British actor Richard E. Grant was weighed in on the debate about LGBTQ roles going to straight or cis-gender actors. In an interview with the Sunday Times, the actor, who is heterosexual, said he had concerns at being cast for gay roles over gay actors.
“I’ve always had that concern. The transgender movement and the #MeToo movement means, how can you justify heterosexual actors playing gay characters?
“We are in a historic moment. If you want someone to play a disabled role, that should be a disabled actor… I understand why and how [the current change of mood has] come about.”
Related: Tilda Swinton as a man, a queen and Queen: If Queerty picked Oscar nominations
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.
Grant will next hit screens playing a villain in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which is out later this month.
View this post on Instagram
Despite the scowl, am absolutely thrilled to be in @starwars ❤️❤️ #riseofskywalker #starwars
He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a gay man, Jack Hock, in the 2018 movie, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, opposite Melissa McCarthy. He is soon to play the role of “aging drag queen” Loco Chanel in the hit West End musical, Everyone’s Talking About Jamie (due in theaters October 2020).
Despite appearing to now have reservations about playing gay roles, he praised Timothée Chalamet’s Oscar-nomination performance in 2017 movie, Call Me By Your Name.
“What’s extraordinary about Timothée Chalamet is that he has such an androgynous quality. Of all the actors out there, he is the most gender-fluid of them all.”
Related: Oscar Isaac’s latest take on his ‘Star Wars’ character has gay fans going into hyperspace
His comments are similar to those made by American actor Darren Criss, who won awards for his portrayal of the gay serial killer, Andrew Cunanan, in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.
Following that show’s success, the actor – who also played a gay role in Glee – told Bustle magazine he would not take on further LGBTQ roles: “I want to make sure I won’t be another straight boy taking a gay man’s role.”
jjose712
This is getting more and more ridiculous. Acting is pretending to be someone you are not.
I would love that gay actors get more roles, but saying that straight actos can’t play gay characters is beyond ridiculous.
What it would be good if hw stop giving gay characters to actors who are clearly uncomfortable with playing gay roles
Michael
I completely agree with you, or will we need actual actors to commit murder to play a murderers, rape to play rapists, go insane to play a mentally unbalanced character, become dependent on crack to play junkies, get infected and develop aids/cancer to play a person dying of that disease, rob banks to play robbers… the list goes on and on. Actors should be hired upon their acting ability not their sexuality but we all know that doesn’t happen Hollywood has a long way to get over casting gay actors in anything other than the token gay in a straight movie/tv show the vast majority of casting should be based on what the individual actors can bring to the role.
Cam
Every 3 months another article comes out and everybody clutches their pears and hyperventilates that some straight actor, somewhere, sometime, MIGHT be denied a role.
Except….that hasn’t been a problem. Let’s actually wait until some LGBT actors actually get cast before we worry if too many of them are being cast.
As for the B.S. of acting being “pretend”….. give it a rest, I don’t seem a huge number of men being cast in a female role, or would you rather go back to the days of Mickey Rooney playing the Chinese landlord in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
scrough
I agree wholeheartedly. This headline would have been outrageous if it had read “giving straight roles to gay actors is unjustifiable” — If only gay actors can play gay roles and the reverse is true, we certainly are limiting the availability of roles available to all actors.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Thinking somehow the definition of “acting” is getting lost in this latest thingy…..
Chrisk
Unfortunately there is that thing about getting straight people comfortable enough about seeing a gay themed movie. Small Indy movies or character actors and no one cares.
Cam
And once again, this is straight Hollywood trying to ramp up hysteria about something that isn’t a problem.
Let’s wait until LGBT actors are actually regularly cast before we start saying their out there stealing roles from everybody.
Josh447
Hmm, I don’t see Timothy C as androgenous at all. He’s an all male twink. When I think of androgenous I think of Pat from SNL, can’t tell their gender. God s/he was so damn funny.
And I’m sure many gay roles have been given to many gay actors who aren’t or weren’t out. Nonetheless, to give a gay role to a closet case who has star power who agrees to come out would be moving.
Rock-N-RollHS
Better idea: just don’t discriminate against any actors–gay, straight, trans, black, white, asian. Just give it to the best actor for the part! How novel!!
Cam
Except LGBT actors have been discriminated against for so long there aren’t any that are at the level of a Scarlett Johansen or a Ryan Reynolds so they wouldn’t be up for larger parts.
And by your logic, you’re saying that since Brad Pitt is a good actor, he should play Whoopie Goldberg in a movie about her.
Thad
There’s Ian McKellen.
Cam
@Thad,
So Ian Mckellen will play every lgbt role?
justyouandi
Let’s extend the logic ……. gay actors can’t play straight roles.
Hire based on merit … ONLY! Cast whomever best plays the role, OR whomever is going to bring in the most at the box office. This is a business, after all!
OzJosh
Beware straight actors making this argument, for the corollary is that gay actors shouldn’t play straight roles, and there are way more straight roles than gay roles, and an overabundance of gay actors. It would be a huge advantage for an actor like Grant if he no longer had to compete against gay actors for straight roles. And gay actors would be ghettoised into the small number of gay roles, effectively ending their careers. I’m not saying Grant has calculated this; he may just be stupid. But that is the inevitable result.
Gandalf The Grey
I agree completely!
MISTERJETT
what’s the problem with it? it’s called acting!!!!
Jon in Canada
Fine…so long as you understand that only straight people should be cast in straight roles, because after all, what is sauce for the gander is sauce for the bitchy queen of a goose.
Seriously, acting is a craft/art form, the main skill being the ability to create the illusion of a fully fleshed out character. If you’re going to insist on actors being pigeon holed, then don’t get whiny when your sorry ass is only cast for queer roles. You see, that’s how segregation, which is what he and others are insisting on, is.
End of.
paul dorian lord fredine
i’m sorry but his concern’ seems rather hypocritical. if he thinks gay and trans actors should have preferential treatment with such roles, if you’re offered such a role simply don’t take it. worried you might be typecast in gay roles? don’t take them.
lord.krath
Yeah, well I disagree. It’s called acting for a reason. Now not considering someone because of the sexuality would be another thing. Otherwise it’s about talent and suitability.
Jerry
Acting
Cam
Once again, the Hollywood P.R. folks keep trying to push out this narrative every few months because they don’t want to cast LGBT actors.
Doug
So gay actors who are out are expected to only play gay characters throughout the rest of their careers? As an actor, I wouldn’t want that confinement and would probably stay in the closet.
Mpo2411
This argument is so annoying. “Only LGBTQ actors should play LGBTQ roles.” Bullshit. Casting should be based on talent and believability and appropriateness. In reply to a previous comment, sexual identity isn’t like ethnicity or gender, and saying Brad Pitt could play Whoopie Goldberg is a really stupid counter argument. To pigeonhole LGBTQ rolls to only LGBTQ actors is to say that Straight rolls should only be played by Straight actors, and that limits everybody. Besides,. LGBTQ have been acting straight rolls for just about forever and it’s never been an issue. (Magneto wasn’t gay, don’t make me list them all) And how far will this go? Are we going to say that Gays can’t play Bi? that Trans can’t play Gay or Lesbian? As a society, we really need to stop focusing on who someone sleeps with and having that define them as a person.