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?

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.

I agree and I can see why people within the LBGT community would be frustrated, OP is right about that.

And I think you’re right about the message - that Hollywood is not quite ok with gayness yet. One can hide behind the fact that gay and straight actors can play other orientations - of course they can - but that’s not the point.

And I think you’re right about the message - that Hollywood is not quite ok with gayness yet.

Seriously? Like actually seriously? Hollywood, the acting profession, pretty much the gayest section of society since the dawn of time?

Give your head a wobble and stop being so woke.

I couldn't give less of a shit who plays it so long as they can do the part. He's a popular actor; I can see why he was chosen. Too much belly aching by people to be honest.

Getting a bit irritated by the 'coming out' bit on the thread

Coming out isn't necessarily a big balloons and cake announcement

Quite often its 'just pointing out to someone that you are gay...thats still considered coming out and doesnt mean that the person concerned is making it all about their sexuality and defining themselves by it

Hollywood, the acting profession, pretty much the gayest section of society since the dawn of time?

Hollywood the movie industry and the acting profession/theatre are two completely different entities.

It’s fine to be a gay actor in the theatre it’s still problematic to be gay in Hollywood. As per Luke Evans’ comments upthread.

Not sure why I’m engaging with someone who says ‘like actually seriously’...

Snurk. So right, Tatiana

So woke?😳

Seriously? Like actually seriously? Hollywood, the acting profession, pretty much the gayest section of society since the dawn of time?

God, yes- that's why there have always been loads of Hollywood movies in which being gay has been presented as totally normal, and there have never been any sort of culture of gay actors hiding their sexuality, marrying people of the opposite sex to pretend that they aren't gay, etc. /s
Read this.

It’s bloody stupid. An actor acts. Ie he pretends he is another character! Unless we are saying only straight men can play straight men, war films should be cast only from serving soldiers or veterans etc. Pressure groups going mad again

Bonkers reasoning.

ACTORS ACT. 🙄

God, yes- that's why there have always been loads of Hollywood movies in which being gay has been presented as totally normal, and there have never been any sort of culture of gay actors hiding their sexuality, marrying people of the opposite sex to pretend that they aren't gay, etc. /s

There HAS been, there isn't now. And there are NOW loads of movies and tv shows in which being gay is presented as totally normal. You know the difference between now and before, don't you? '

Gay actors in the past hid their sexuality from Joe Public in the past, but everyone in Hollywood knew who was gay, and it was an awful lot of people.