‘Cis’ actors playing trans characters. Males actors getting away with doing it whilst female actors apologise for thinking about it

[RaPumPumPumPum]

Watching Dallas Buyers Club and idly wondered if Jared Leto ever got any stick for playing a trans woman. All Google could throw up was he was heckled by a person once. He’s never been questioned or criticised for it and certainly has never made an apology for it.

Then I remembered Scarlett Johannsen apologising a few years ago for just considering playing a trans man. Halle Berry also dropped out a project to play a trans man and apologised. Both heavily criticised, harassed on social media and ‘called out’.

I can’t think why people attack women for thinking about playing a trans character, but don’t even say anything to men for actually doing it. It’s almost like they’re trying to control what women do, what they say and how they feel

Do I have to check the sheep identify as sheep?

Richard O'Brien came out on JR'S side last year -
www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/nov/05/richard-obrien-interview-rocky-horror-trans-crack-stroke-70s

Interesting, thanks for the link! I would have expected some backlash against him for this, even though it was cautiously worded. (But I would have missed it if there was any.)

He didn't seem to completely get where JR is coming from, no surprise there, really.

Tim Curry mentioned in a fan Q&A (in response to a question about memorable fan interactions) that he had gotten death threats and was once stalked by a transvestite who was on parole for murdering his lover.

@PermanentTemporary

I do get that making a living as a trans performer can't be easy and it must be frustrating when a part comes up that you're uniquely qualified for and someone else who isn't as qualified gets it.

But on that basis people shouldn’t cast actors for anything. Unless they are actually playing the part of actors of course.

Because the best person to play eg a 35 year old police officer would be a 35 year old police officer, not an actor. She would be uniquely qualified to play that role in a way that the actor is not.

@CheeseMmmm

Have read USA acting approach different from here.

USA approach is it's necessary to relate to character in whatever way.

I assume this is what leads to USA films seem to have actors who play exactly the same character (play themselves) in every single role.

US acting training is generally accepted to be inferior to UK training. So their actors can only play characters similar to themselves whereas British trained actors can, y'know, act. So they can convincingly play characters very different to themselves, including genuine accents.

The only requirement for being cast in a part should be to physically look the part and to be able to give a convincing portrayal of the character. So playing gay, trans, Mancunian doesn't require you to have those characteristics in real life, but Othello shouldn't be played by a white bloke in black face.

@Mittenmob

Do I have to check the sheep identify as sheep?

🤣 heh heh heh

How does China feel about TWAW? (Apart from in their Olympic squads, where they are very keen.)!

Ironically, one of the biggest celebrities in China is Jin Xing - a former People's Liberation Army soldier who transitioned and became a famous dancer, and now TV host.

That said, general LGBTQ rights aren't publically discussed there as a matter of course.

If only transpeople can play transpeople that's fine by me, just so long as they NEVER play a non transperson.

By this reasoning, am I to understand from now on that only paedophiles can play paedophiles in films?
Only rapists can play rapists?
Only murderers can play murderers?

TV will be very odd in the future if this is what counts as sense when casting for films.

'That's what I do for a living, try to be people that I'm not'

A topical article here: www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10313585/Javier-Bardem-responds-criticism-Spanish-playing-Cuban-American-Desi-Arnaz.html

We haven't yet discussed Pantomime Dames. Only to be played by women. Drag becomes null and void so poof goes Rau Paul's drag race. There's more irony in TRActivism than anywhere else right now.