.) and Gary Anthony Williams (Pops).

The second season of “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” premieres Friday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. EST on Disney Channel and Disney XD, with its first two episodes also available to stream on Disney + the following day.

Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrio’s newsletter.

The post Diamond White returns as Marvel’s ‘Moon Girl,’ the first Black teen heroine, just in time for Black History Month appeared first on TheGrio.