Roland Emmerich’s upcoming dramatization of the 1969 gay rights breakthrough Stonewall has found its leading man, and it turns out that he’s great in the saddle.
According to Deadline, War Horse star and twink-tastic cutie Jeremy Irvine will be playing the lead in Stonewall, which is set to begin filming soon in New York City.
Irvine may be unfamiliar to you, but is no stranger to the A-List, as he was directed by Steven Spielberg in War Horse and is featured in multiple upcoming projects with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Michael Douglas and Colin Firth.
As far as we can tell, this is his first Big Gay Role. If the movie is done as well as the subject deserves, it could catapult him to stardom and Oscar glory with other (presumably) straight actors who played gay.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Now that you know who he is, close your eyes and imagine how hot the gay sex scenes could be, and pray that Roland Emmerich has the vision to bring them to life.
robirob
He just looks like Ryan Phillippe in that picture!
Apparatus
He’s cute but just kind of generic looking. Where have all the unique faces gone? Hollywood only seems interested in bland safe and marketable.
Winter79
Any film about Stonewall will live or die based on who plays Sylvia Rivera.
Any film about Stonewall WITHOUT Sylvia Rivera is unworthy of the name.
Mr. E. Jones
A straight actor. No surprise there.
queerbec
Roland Emmerich–those riot scenes will feature casts of thousands who tear down the entire Village, the kick line against the police will take up four city blocks and at least ten police cars will be overturned and trashed. Seriously I hope he shows how the rioters would run around the block and come after the police from the other side and accurately portray who we’re actually in the bar that night as well as the emotional issues that eventually divided the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists’ Alliance.
carey579
I don’t care if he’s straight/gay/generic/marketable/etc he’s stunning!
I’m so happy 🙂
PS @apparatus – You say generic and marketable like those are bad things O_O?
hotboyvb81
ho hum- yet another quintessential gay role going to a str8 boy….it’s like having Clooney play Martin Luther King!
Tackle
It would be interesting to see what role he plays. But from what I have read, It was Drag Queens who stood up, and played a pivotal roll at Stonewall. I hope this is not the case of trying to rewrite history, and make the hero a young, good-looking White man. And speaking of good looking, someof is Queers. (the above post)take this sh!t too far. I get the impression that if their mother got murdered, they would not care and give the guy a pass because he’s just sooo ” stunning” !
jckfmsincty
It’s unfortunate that there are no gay actors in Hollywood.
Kangol
@Winter79:
Thank you!
Also, why must the lead be a straight (white) actor? Is that true to the story that Stonewall Uprising and other documentaries about this culture-changing event tell?
When will Hollywood cut out this BS?
carey579
@Tackle That was so mean! Just because I said he’s stunning does not take away the fact that I also think he’s a great actor and can pull off that role which the producers of the film have faith in.
The real sexuality of an actor has never mattered in terms of they pulling off the role as it’s been proven again and again – Brokeback Mountain, Charlize & Matthew won Oscars!
QAF is probably the highest rated gay series and it had a straight actor. Likewise Shelter topped the best gay movie list on IMDB and the lead men are both straight.
Anyway, I get that it would be great if gay actors got to play gay roles but there also should be no monopoly. I’m just glad that a STUNNING actor has been casted and I’m sure Jeremy will make a very pretty drag queen!
inbama
@queerbec: Well, he’s got Jon Robin Baitz for the script, so that’s a good sign.
I can’t believe you have memories of the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists’ Alliance – unless that’s a VERY old photo! :>)
Tackle
@carey579: Ok, I was being a bit dramatic and over the top with that statement. And it wasn’t necessarily directed at you, but all who tend to excuse people and their behavior, based on their looks. So I was trying to get a point across in a dramatic way. I don’t believe that you or any LGBTQ person would be so superficial amd shallow as to excuse a heinou crime committed on a loved one,and excuse, or be lenient, based on looks.
However what I do have a problem with is your willingness ( I don’t care if he’s straight/ gay/ generic/ marketable/ etc he’s stunning! I’m so happy: ) )
The problem is that we should care. And stay close to the events/ people and historical facts as possible. I have read books,articles and seen documentaries on Stonewall. And I did not see a young, White male,front and center as the leader or hero of this movement. Unfortunately many gays seem to be uncomfortable with anything other then that. Your ” I don’t care” attitude is very dismissive, and marginalize those who really stood their ground and fought.Those in drag/trans/Latin/ Hispanic/ Black as well as White. But lets not try to whitewash this event.
crowebobby
I wasn’t there the night of the Great Revolution, but I was in there a couple of times before that (it was a dreary dump by any standards) and there was never anything like Jeremy in there. But he might have been a waiter at Aldo’s.
Tackle
@crowebobby: Thank you for that bit of living history about the Stonewall inn. And that’s the same thing I have read, and been hearing. That it was a heavily ethnic place.
I’m not against any group, but just let facts be facts.
jar
Typical. Hire a straight actor (who will of course indicate incessantly in his performance that he is straight by his aping of “gay behavior.” More bothersome is the fact this appears to be another example of history being whitewashed. Mark my words- his character will be a nice upper middle class, idealistic white kid who is moved to political activism. I am reminded of Martin Duberman’s contemptible Stonewall book of 20 years ago.
SillyTeee
isnt this the same guy who directed those horrible disaster movies? including Godzilla?????? why?????
nemesis9
Is this another Brit cast as an American? I really hate that. And as an actor, I really really hate that.
simonreg
@nemesis9: I see your point, Nem, but then we had Meryl playing Margaret Thatcher, so it goes both ways. I have to say, mimicking a US accent is really hard to sustain for even a few minutes. I had to play an American in a play and my accent was all over the place, much to my chagrin.
TonyoQ313
I am far less bothered by a so-called straight Identified person portraying a gay person, as we really don’t know Anyone’s sexual identity, quite honestly, than I am bothered by yet Another Brit or Aussie playing a middle American kid! You can’t find ANY talented Americans to portray American boys next door?? They have Spider-man, Superman and co-opted numerous movie and TV shows that are supposed to actually be set in the U.S. Time to hire home-grown, hungry talent to play Americans for a change! I don’t know if they work for less pay, if they have less attitude, or why it is that Hollywood has developed this love affair with Brits and Aussies playing U.S. born folks, but it’s getting tiresome. The girl in Maze Runner couldn’t even hide her Aussie accent!