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Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne has struck back at critics attacking his casting in a new, West End production of Cabaret.
Redmayne will open the new production this November, opposite actress Jessie Buckley. Redmayne will step into the iconic role of the Emcee, a part made famous by queer actors Joel Grey and Alan Cumming.
For Redmayne, criticism won’t deter him from playing the part.
“I hope when people see the performance, the interpretation will justify the casting,” he told British Vogue. “The way I see the character is as shape-shifting and a survivor.”
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Related: Eddie Redmayne Visited Homeless Queer Kids, Fed Them, Urges You To Help, Too
That shape-shifting quality has often led audiences to believe the Emcee character is meant to be queer. Even Tom Scutt, the production designer for the new show, notes the role “is one of queer portrayal.”
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That said, the queerness of the character often varies by production. The original Broadway incarnation, directed by Hal Prince which starred Joel Grey, played the character as effeminate but did not feature anything explicitly queer. That changed with the 1999 Broadway revival, which saw Alan Cumming’s more sexualized Emcee dancing and flirting with men throughout the show. That production also integrated the bisexuality of Cliff, the show’s main character.
Regardless, countless straight men have played the role of the Emcee over the years on Broadway, including John Stamos, Norbert Leo Butz, Adam Pascal, Jon Secada, and Michael C. Hall.
Mister P
My favorite role and easily one of the best roles ever. Who wouldn’t want to play it? Joel Grey’s performance is the best performance ever.
Donston
I’m starting to think folks are using fake casting controversies to spark buzz. No one has ever cared about who’s played that role. Is there any actual criticism or is this just another way to promote the show? It’s almost like the industry is trying to actively cheapen the very real concerns of unabashed queer/gay-presenting actors and their limitations as far as Hollywood and the hetero/gender normal pressures. By focusing on stuff like this they’re trying to make it all look silly. While many out “queers” in entertainment are perfectly willing to undermine progress and make everyone look dumb by co-signing nonsense.
Also, I’m sure a couple of dudes that this article is claiming as “straight” have never publicly claimed a “straight” identity. Seeming to be “straight presenting” is not the same things as embracing a “straight” identity.
Detrimental articles, fake controversies, using “straightness” as a base which everything it filtered through- it just makes you want to throw the whole identity politics out the window and start over.
On another note, it’s kinda embarrassing that Redmayne won that Oscar.
Jim
I think you hit on something with the creating buzz thing.
basils_Herald
I agree with the creating buzz – I wouldn’t have known about it otherwise. Question for the ages: how many queer roles have been given to straight, white actors this year? Glad things are changing, but at this pace we may as well be moving backwards (or are we?)
Donston
I’m pretty much done keeping up with what “queer” roles go to “straight presenting” actors. And honestly, I’ve never really cared about that. It’s called “acting” for a reason. While gender/sexual dimensions, fluidity or contradictions and having different spots on the gender, sexual, romantic, affection, emotional investment, commitment spectrum- these things are pretty common. They’re especially common in the world of entertainment. What has always bugged me is the industry’s hypocrisies, its male hetero pressures, its gay shame, the using of “straight presenting” actors in “gay” roles as a marketing tool and a lot of actors’ sense of entitlement and general ignorance.
Donston
Either way, it seems like they’re purposely trying to spark some “controversy” that isn’t there.
basils_Herald
@ Donston for someone who doesn’t care about Hollywood giving away queer roles to straight actors, you certainly do spill a lot of ink on the matter. Seems like you do care after all (aww ?)
Any artistic work that doesn’t connect to its roots feels disingenuous. It’s like Friends only having two Black people in NYC out of how many episodes. It’s 2021 and if you make a movie with a queer role and the film is seemingly without any other queer people in the cast or production, what is casting doing?
Karrnal
And you might remember that when he first played the MC, Joel Grey was in the closet, married to a woman and had a daughter. Although it was 1966.
Kangol2
Thank you. He wasn’t out when the stage musical or the film debuted. Not criticizing Joel Gray but just saying.
He was exceptional in that role. I can’t think of anything else he acted in that comes close.
barryaksarben
I love Eddie and his choice of roles in his career. He will be great in this and Id love to see him do it. I doubt too many people are upset with this. I mean John Stamos played it
ScottOnEarth
Another example of how unnecessary and toxic labels are. Just let people f-ing live and don’t try to confine the to labels and categories.
kramermason
Yes, and Joel Grey did not come out as a gay man until 2015. Times change and we should not judge. A good performance is a good performance. Some performances can be life changing no matter the performers orientation. Seeing Harry Hamlin in Making Love changed my life for the better. Helped me come out.
