If you’re an actor, you’re an actor. The whole thing with Jack playing a gay character…I’m like, just let him act.
It’s like me saying I could never play a straight character because I am not going to know a straight person’s thoughts.”— Russell Tovey in an interview with The Telegraph defending the casting of straight actor Jack Whitehall in Disney’s first openly gay character, in the upcoming movie Jungle Cruise. Critics have argued that with so many talented openly queer actors available, and because Hollywood has systemically made it difficult for their careers to thrive, Disney had the opportunity to help change the game for the better.
Related:
Straight actor gets cast as Disney’s first openly gay role. Twitter explodes.
Idris Elba says it’s “nonsense” to pressure Hollywood to cast gay actors in gay roles
Guy Pearce says it’s “dangerous” to demand Hollywood give queer roles to queer actors
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.
Out actor Nathan Sussex on why straight actors should be allowed to play gay roles
dwes09
He is correct.
I think any protest should be over the nature of the character: an over the top flamboyant fop. It is abut time that depiction of gay men was relegated to the trash heap, or at least only dragged out rarely (no more commonly than the caveman stereotype of the hetero men).
And that Tovey is hot as hell. As much for his love of contemporary art as for his looks.
gymmuscleboy
If we are casting Africans in Viking roles – and we are – I think a straight man can play a gay man!
Kangol
Pssst: the Vikings sailed as far south as northern Africa, including to what is now present-day Morocco, traded, took prisoners, etc. There are Africans–including black Africans–there. Maybe another analogy?
Godabed
This is the same guy who shamed feminine gay men because of his own internal homophobia. STFU honestly, no one wants to hear what you have to say.
For those people saying that straight men can play gay roles, just stop the reverse isn’t the same as gay men playing straight roles. The debate is access to jobs/opportunities. The Facts are that gay actors have less access to play roles outside of simply being gay. Same with trans actors. they are not provided the access for more jobs. Straight white men have had access to play all jobs including Asians (look at the king and I) Blacks ( look at Othello) and Native American look at old westerns. there has never been a glass ceiling for straight white males they have even played women’s roles.
So stop with this stupid false narrative that’s distracting from the problem or you become part of the problem. Understand what it is you’re actually talking about.
Kieru
“The debate is access to jobs/opportunities.”
That’s what the debate SHOULD be, but that’s not how anyone presents it. When the LGBTQ+ community makes this criticism it’s always about representation and authenticity. Gay roles should go to gay persons because they ‘know’ the part. Trans roles should go to trans persons because only a trans person can present a truly authentic representation, etc, etc.
That’s an argument that sidesteps “LGBTQ+ persons are being denied roles because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, not their acting ability” and argues that they should be given the roles based solely their orientation / identity.
I’m all for arguing that we need to ensure that LGBTQ+ persons have access to roles and that their orientation or gender identity aren’t immediately excluding them. But to say that a straight person simply cannot play an LGBTQ+ person? Eh…. fundamentally I disagree, because the very nature of acting is to present yourself as something that is not necessarily what you are, and make it feel authentic.
Godabed
@Kieru Sorry but we don’t live in a hypothetical world. Straight people do play these rolls more so than they don’t. They become famous for them. I could give you a list of straight men/woman who have played lgbtqa roles and was critically acclaimed for them, launched career off our stories. The reverse isn’t really true due to access and opportunity (with few exceptions).
So you can’t really do the same for Out LGBTQA actors. There are tons of talented LGBTQA people in the industry, but to pigeon hole them to type casting, and relegate them to roles where they can only play themselves is the state of the industry. Very few are get chances outside of those roles. That is the reality. There is really no argument to be had otherwise here.
The same ideal behind affirmative action can be applied in this industry, the myth of affirmative action is it helps minorities (people of color) equalize the playing field, the reality is it has helped white women more so than all other minority groups combined. This highlight intersectionality. Because although white women may not see themselves as minorities they are still women in a male dominated society. And these actors aren’t just cis white males, but trans, people of color, different nationality and ethnicities. Perfect example Pose. it took a Cis white gay man, to give trans people of color just the opportunity to highlight their own community. The sad reality is that now these actors may be type cast. Diversity and opportunity are very important in our multi-faceted society. This Article shouldn’t be about the plight of this poor heterosexual cis white male who’s being bullied by the LGBTQA community because he is a nice guy. No the narrative should be and the debate is, Why hasn’t this broken system changed. Why are we still having this discussion and no action. Why are LGBTQA people relegated to these roles and how do we give them the opportunity to shine.
