Screenwriter Russell T Davies causing more trouble

[arista]

Only gay actors should play gay characters
because you 'wouldn't black someone up',
says former Doctor Who screenwriter
Russell T Davies
(two years after casting Hugh Grant
as gay MP in A Very English Scandal)


https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/01/12/01/37887838-9136573-Only_gay_actors_should_play_gay_characters_in_film _and_televisio-m-6_1610413394588.jpg
Russell T Davies


[He insisted he was 'not being woke about this'
and said the idea of 'acting gay' is just a
'bunch of codes for a performance' and is not authentic.

Queer as Folk - about the lives of
three men in Manchester - was Davies' first gay
TV drama - and he cast straight actors in the role.]



He has proven you do not need to be Gay.
He is a Silly Sod



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9136573/Only-gay-actors-play-gay-characters-says-former-Doctor-screenwriter-Russell-T-Davies.html


https://news.sky.com/story/russell-t-davies-straight-actors-should-not-play-gay-characters-12185652

[Niamh.]

Does that mean that gay actors can't play straight characters?

[arista]

Does that mean that gay actors can't play straight characters?


Good Point Niamh
He is silly putting this out

[Oliver_W]

If people could only play their own sexuality, Broadway would go out out of business!

It's acting, in most cases an actor won't be in a relationship with their character's love interest, so it's technically no more inauthentic whether or not the sexuality is the same as the character.

[UserSince2005]

It is offensive when straight men play a camp character.

It not just like doing black face. It’s like doing black face whilst eating chicken and watermelon.

[GoldHeart]

Does that mean that gay actors can't play straight characters?

Russell T Davis is contradicting himself , in his TV series 'cucumber' I'm pretty sure a few of the gay characters were played by STRAIGHT actors :rolleyes: .

[UserSince2005]

Russell T Davis is contradicting himself , in his TV series 'cucumber' I'm pretty sure a few of the gay characters were played by STRAIGHT actors :rolleyes: .

The one i ****ed from that cast seemed straight but i can confirm he wasnt

[GoldHeart]

Plus the whole point of being a good actor is to play any role, aslong as it's done properly then I don't see the issue. If we're not careful then people are going to get pigeon holed and there's going to be very limited roles for them and it's going to be boring.

The only thing I partly agree with is how they get portrayed alot as flamboyant screaming cliché stereotypes, but sometimes that's just how the character is and sometimes it works and other times it's just predictable and silly .

[Tom4784]

Any sexuality can be played by any person really though the situation with that Prom film and James Corden did highlight how uncomfortable it is when a straight person plays a stereotypical gay person. I think if you're gonna have a very camp character then a gay person will probably know how to play it better to be more than just a stereotype.

Aside from that though, I don't think roles should be gated based on sexuality.

[user104658]

It is offensive when straight men play a camp character.

This would be my opinion really. There's no issue with straight actors playing gay men... there IS an issue with not-actually-camp men playing camp men by relying on stereotypes and tropes rather than their own personality.

[Oliver_W]

Didn't he make show about a group of elderly gay men a few years back? I doubt all of them were gay.

[user104658]

Didn't he make show about a group of elderly gay men a few years back? I doubt all of them were gay.

To be fair, you can do something/be part of something and then have criticisms of it in hindsight. Indeed, any intellectually healthy person willing to self-improve should be open and willing to doing just that.

Embarrassment at admitting past mistakes is what ends up with people entrenched in opinions that they struggle to defend.

[Oliver_W]

To be fair, you can do something/be part of something and then have criticisms of it in hindsight. Indeed, any intellectually healthy person willing to self-improve should be open and willing to doing just that.

Embarrassment at admitting past mistakes is what ends up with people entrenched in opinions that they struggle to defend.

Heh, fair point! He's actually more wrong now than he was then, but still ;)

[Crimson Dynamo]

Id say in Porn this can be more of an issue

[MB.]

I wonder if anyone in this thread could list out gay actors who regularly get cast in Hollywood lead roles and get past single digits

[user104658]

I wonder if anyone in this thread could list out gay actors who regularly get cast in Hollywood lead roles and get past single digits

I couldn't list actors who regularly get cast in hollywood lead roles and get past single digits. At the moment I think it's just Chris Pratt, Robert Downey Jr and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Scarlett Johansson plays all of the female roles, sometimes Jennifer Lawrence and Mark Ruffalo get cameos. Bradley Cooper is usually in there somewhere as an extra.

[edit]Oh and Samuel L Jackson - contractually - gets to pop up and deliver a single deadpan one-liner in every movie.

[Marsh.]

I'd understand if the issue was actors like James Corden playing camp stereotypes. Beyond that I don't see why actors need to share the sexuality of their characters.

And comparing it to blackface is all kinds of incorrect.

[MB.]

I couldn't list actors who regularly get cast in hollywood lead roles and get past single digits. At the moment I think it's just Chris Pratt, Robert Downey Jr and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Scarlett Johansson plays all of the female roles, sometimes Jennifer Lawrence and Mark Ruffalo get cameos. Bradley Cooper is usually in there somewhere as an extra.