Fahd
At first, English upper class Redmayne doesn’t seem like a good fit for the decadent Weimar Republic cabaret emcee, but I guess that’s why it’s called acting. I would love to see his performance.
LumpyPillows
Another example of cancel-culture destroying the left’s credibility. I can only hope we can differentiate ourselves from these nuts before we lose the next election.
Eddie is pretty queer to me…even if he likes girls. Just stop this nonsense.
Joshooeerr
Traditionally queer role?!! Since when? More straight actors hav played the role. It can’t be “traditionally queer” because Alan Cumming played it at one time. Even Joel Grey was deep in the closet when he played the Emcee; he didn’t come out till about 40 years later.
inbama
He looks wonderfully disturbed.
Jim
NO Ya don’t need gay to play gay or straight to play straight.
We all know Matt Bomer makes the ladies swoon.
If this thinking had been in place we would not have Anna Madrigal.
Can you see anyone other than Olympia Dukakis in that role?
Would we have had “Tales of the City” sequels?
Well, at least we wouldn’t have had the last version.
Donston
I Google searched and Twitter searched, and I found no criticisms towards him taking this role. I saw some mention his trans role in The Danish Girl. But until this interview, there isn’t any mentions of people being upset by this casting. There’s a good chance hardly anyone even cares about the millionth revival of this play. Once again, it appears like they probably took a couple of corny, disapproving Tweets and created some fake controversy for the sake of buzz.
The vast majority of folks couldn’t care less about a “straight presenting” actor playing “queer” roles, especially on stage. And it’s becoming an even weaker argument in 2021, where it’s more apparent than ever that maybe most actors are in the gender, sexual, romantic, emotion, commitment spectrum. Most people care about opportunities, hypocrisies and the industry pressure. They don’t care about the casting of another revival of Cabaret. However, I will say that actors will say anything to justify and be dismissive towards their sell-out moments and their opportunities and privileges. If there was any real controversy, Eddie’s response would be inappropriate.
mastik8
This is a bit too obvious a publicity ploy to work. Queerty feels like it is becoming a gay TMZ or Daily Mail. I understand rage and hate drive traffic and as a result clicks but…
Donston
They’re clearly trying to use “cancel culture” and fake outrage to get some publicity. This is partially why I just don’t put much stock in the entertainment industry and into “queers” in the entertainment industry. Too many are willing to sellout, willing to play the industry’s games, willing to actively make “queers” look stupid for the sake of deflection or self-promotion or ego. While publications like this are willing to play along for clicks, no matter how detrimental.
Man About Town
I doubt if either Joel Grey or Alan Cumming ever identified as “queer”, but Mr. Reddish is most likely pressured to be as “woke” as possible.
Donston
Alan actually has referred to himself as “queer” in interviews. Some of y’all get way too triggered by that word. Either use it or don’t.
phillycap
It’s called “acting” for a reason. Redmayne doesn’t have to be queer to channel his queerness. He wasn’t disabled when he pulled off the part of Stephen Hawking brilliantly. He wasn’t trans when he pulled off brilliantly his role in the Danish Girl. He’s an actor and a damn good one. If the community wants to play the game of queer people only being cast in queer roles, then the community cannot turn around and complain that queer people aren’t cast in straight roles. Every actor should be considered for every role and may the best man or woman win.
Donston
From what I can tell, most “queers” don’t care about “straight presenting” actors in “queer” roles. The main focus has been on the industry’s closet pressures, the pressures on young and “sexy” guys to maintain hetero appeal, the glass ceilings, the industry’s internalized phobias. While the reality is that the majority of acclaimed, hyped up “queer” roles in movies have almost all gone to “straight presenting” actors over the years. And that’s no accident. It’s apparent that when it comes to “prestige” films a lot of the industry purposely seeks out “straight presenting” actors, as much as they try to deny it. Then you have the fact that the production team for this play is promoting this as a “queer role” and using Eddie’s supposed “straightness” to spark up some buzz. That method is rather problematic and in turn kinda homophobic. There’s no actual controversy here.
These are the nuanced issues that the industry isn’t tackling and that most of these actors are dismissive towards.
hansniemeijer
Weird, a white person can not play a black person, a man can not play a women, but str8s can play a gay person. Internalized homophobia, nothing else.
BoomerMyles
Eddy’s all wrong for the part. Bust!
BoomerMyles
And I’m tired of straight actors playing queer roles. They think forging our lifestyle for money is the latest fashion.