Pistolo
You want to be the straight-acting sort of actor so of course you feel that way, Rus.
inbama
“Straight-acting?”
Gay men come butch to femme and everything in between. It’s pretty much beyond our control, and it’s not “acting.”
JessPH
Gay visibility in movies and TV is always important. It doesn’t matter who plays the gay characters.
Raphael
Easy to say that when you’re not a gay actor. Don’t be selfish, visibility, it’s not the only thing that matters, the problem is not only that.
Heywood Jablowme
“It’s like me saying I could never play a straight character because I am not going to know a straight person’s thoughts.”
I don’t disagree with him, necessarily. Okay if the focus is on acting ability. But that might imply we’ll see Russell Tovey playing some “flamboyant” gay role like Sean Hayes does? Ri-i-ight. Lol, might be hilarious (unintentionally!) to see him attempt that.
Roy Moss
Everything about Tovey is just gross – his looks, his acting and, most of all, his opinions.
Mr_Heffel
Let the man act. If your worried about gay men finding acting jobs then protest Hollywood for not being equal in their roles of gay men playing straight or straight playing gay or woman playing trans or trans playing straight ect…
DCguy
I’ll worry about poor straight actors getting denied gay roles when it actually happens.
This is just Disney offering a payout to Tovey to be the “Designated Gay” to defend the fact that they have screened out LGBT actors for decades and now need just one more excuse not to hire one.
Lacuevaman
shut up fool
Xzamilloh
LGBT representation and visibility and opportunities for LGBT actors is not necessarily the same thing.
This is a double edged sword, where the LGBT actors and actresses get those roles, but then become boxed into those roles and aren’t allowed to grow beyond that and are designated as the person to play the obligatory LGBT character. And maybe that would work for some of them.
jcoberkrom
I really don’t care what the orientation of the actor is as long as it’s an honest portrayal.
However, the step and fetch it gay character on Modern Family does bother me.
Juanjo
I am far more concerned about the quality of the performance than the bed partners of the actor.
Kangol
Sexuality and sexual identity don’t hinge only on whom you sleep with, though.
Geeker
Anyone else kind of over Russell?
billbong99
Jack Whitehall is straight? This is a comedy right? Have you seen Jack Whithall? He’s more nelly than any gay guy I know.
Caramelo
He’s very much a “pick me” gay. Then again, most white gay men are.
Black Pegasus
I never liked this guy. Maybe he should shut up and continue chasing gay 4 pay porn performers at SeanCody.
djmcgamester
If the actor is good, who cares what his sexuality is? I’ve seen some amazing gay-themed movies where a) at least some of the actors were heterosexual and b) I have no idea of their sexuality. If the acting is great what else matters?
djmcgamester
Oh, and can we harken back to the days when guys were “too gay” to play straight characters? This is the same thing in reverse.
tham
The problem with Russell is that at any angle…you can see inside his nose…obviously you can’t get that fixed.
Lacuevaman
Miss tham…. at any angle folks can look at you and see you’re an ass. ….and likewise “obviously you can’t get that fixed” either. just saying…
Birdbrain1963
This is sad. Many gay actors cannot get jobs. They are typecast. Many others are not. The typecast gay actors far outnumber the famous ones with jobs. Saw a movie last night with the new “Spock actor” in it and he was too gay for the role. I don’t know if it was the fact he was supposed to be portraying a scared son that was repressed or if the Director had something to do with it?… Just saying, hire the right actor for the job and maybe we wouldn’t be arguing…
Lacuevaman
agree
Veles
At this point Russell Tovey doesn’t even care. He has been typecast as a gay actor and only gets gay roles. So yeh, he would want to do other things and this is the kind of thing that I expect him to say. I am tired of seeing him cast in almost every gay character on TV. Perhaps if they could actually give other gay actors roles instead of him or straight actors then more gay actors would have a career. Hey at this point if I don’t have to look at Russell Tovey’s ugly face, which looks like he has rammed it into a brick wall, then I would be happy. Get this clown out of here!!!