[edit]Oh and Samuel L Jackson - contractually - gets to pop up and deliver a single deadpan one-liner in every movie.

I mean, in terms of A/B-list actors who've recently been cast in multiple prominent lead roles, I can think off the top of my head of Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt, Leonard DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Emily Blunt, Kevin Hart, Ryan Reynolds Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, Gal Gadot, Tom Hanks, Mahershala Ali, Benedict Cumberbatch... I could name many more but you wouldn't find a gay person among them

[MB.]

then again, my definition of "Hollywood movie" isn't limited to just the Marvel cinematic universe

[Marsh.]

Is Tom Holland not gay?

[MB.]

Is Tom Holland not gay?

a) not as far as we know, since he has a girlfriend, and b) you'd know if he was because "out gay actor leads Marvel movie" would be a prominent news story, just as "woman leads Marvel movie" was somehow one

[Oliver_W]

Is Tom Holland not gay?

Just because he used to do ballet doesn't make him gay :nono:

[Niamh.]

I wonder if anyone in this thread could list out gay actors who regularly get cast in Hollywood lead roles and get past single digits

Jodie Foster, Zachary Quinto, Neil Patrick Harris, Jim Parsons, Sarah Paulson, Kristen Stewart, Sara Gilbert, Elliot (formally Ellen, she identified as a gay woman for most of her career) Page, Wentworth Miller, Ian McKellen, Ruby Rose

[MB.]

Jodie Foster, Zachary Quinto, Neil Patrick Harris, Jim Parsons, Sarah Paulson, Kristen Stewart, Sara Gilbert, Elliot (formally Ellen, she identified as a gay woman for most of her career) Page, Wentworth Miller, Ian McKellen, Ruby Rose

that is indeed a list of out gay actors, yes, but Jodie Foster has had one leading role in a Hollywood film in the past eight years (that flopped at the box office), Zachary Quinto's only leading role since his last Star Trek film was in a small-budget indie that he produced, Jim Parson's only leads seem to be an animated film and an indie that grossed a grand total of $44,000, Sara Gilbert literally hasn't had a lead role in a Hollywood film since 1992 and you can count the list of Hollywood films Wentworth Miller has been in on one hand

Ian McKellen, Kristen Stewart, Sarah Paulson and Elliot Page I'll give you, but otherwise it's a fairly shameful track record

[Niamh.]

that is indeed a list of out gay actors, yes, but Jodie Foster has had one leading role in a Hollywood film in the past eight years (that flopped at the box office), Zachary Quinto's only leading role since his last Star Trek film was in a small-budget indie that he produced, Jim Parson's only leads seem to be an animated film and an indie that grossed a grand total of $44,000, Sara Gilbert literally hasn't had a lead role in a Hollywood film since 1992 and you can count the list of Hollywood films Wentworth Miller has been in on one hand

Ian McKellen, Kristen Stewart and Elliot Page I'll give you, but otherwise it's a fairly shameful track record

Jodie Foster was one of the top female actors in her day though. There seems to be less leading roles in general for women unless you're a certain age and look a certain way compared to men although I think a woman being gay would be less of an issue for people who would have an issue with gay actors playing straight characters

[MB.]

perhaps Jodie Foster being one of the top female actors in her day, working far less nowadays and still being the first name that comes to mind when listing out gay actors is a sign that more lead roles in the film industry (gay or otherwise) should go to gay actors as priority

[Kizzy]

So would gay people not be able to take straight roles?... that's limiting :/

[user104658]

I mean, in terms of A/B-list actors who've recently been cast in multiple prominent lead roles, I can think off the top of my head of Daniel Craig, Brad Pitt, Leonard DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Emily Blunt, Kevin Hart, Ryan Reynolds Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, Gal Gadot, Tom Hanks, Mahershala Ali, Benedict Cumberbatch... I could name many more but you wouldn't find a gay person among them

then again, my definition of "Hollywood movie" isn't limited to just the Marvel cinematic universe

Pff. This guy setting himself up as Mr Hollywood Movies Expert when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hasn't even been in any Marvel films :idc:.

[UserSince2005]

So would gay people not be able to take straight roles?... that's limiting :/

we play straight people every day to survive in this world :bawling:

[Niamh.]

perhaps Jodie Foster being one of the top female actors in her day, working far less nowadays and still being the first name that comes to mind when listing out gay actors is a sign that more lead roles in the film industry (gay or otherwise) should go to gay actors as priority

I mean sexual preference really shouldn't have any bearing on whether you can play a lead (straight or gay) part because it's acting, you are supposed to be playing someone who isn't you but I do take your point that it probably does affect the choices that they make

[Oliver_W]

I think I heard somewhere that John Barrowman wasn't cast in Will & Grace because he "wasn't gay enough" so they went and hired a straight guy :joker:

[Kizzy]

I adore John Barrowman in another universe we're married with 4 kids....

