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Halle Berry has announced that she is no longer considering playing a trans man in an upcoming movie project.
In an Instagram Live interview with hairstylist Christen Brown over the weekend, the Oscar-winning actress said that among her upcoming projects, she was potentially set to play the role of a trans man.
Related: JK Rowling goes on Twitter tirade comparing gender transition to conversion therapy
“[The film is about] a character where the woman is a trans character, so she’s a woman that transitioned into a man,” said Berry. “She’s a character in a project I love that I might be doing.”
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The project was apparently pitched to Berry some time ago but has been put on hold while she concentrated on her directorial debut, Bruised, in which she plays a disgraced MMA fighter.
The interview was screen-captured and reposted on Twitter.
Still trying to understand why Halle Berry would be interested in playing the role of a transgender man. Sigh! pic.twitter.com/S7W2y8SMfd
— A.J Raven (@tempest071990) July 5, 2020
The announcement was met with concern by many LGBTQ advocates who believe trans performers should be used for trans roles. Some criticized Berry for talking about the role in terms of being a woman’s story and using ‘she’ pronouns about the character.
Halle Berry on playing a trans man in her next movie: “It’s really important to me to tell stories, and that’s a woman, that’s a female story – it changes to a man, but I want to understand the why and how of that. I want to get into it.”
Cis actors need to stop doing this.
— Serena Daniari (@serenajazmine) July 6, 2020
On Monday night, Berry posted a message to social media to say that she had listened to the reaction and decided not to take the role.
— Halle Berry (@halleberry) July 7, 2020
“Over the weekend I had the opportunity to discuss my consideration of an upcoming role as a transgender man, and I’d like to apologize for those remarks. As a cisgender woman, I now understand that I should not have considered this role, and that the transgender community should undeniably have the opportunity to tell their own stories,” Berry said on Twitter.
“I am grateful for the guidance and critical conversation over the past few days and will continue to listen, educate and learn from this mistake. I vow to be an ally in using my voice to promote better representation on-screen, both in front of and behind the camera.”
Among those to welcome the announcement was GLAAD, which tweeted, “We are pleased that @halleberry listened to the concerns of transgender people and learned from them. Other powerful people should do the same. A good place to start is by watching @Disclosure_Doc to learn about trans representation in media.”
We are pleased that @halleberry listened to the concerns of transgender people and learned from them. Other powerful people should do the same. A good place to start is by watching @Disclosure_Doc to learn about trans representation in media. https://t.co/SAxSvXxbk3
— GLAAD (@glaad) July 7, 2020
Disclosure, now on Netflix, looks at the history of trans representation on screen.
Related: Laverne Cox spills on Bugs Bunny and her new film ‘Disclosure’
Also welcoming the announcement was Brian Michael Smith. The actor stars on 9-1-1-Lone Star and is the first trans man actor to get a recurring lead role on a mainstream US TV show.
“Thank you for hearing us and for taking the time to listen and understand our concerns,” tweeted Smith to Berry. “Furthermore, I appreciate your vow to take action and use your platform to promote better representation and opportunities for marginalized artists on both sides of the lens.”
.@halleberry Thank you for hearing us and for taking the time to listen and understand our concerns. Furthermore, I appreciate your vow to take action and use your platform to promote better representation and opportunities for marginalized artists on both sides of the lens. 🖤✊🏾 https://t.co/gistCQV0xG
— Brian Michael Smith (@TheBrianMichael) July 7, 2020
Cam
Cue the brand new accounts coming in here to hysterically scream about the poor straight actors losing all their roles to LGBTQ actors.
The issue is, if Hollywood hadn’t consistently blocked LGBTQ actors from getting roles for decades there wouldn’t be the backlash to hetero actors constantly playing us as Oscar bait.
Since Hollywood, outside of Ryan Murphy, and Netflix, won’t cast openly LGBTQ actors for any role, then they are simply reaping what they sowed.
dhmonarch89
the movie will probably never get made now… we have to endure str8 men playing us and no one gives a shit…don’t see why this always makes headlines on gay sites….it’s the old cut off your nose to spite your face- the visibility is important, but who will see it if a no name trans man is in it (can any one name a trans male actor?) or will it get made at all…the gay community is under the same dilemma, but most guys fantasize about the str8 guy going gay, so they don’t care or protest.
Cam
Except the reason you can’t name a trans actor is because Hollywood always casts straight actors in their roles.
So here’s an idea, if you give LGBTQ actors parts, then THEY will become famous, and be able to get movies made, and be able to put butts in the seats.
The typical Hollywood argument we need to get away from is one they’ve used for years. They also claimed that movies headlined by a woman wouldn’t make money even after Tomb Raider did well, how long was it between that movie and Wonder Woman? They claimed movies with majority Black casts wouldn’t make money….well, there’s a billionaire named Tyler Perry who made all his money on those movies.
So again, if there was pure equality this wouldn’t be an issue, but at a time when they are still screening out LGBTQ actors, I have no problem with casting legitimate people to play those roles.
dhmonarch89
Hollywood has told gay actors to stay in the closet by making sure there’s nothing for them to be cast in if they come out…most gay people support this because they want to see a str8 boy fantasy play gay- they scream- ‘IT’S CALLED ACTING’ when you suggest we take a play from the trans playbook…I just don’t get how the trans community got this kind of power (To shut down productions and demand trans actors) with maybe 5 trans actors to pull from and the gay community with 1000s has gotten NO WHERE.
