Think Jason Bateman will ever be cast as an action hero? Or Danny DeVito as anything besides a schmuck? Such is the dilemma of character actors — a nameplate True Blood‘s Nelsan Ellis, the straight actor who plays the gay Lafayette, wants to avoid at all costs. And is his skin color making it more difficult?
(Above: Perhaps Lafayette’s baddest-ass scene. Or just my favorite.)
Ellis says he’s got no problems when fans and regular television audiences confuse Ellis (the person) with Lafayette (the fictional character). “I can’t just get upset with regular folk because all they see is the character,” he tells Vibe. His excuses end, however, with the Hollywood machine: “But when the industry can’t tell the difference, I’m like, ‘Damn that’s a little closed minded,’ because when white people play a character people expect it to be a character. But black people—we can’t just be character actors, we have to [really] be the things we’re hired for, which is what offends me. I don’t answer that question, ‘Are you gay or not,’ when it comes down to industry people. But if it’s a regular person asking me, that just says that maybe I’m doing a good job. But when a casting director or an agent asks me that question it takes on a deeper thing that says, ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this unless you are that.'”
It’s Ellis’ job to convince HBO’s viewership that he is Lafayette, and we’d say he does a damn good job. (Though Ellis says it took some time: “I didn’t really find Lafayette until the third or fourth episode because I certainly didn’t have him in the pilot.”) And it’s the job of casting directors and agents to know the guy they see on screen is, in fact, just a role being played by a professional.
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And in case you can’t imagine what Ellis is like when he’s not in character, press play at right.
Carina
I like Nelsan and Lafayette. His character on True Blood is so complex. I hope he has more scenes with Pam.
Desdemona
love him & love his character!
‘tip your waitress’ !!!lmao i love itt!!
Hilarious
I’m a huge fan of Lafayette, but I have to wonder if all the people who hate Tyler Perry, and the character of Madea feel the same way about Lafayette and/or Nelsan.
Ron
@Hilarious:
hmmm… maybe it’s me but Ii dont see an once of similarities between Lafayette and/or Nelsan and Tyler Perry and/or Madea.
Oh wait, I forgot, they’re both black…stupid me!
Saywhatnow
@Hilarious
What? That comment made No sense.Clarify please.
Hilarious
@Ron: That was a really stupid thing to say.
They both cross-dress, they both have an attitude a mile long, and they both solve their problems with violence and shouting as a form of comic relief. But I’ve noticed many have absolutely no problem with Lafayette and a huge problem with Madea.
If you can’t see the similarities then it’s because you don’t want to and if you read that stupid thread bashing Tyler Perry then you know that race is the main reason people are so upset in the first place.
Ricky
@Hilarious: I think (though I haven’t memorized every episode) that Lafayette to go full drag in the show. The difference between the two is Lafayette is gay who dresses flamboyantly, using women’s accessories to spice up his look whereas Madea is played as a woman, not a man dressed as a woman. They are in two different boats. Also, Nelsan Ellis did not create Lafayette whereas Tyler Perry created Madea, which he insists on playing. Madea has become a huge cash cow for the rising talent (questionable to some, I’m sure). To try and draw similarities between the two is a bit of stretch for me and, as someone else pointed out, does come off just a tad racist.
Hilarious
I love how everyone blindly throws around the word racist for every little thing. I’m black and there’s nothing racist about what I said.
Save your tears.
There was no stretch either, but you hold on to your gender argument as if it matters.
The stretch was you crying racism.
Ricky
@Hilarious: Dearest Hilarious, it isn’t that I’m crying racism, it is that your correlation, which is a stretch to any rational human being, can be taken as one that can have racist undertones. The fact that you are black makes no difference to me either as I have encountered a few black people who had racist views of other black people. It is like saying a gay person cannot be homophobic towards other gays. (Because we all know there is none of that in the gay community ) I do admire how you feel qualified to speak my mind though as I stated your correlation was a “stretch for me”. You are foolishly mistaken as I still see your correlation as a stretch, but I still admire you for your amazing attempt at interpreting my thoughts, massive failure at doing so aside.
Have a wonderful 4th of July.
Hilarious
@Ricky: No you’re crying racist over nothing and you sound totally stupid doing it. My post had nothing racial in it. You brought race into it.
If anything is racist it’s you trying to say I hate my race and myself. The one being offensive here is you. Have a shitty life you racist piece of shit.
ossurworld
Nelsan should take every penny they pay and enjoy it. He’s getting more than most actors.
Ricky
@Hilarious: oh my goodness, you have totally devastated me with your words. I just don’t know what I’m going to do. Oh my. LOL! I love it when a coward gets all big and bad behind the safety of a screen name. I’ll give you this though: you most certainly need to learn how to read.
Now, be gone and enjoy the fire works.
Baxter
He really thinks that only black actors get type-cast? If he were complaining about the lack of major black roles in TV/movies, I would agree. But this is just a silly complaint.
SteveDenver
I wish instead of complaints about typecasting I had first heard that the actor who created Lafayette wants to do something else. Is he waiting for someone to offer him a plum role?
A lot of actors who have been typecast have found a way to broader recognition of their talents through stage and independent film. It isn’t star treatment on an Avatar budget, but that’s life as an actor.
Greg from Denver
I think Nelsan Ellis is a great actor, I love his Lafayette character and have a huge crush on him.
Cam
To all those people from hollywood who try to defend it against charges that it is homophobic I ask this…
Why is any casting director asking this guy if he is gay in real life? Irrelevent question unless they are going to base a decision not to hire him on the answer.
olen
He’s sure dressed the part, but he ain’t playin’ it femme enough for my taste.
Ron
@olen:
I respectfully disagree. I absolutely loooooove the fact there is a gay character on tv that just isn’t the usual nelly queen who gets his ass kicked around.
Nelsan brings just the right touch of complexity of feminine style along with enough physical prowess that folks do not forget …he may wear more make up than a woman but is still a MAN and will whoop your ass if need be, lol.
There are plenty of real life “Lafayettes” out there but rarely are depicted onscreen. Easily the best character on the show.
Maddie
Wow, I love this character from True Blood. I’m a (straight) woman and this guy is so sexy. Not only that, but the character portrayal is wonderful. He’s the perfect mix of feminine and toughness. This actor does an amazing job and brings the character to life. He’s incredibly talented. I like that he isn’t portraying the stereotypical gay man that is often in movies and instead mixes both masculine and feminine traits to create a unique personality. I also like that Lafayette will be dressed masculine, but have an article of clothing to spice up the character, or will be wearing makeup. The diversity of this character portrayal definitely makes the part unique and admirable.