What That Viral Scene Means for Tom Holland's Danny

The Big Picture

• Episode 8 of The Crowded Room sparks discussion around fluidity of sexuality and gender, as Tom Holland's character Danny engages in a steamy scene as Ariana, highlighting Danny's own gender fluidity.
• Intimacy for Danny's alters mostly involves men, except for Annabelle, suggesting that he feels more comfortable sexually as a woman and emphasizing his gender fluidity.
• Ariana, a part of Danny's identity, chooses to engage with men in a LGBTQ+ club, showing her preference for a safe space in a time when the LGBTQ+ community faced hostility, while Danny himself seems to approve of any relationship that doesn't remind him of his abusive past.

The Crowded Room has quickly become the most talked about series on the internet. Following the release of Episode 8, Tom Holland was trending on Twitter for one steamy scene in particular. After the revelation that Holland’s character, Danny, is Ariana (Sasha Lane), Holland takes her spot in the sex scene with Jerome (Elijah Jones). This scene speaks volumes in regard to the fluidity of sexuality and gender through Danny and his alters.

Danny himself has never had sex, but the alters that do mostly have intimate scenes with men — Annabelle, played by Emma Laird, is the only exception. It speaks volumes that he mostly experiences intimacy as Ariana because Ariana is the only woman out of all of his alters. This may suggest that he feels more comfortable sexually as a woman and can highlight Danny’s own gender fluidity. She is also the antithesis of Danny. While he is shy, quiet, and anxious, she is confident, angry, and passionate.

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Ariana is a Big Part of Danny's Identity

Although it is suggested that Danny is a straight cis man, Ariana contradicts this because of her confidence with all of her partners. When Jerome refers to Danny as Ariana, he also switches pronouns, which can be preferred by some people who identify as gender-fluid. Each of Danny’s alters is a part of him and would not exist without him. A good example of this is revealed when Ariana’s rapist is Danny’s own abuser and stepfather, Marlin (Will Chase). It is also heavily hinted that his twin, Adam (Zachary Golinger), is another of Danny’s alters (the one that took on the abuse for Danny). Ariana and Adamboth have experienced the abuse with Danny and each alter has disdain for Marlin.

Ariana identifies as bisexual most likely because Danny is also bisexual. He has a fear of sex because of years of abuse and this is why Ariana took over with Annabelle. Other alters pointed him in the direction of Annabelle and encouraged him to pursue her, but Danny was only comfortable enough with Ariana actually sharing the experience. Of all of Danny’s alters, Ariana is the one closest to him, and he relates to her more than the rest. If not for Danny’s splitting identity, he would likely be a lot like Ariana with his own unhealthy defense mechanisms, and that includes her nightlife.

Going to the LGBTQ+ Club and Working With Rya Raises Questions

Ariana’s club of choice also says something because she does not go to a space dedicated to the cis, straight community. She chooses a safe club for LGBTQ+ people because she engages with men. The time period is also relevant here because 1979 was not a friendly time for the LGBTQ+ population. While Danny was hung up on Annabelle, he still encouraged and in some way participated in Ariana’s relationship with Jerome. When working with Rya (Amanda Seyfried), Danny can remember some of the things that his alters have done. This is relevant when he remembers Johnny engaging in sexual acts with the drug dealer, Angelo (Stephen Barrington), in exchange for drugs.

Danny is ashamed of Johnny’s relationship with Angelo because it put him in another exploitative situation similar to the one with Marlin. He is not ashamed of his time as Ariana, though, who pursued intimacy for the sake of intimacy. Danny has not confirmed his own gender identity or sexual orientation, but it does seem as if he is approving of any relationship that does not remind him of Marlin. His main concern is integrating himself fully with his other alters in order to begin healing. But, this process would likely lead to a more fluid future regarding gender and sexuality because some of his alters fall on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.

The Crowded Room is currently streaming on AppleTV+ in the U.S.

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