Cam
@dhmonarch89, you said…..”Hollywood has told gay actors to stay in the closet by making sure there’s nothing for them to be cast in if they come out…most gay people support this because they want to see a str8 boy fantasy play gay-”
____________
Please provide any evidence that most gay people supported Hollywood bigotry and discrimination against LGBTQ people.
Bromancer7
@Cam Yeah, it’s a catch-22, but that how movies work. No studio is going to risk millions on a trans-themed movie with an unknown trans lead. And even if it’s made, no one will go to see it and it’ll tank, further ensuring no studio will ever take the risk again.
We went thru this 2 years ago with Scarlett Johannsen. And guess what happened to that movie. It got shelved indefinitely. And the same will happen to this movie.
No one wants to see the big picture. They just need their daily dose of social media outrage.
dhmonarch89
evidence in THOUSANDS of posts here, NewNowNext, gay blogs- all over, every time I mentioned protesting like trans community and have only gay actors play gay roles- 5-10 people would reply screaming at me ‘It’s called acting….’
JessPH
So only cis people for cis roles too?
ThinkPlease
Exactly. That one can cut both ways so perhaps it’s not wise to go there.
What these “activists” mean is that, to them, there’s a ladder of enabling and one can only cast down it, never up. The fact that there’s a ladder means that…well, they’re bigots but will never admit to that fact.
It actually does work in humor (always punch down, never up). Here? Not so much.
Raphael
That argument would only be valid if trans roles were the majority or equal the cis roles. There is one trans role for hundreds of cis’s. That goes for gay roles as well… So, for the time being, cis actors should stick to their overwhelming pool of roles, share them with everybody and let the very few trans/gay roles for the community LGBTQ+.
jonasalden
I agree with Raphael. We’re not even there yet (at any point nearing equality where cis roles should be reserved for cis actors). At this point, that conversation is useless. So yes, trans roles for trans actors and some cis roles for trans actors who fit the part, then someday….
Rock-N-RollHS
@ Rapheal You do realize that Trans people are a very very small percentage of the population. So of course there should be more “cis” roles. There are even fewer trans actors, much less skilled ones.
Bottom line, talented people should all be given equal chances in all professions. But hollywood is a business, ain’t a meritocracy by a long-shot.
Think healthcare, violence, basic housing, and employment protections are far more important for trans folk than who stars in what film. But, hey, I ain’t trans so keep with the circular firing squad. No skin off my dick.
Yooper
A lot of movies are no longer produced by large studios, more and more small independent films are successful in the mainstream, and as time goes on the diversity in film has become staggering. We are at the point you can select any movie with any type cast you can think of, particularly if you venture outside US film. That said, Halle Barry would be fine for the role, good actor, both beautiful and handsome, she would do a fine job.
Alex_S
So can we also trash RuPaul’s Drag Race? Because according to that “transperson should play transsperson/ LGBTQA+ actor should play LGBTQA+ character” logic men in drag performing women is kinda unacceptable too, because only women should perform women.
Cam
That was a desperation post.
Jake123
I believe trans actors should play trans but I honestly don’t mind if a straight actor plays gay. Maybe because there has been such phenomenal performance played over the years!!
fsnbgk
Are we setting a precedent where trans, lesbian & gay actors can only play roles in their respective class? That seems pretty limiting.
djhavyk
Oh come on everyone. Are we really so sensitive that we’re gonna let something like this bother us?! She’s a fantastic actress and could really bring some attention to the struggles of trans folk! Should another actor get it solely because they happen to be trans? That’s stupid. Sure, if they’re a great actor, perfect! But to cast a bad or unknown actor in a role JUST because you need someone trans in it is stupid and will ruin the movie.
And if you disagree with me on that consider that probably 80% of the guys you love watching in porn are straight. It’s a fact that sex scenes with straight-seeming men are vastly more popular. It’s the same problem we always run into with affirmative action: diversity is great, but at the cost of quality job performance? I don’t know the answer but she’s clearly an ally, why not let her bring awareness to trans lives?!
ScottOnEarth
Does that mean gay actors can never play non-gay roles? Actors are supposed to pretend. That’s the whole idea. The concept that only gay or trans people can and should play those roles is short-sighted and tiresome.
Jack Meoff
There has already been a transgender man cast in a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy so who got that wrong?
Rock-N-RollHS
Epic FAIL!
In today’s climate in which every Hollywood hack is afraid of being labeled “racist” or “transphobic,” continue to push to have more talented actors of all gender identities play all roles. The fact is that there aren’t many trans actors, and even less who are good actors (if that horrible Ryan Murphy series is any indication, which is like watching kids in a playground put on a play as their mascara runs).
But Hollywood is a vast bastion of cowardice and business desperate to protect its brand, so giving into political correctness is the easy route.
Doctor Benway
Trans activist don’t need a sex change, they need a brain change.
These folks are no different than the ones they fight every day. They are biggot, close-minded, facist and they don’t even realize it.
What matter is acting talent. I don’t care wether the actor/actress is gay, trans, straight or whatever. I only care if he/she is good.
The rest is politic and communitarianism (and I’m sick of that)