What's your view on Jack Whitehall playing a gay character?

[LyndorCake]

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/13/jack-whitehall-role-gay-disney-character-row-jungle-cruise

People have gone wild on twitter about it.
One argument says that as he is straight, he can't understand the role properly and is taking roles always from LGBTQ+ actors. The other side of that is he's an actor and therefore he is always pretending to be someone he isn't in any role, how is this different?

I can sort of see both sides but curious as to what you think?

I'm an LGBT person too.

Actually, the more I think about it the more annoyed I am. This is a pretty significant character for Disney - they’re first openly gay character. So they’re now prepared to write a gay character, but not prepared to cast an openly gay actor. I think it’s just a shame. It’s like they’re kind of ok about gay people - but not quite.

But LeFou was openly gay wasn't he?

YeTalkShiteHen

Never has there been so apt a user name

Well, he definitely wasn’t in the original Disney animation. I think they nudged the character in the live action that way, it got a positive reaction (and Josh Gad was very funny about it all on Twitter) so they felt they could now write an openly gay character.

I think if it's something about a role which has a physical aspect (race, disability etc.) then it's important to cast someone with that physical characteristic. But there's nothing in anyone's appearance which denotes their sexuality. Can't see people being happy if a gay actor wasn't cast in a straight role because of his sexuality, and in this case I really do think the same should apply both ways.

But in Hollywood openly gay actors aren’t cast as straight romantic leads because bible thumping middle America doesn’t like it. A straight actor can portray a gay character and be lauded for it, but Hollywood won’t expect middle America to believe in a straight lead being acted by a gay actor.

@chocolateworshipper Idris Elba should Definitely play the next James Bond. Misses point of thread

I am not only offended I am devestated and feel like my sense of self has been stamped on. I may need counselling.

I need a safe space to grieve and do my yoga defence deep breathing and contemplate how I will go forward from this utter destruction of who I am and what I stand for.

A bit OTT, no?

Weirdness abounds.

Rosewhite it’s a tongue in cheek post.

It's stupid that people say he can't play a gay character. Lots of gay actors play straight characters. The other way around is fine too.

@imnotreally I'm with you on that. Did you see him in The Dark Tower? He made Matthew McConaughey look like an amateur (he was completely miss-cast for that role, whereas Idris would have been fab in either role).

@rivertam there’s been a number of occasions when gay men have been cast in straight roles, in which the character is romantically involved.

Openly gay men? In a Hollywood film? That’s good to hear. Which ones?

Hang on... Jim Parsons aka Sheldon Cooper, plays a straight character when he’s actually gay. There are plenty of actors doing vice versa. It’s their acting skills that are credited when auditioning, not their sexuality.

I was taking the piss obviously

Twitter is the echo chamber of the twats

But Big Bang Theory is not a Hollywood film. It’s a TV comedy. I’m sure a lot of the laughs come from the fact that Sheldon is so ‘gay’ but is actually straight.

Eddie Redmayne wasn’t a transsexual when he was in the Danish Girl
Likewise Laura Prepon and Taylor Schilling aren’t lesbians in orange is the new black.. I just don’t understand why it matters
The trait of a good actor is to bring justice to a role.
Nobody would bat an eye lid at a gay actor playing a straight person so why does it matter 🤦🏻‍♀️ It all seems so silly.
This is like the fuss about Ruby Rose playing batwoman.

Openly gay men? In a Hollywood film? That’s good to hear. Which ones?

Have you got all day to list them? And what about the women, have you another few hours?

Hollywood has always been jampacked with gay people, from the start, and it was usually an open secret. Everyone knew, except the paying public. People talk about the shock of Rock Hudson (talk about a manly leading man!) being gay but literally everyone in Hollywood knew that, and he was only one of the sea of people in the same situation.

Big Bang theory is not a Hollywood film, but it’s probably the biggest series on US tv at the moment and it’s stars are the highest paid.

us top paid tv actors

The top actress isn’t in the show, but the next few ranked are.

I don’t think the. Laughs are from his gay-ness at all, but from a socially awkward (adhd? Autistic spectrum? ) man learning to cope with the world.

So they’re now prepared to write a gay character, but not prepared to cast an openly gay actor. I think it’s just a shame. It’s like they’re kind of ok about gay people - but not quite

thats a ridiculous point, as there have been so many openly gay actors in Disney films. They don't need to play the first gay character.

On the list of gay men who play straight men in films. Luke Evans has played straight characters in relationships. Alan Cumming. Zachary Quinto. There’s tons of female actors who play straight characters when they are lesbians and vice versa. And when it comes to TV I would say it’s just as common. Personally not sure what the big deal is as long as it’s equal opportunities for all and nothing to say this wasnt

Sheldon the character is not in the slightest gay. Nor camp. The writers may rely on naff jokes and canned laughter but theyve created a spot on asexual man.