[Amy Jade]

I know she's hated but Amber Heard is openly bisexual and was in a lesbian relationship with a woman when she was cast in Drive Angry in a main role and Justice Smith who was in Detective Pikachu and Jurassic World is queer and doing really well, he just had a leading role in a romantic movie playing a straight man.

[GoldHeart]

I think I heard somewhere that John Barrowman wasn't cast in Will & Grace because he "wasn't gay enough" so they went and hired a straight guy :joker:

That's ridiculous, plus wasn't barrowman in Desperate housewives ? which was a big hit show back in the day

[Tom4784]

It's interesting that there's few LGBT a-listers in film, but then again I think LGBT tend to have a bigger place in TV, which is no bad thing these days.

[Braden]

That's ridiculous, plus wasn't barrowman in Desperate housewives ? which was a big hit show back in the day

Ironically, he played a straight character :p

[Beso]

Surely it's more of a challenge to "act gay" (sorry) if you ain't gay...so to gain the awards for best actor...oh wait..


Tom Hanks has done it already.

[Marsh.]

Just because he used to do ballet doesn't make him gay :nono:

I didn't know he did ballet, I don't know his life story. :oh:

[Marsh.]

So would gay people not be able to take straight roles?... that's limiting :/

That would eliminate a hell of a lot of movies if we're including not-out gay actors.

[Kizzy]

I know that's why it's silly, since when did your sexuality affect your job? :/

OK. .I mean recently.

[Oliver_W]

Did I dream this or did Rose McGowan say she identifies as nonbinary?

Edit: no I remember, it's her girlfriend who identifies as nb. She's a model or something?

I didn't know he did ballet, I don't know his life story. :oh:

I knew of him before Spidey, he was playing Billy Elliot when I saw it in London yeeeaaaars ago!

[GoldHeart]

Ironically, he played a straight character :p

I never really watched it , but I remember seeing him in ads for it . I might watch it to see if it's any good.

[Marsh.]

I never really watched it , but I remember seeing him in ads for it . I might watch it to see if it's any good.

I wouldn't advise watching it for him, he's in about 3 episodes. :laugh:

[user104658]

It's interesting that there's few LGBT a-listers in film, but then again I think LGBT tend to have a bigger place in TV, which is no bad thing these days.If anything the line has totally blurred at this point, many movie actors are open to doing TV, at the very least short run limited series.

I suspect because its seen as more "legitimate" acting and has much larger budgets (and thus... pay...) than it used to. I've always been a telly fan but its really quite recent that it became often "movie quality".

[Ammi]

...has Janelle Monae had recent movie casting..?...

[Ammi]

...Rupert Everett..?...

[Ammi]

...I do get your point though, MB...it’s a bit of a struggle to think of those names...

[user104658]

...I do get your point though, MB...it’s a bit of a struggle to think of those names...:shrug: LGBTQ makes up somewhere between 5 and 10% of the US population and thus, demographically speaking, for every 5 big actors you can name who are LGBTQ you should be able to name 35 straight ones... Most people can name at least 10... Which would mean thinking of 70 straight Hollywood actors. Which I think would actually be quite difficult off the top of your head. Maybe that's an unpopular opinion :joker:. But there does seem to be occasionally an idea that representation means equality in numbers, which obviously is not the case, representation should mean an accurate reflection of real demographics.

[Oliver_W]

I don't really think there is a "right" amount of any demographics that should be in a movie, especially if we're talking on screen. But when it comes to "big" professional productions there is a wrong number - zero.

Production companies shouldn't feel the need to go out of their way to be diverse, but if they're hiring on a meritocracy and who's available , the diversity will come naturally. But if a production ends up being staffed entirely by straight whites, that's almost certainly deliberate.
(indie productions obviously shouldn't be held to the same standards)

Bit of a tangent, but it's relevant - bigger productions "need" to have big names in their cast, and LGBT people might not be readily available , especially if they don't want to out themselves.

[UserSince2005]

:shrug: LGBTQ makes up somewhere between 5 and 10% of the US population and thus, demographically speaking, for every 5 big actors you can name who are LGBTQ you should be able to name 35 straight ones... Most people can name at least 10... Which would mean thinking of 70 straight Hollywood actors. Which I think would actually be quite difficult off the top of your head. Maybe that's an unpopular opinion :joker:. But there does seem to be occasionally an idea that representation means equality in numbers, which obviously is not the case, representation should mean an accurate reflection of real demographics.

I can't name 1 gay hollywood actor? But i think i could turn a few of the straight ones

[Amy Jade]

Luke Evans is doing well also and he's openly gay and attended the Beauty and the Beast premier with his boyfriend iirc

[Cherie]

The whole point of going to drama school and learning to be an actor, is that you can play a character

[GoldHeart]

Luke Evans is doing well also and he's openly gay and attended the Beauty and the Beast premier with his boyfriend iirc

I never knew Luke Evans was gay

[Oliver_W]

Isn't the Flash gay? He's a headliner in the DC movies, the Fantastic Beast series, he was in the Stephen King thing recently, and quite a few others?