Cosplay Connection is all about getting to know cosplayers and their journeys, struggles, and triumphs within their hobby. Now that conventions are happening in person, cosplay connection interviews will happen in-person as well. Host Maddie (she/her) interviewed cosplayer MadsJedi (she/they) at Los Angeles Comic Con in December of 2021.
Mads’ Cosplay Connection Interview
Mads is currently a cosplayer on the TikTok app. Their primary character they find the most joy in cosplaying is Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars franchise. Maddie asked Mads where their journey first started:
“When I was in high school, I was interested in cosplay but never really got into it because I’m from the Mid-West. So, there wasn’t a lot of that available. I would just do, like, fun stuff for Halloween.”
Mads goes on to say that, like a lot of other cosplayers, they found cosplay TikTok in 2020. They said:
“Seeing all these other cosplayers on TikTok, having fun, I’m like ‘I want to do that!’ But I’m too shy. And then, The Mandalorian season 2 finale happened, and it just…I was like alright, let’s go!” So, January 2021 was when I started actually, like, cosplaying and posting videos.”
The cool thing about cosplay is that cosplayers can take a character and interpret them any way that feel. Cosplay is about expressing excitement for a particular character or fandom. Mads talks about how they choose who to cosplay:
“I’m not going to cosplay a character I don’t like or that I’m bored with…there’s also a whole logistical and creativity side part of it. A lot of my cosplays I kind of create from scratch or from scavenging items…I try to see what I can do with the resources I have. But I kind of like the challenge. I like how fun it is, and I like to pick characters where I can have a little bit of creativity.”
The Star Wars Cosplay Community
Unfortunately, there are gatekeepers and toxicity within a lot of fandoms and cosplay groups. Star Wars is no exception. Maddie asks Mads how we can keep the community a safe space for everyone, and Mads says:
“An even bigger component is the community that we do have that is supportive. That we continue to be supportive of each other. Continue to lift each other up, and we continue to be kind with each other. You know, even if we don’t all know each other on a personal level…I think being constantly uplifting to other people and excited for other people and their passions is one of the best things to do.”
Mads can be found on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@madsjedi.
For more cosplay articles, check out:
Demon Slayer Cosplay Meetup at Anime Pasadena 2021
My Hero Academia Cosplay Meetup at Anime Pasadena 2021
