Mike Faist, Lucas Hedges to star in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN stage play in London — Page 3

Let’s clarify something: there’s a difference between objectifying and critiquing an industry where straight men (speaking as a whole and not referring to the actors in this production) are praised for portraying tragic gay figures, when many queer actors are not even allowed in the audition room.

Lots of valid points being made in this thread in between the usual melodramatic bitchery.

My 2 cents are mostly that while acting is *acting* and one should be able to play a variety of roles different - even the diametrical opposite - of oneself, the reality of the situation is that the broader audience is simply more impressed when one plays a role dramatically different that their own...

Let's be honest: in the last decade plus, straight actors have been rewarded for playing queer characters. It's seen as exciting to watch an artist "transform" themselves into a role. Felicity Huffman won a Golden Glove & was Oscar nominated for Transamerica. Hillary Swank won an Oscar and every award under the sun for Boys Don't Cry. Timothée Chalamet was nominated for an Oscar for Call Me By Your Name. Cate Blanchett was just Oscar-nominated for Tár.

I love all of the performances I just listed. I remember seeing Call Me By Your Name 8 times in the theatre (remember MoviePass?) because that film - and particularly Chalamet's performance - was so jaw-dropping gorgeous. I still think Chalamet was robbed of an Oscar for that role and believe his work to be truly revelatory.

So yes, these performances are lauded because the acting in them is good. But the other layer of the issue is: it feels like Acting with a capital A to the audience to see an assumed straight actor "take on" homosexuality. When they see a romantic or even a *gasp* sexual scene that feels somewhat believable, they give the actor points for throwing themselves fully into the role. Like with how Brendan Fraser just won for The Whale (also a gay character, but I think we can mostly safely assume the physical aspect of the role were more captivating for award voters).

Which brings us to the crux of the issue: why are there virtually no mainstream queer actors who act as queer in dramatic films and win awards for it? Is it cause if a young gay man played the role of Elio in Call Me By Your Name, it just wouldn't be that impressive? They wouldn't be "stretching" themselves? Would people even notice a difference? The sad thing is, we don't know. Because even in a teen-aimed rom-com like Love, Simon, which in no universe is going to be Oscar bait, the role of Simon is still played by a straight guy.

So no, I don't think straight actors shouldn't be allowed to play gay characters, but what about all the queer actors who get told time and again that "you're not right for this part" because they have a limp wrist or speak with the sibilant s or "can't pass?" Were those actors given the opportunity to play a role that apparently is within the thin boundary casting directors can see them?

So I think it should be continued to be discussed, because it's a relevant topic that won't go away. And something to ponder over.

Updated On: 3/20/23 at 05:01 PM

TotallyEffed said: "Chase Miller said: "The original actors from the film have said that Ennis and Jack aren't exclusively gay. They're just 2 people who fell in love. I believe both characters are meant to be seen as bisexual or "fluid". I don't have a problem with this."


Yeah this sounds exactly like something straight men would say."

And that sounds like something a bisexuality-denying gay man would say. I think the movie's treatment of sexuality is vague and poorly done, but it's clear that both Jack and Ennis have some attraction to women.

Garfield was no more "fem" than many of the gay actors I've seen playing the role. People see what they want to see.

Probably the same as Americans turning every movie in to a musical.

...and have they ever cooked beans over an open fire? These things matter.

Playing a cowboy before doesn't make one a cowboy.

It makes one an actor.

Oh man, they could do like “Oklahoma”’and cook and serve beans during intermission.

Some of you are missing the points entirely. Sorry gay people want to be better represented. Sucks that somehow makes you all so angry.

Eh. Call me when London does a straight play adaptation of a Bruce LaBruce movie.

I wonder how many of the rightfully indignant people on here actually went to see "Bros".

cam5y said: "Have to agree. Also, just wanted to bring up Jonathan Bailey, as a general matter."

I think he's a little occupied filming the WICKED movie to commit to a 3-month West End run of anything...