TORONTO - Jackie Blackmore is a big hit with bronies these days.
The Vancouver actress voices one of two new lesbian characters in an episode of the animated series "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic."
She says she's felt an "explosion of love" from fans, who include a large contingent of adults -- many of them men -- known as "bronies."
"The Last Crusade" episode, which is making international headlines, has already aired in the U-S and Europe and will be available to TV viewers in Canada on Sunday on Treehouse.
Blackmore says there have been a lot of people reaching out and expressing their love for the characters and excited that there is some lesbian representation on television.
Now into its ninth and final season, "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" was created by American animator-writer Lauren Faust and is acclaimed for its clever scripts full of horse puns and strong, fleshed-out female characters.
The show, based on the Hasbro toy franchise, revolves around six main ponies known as the Mane Six, and is recorded in Vancouver with many local actors, animators and directors.
Blackmore made her debut on the show in just the one episode as Aunt Holiday alongside Vancouver actress Saffron Henderson as Auntie Lofty, a same-sex pony couple who become guardians to their niece Scootaloo when her world-traveller parents go away on an adventure.
She says the story is about a sweet relationship between two cool aunts who love each other, are there for each other, live together, are great guardians to Scootaloo, and are lovely people.
