JSquared2 said: "Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande, Nicole Kidman are --- gasp ----straight icons??? Boy, you sure don't get out much, do you? The gays (myself included) LOVE these people!"
Sure, Jsquared - but then why are all the gays so angry at this casting?
VotePeron said: "JSquared2 said: "Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande, Nicole Kidman are --- gasp ----straight icons??? Boy, you sure don't get out much, do you? The gays (myself included) LOVE these people!"
Sure, Jsquared - but then why are all the gaysso angry at this casting?"
Who are these "all the gays" that you speak of? Have you called everyone in the directory? I haven't received my call yet, and I'm thrilled about the casting!
Wow I never even thought about Nathan Lane - he’s perfect.
quizking10 - Bette could not sing the score as written.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
lol I would expect people in the theatrical community to be a little more "woke"when it comes to these issues. I guess not.. It's not that hard to understand.
Talent-wise, I think this cast is A1. But i do agree that LGBT representation would've been nice.
YvanEhtNioj said: "lol I would expect people in the theatrical community to be a little more "woke"when it comes to these issues. I guess not.. It's not that hard to understand.
Talent-wise, I think this cast is A1. But i do agree that LGBT representation would've been nice."
Well said. Honestly it’s these boards though, lots of nasty folks on here. It certainly does not represent the community as a whole
Straight actors get the straight roles AND the gay roles. Gay actors get told they aren't believable as the straight roles and then watch the straight actors win awards for the gay roles.
It's the lie of the acting meritocracy. 'Best actor for the role.' That really seems to work out well for all those straight actors who have won Oscars for gay roles (see this past year's Academy Awards...3 more straight actors added to that list). But it doesn't seem to work out for openly gay actors playing gay roles (not one Oscar). I mean...when has Jared Leto been the best actor for ANY role? Yet...Oscar as a trans person.
Are things getting better? Sure. But lord almighty will people hold on to the myth that it's always 'best person for the role.' And it's not even limited to straight people. I've witnessed public conversations among gay casting directors, writers and directors wringing their hands over 'But HOW do we even go about making sure we hire out gay actors...isn't that illegal to ask?' I mentioned that a casting notice could simply say, 'This production is interested in casting out member of the LGBT+ community for this project. Please note if you are out in your submission.' It really is as simple as that. All you have to do is care a little bit about representation and put the tiniest bit of thought into it.
I mean...I like James Corden...but I don't really want to watch another straight guy nelly it up to great acclaim.
Why is it different? Why is Straight people playing gay roles bad, but Gay people playing straight people good? The argument straight people don’t know what it’s like to be gay is tiresome. It’s a character.
_(•_&bull_/ said: "With that mentality gay people can’t play straight roles!"
Which is exactly what 97% of the entertainment business believes.
I mean...it's real sweet that you all believe in parity and equality of opportunity...but that is in no way how this business works. There is no level playing field. At all.
Again...it's getting better. But the seas will rise before we get anywhere close to being able to actually say 'Best actor for the role.'
It turns out Ariana is not in the movie after all https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Meryl-Streep-James-Corden-Nicole-Kidman-Ariana-Grande-to-Star-in-THE-PROM-on-Netflix-20190625
_(•_&bull_/ said: "Why is it different? Why is Straight people playing gay roles bad, but Gay people playing straight people good? The argument straight people don’t know what it’s like to be gay is tiresome. It’s a character."
Because straight people playing gay roles win awards, and gay actors don't get cast as straight people OR as gay people. In a world where actors of different sexualities were cast across categories with a degree of regularity, then no, it wouldn't matter who played who. But when the straight roles AND the gay roles are usually all going to straight actors, it's a bit of a problem. That's the point.
And when people get patronizing and say, 'Be careful what you wish for! You don't want to play only gay roles do you????' I lose my ever-loving mind. First of all, that kind of question is EXACTLY how the majority keeps the minority down. And second, YES. Yes...I do want to play only gay roles, actually. Not all actors feel this way, but the older I've gotten, the more important it has become to me to tell our stories.
I mean...do I want to still play Salieri somewhere? Sure. But I'd rather play Arnold or Roy or Albin instead. Because it is important to me (and to many gay actors) to be able to tell our stories.
Christ, it’s infuriating and depressing to read the comments here and on the theatre groups on Facebook from theatre-folk who (in my opinion) should damn well know better.
I think straight people can play gay roles if they approach it with nuance and humanity. I thought that Timothee Chalamet and Cate Blanchett both played gay roles gorgeously with a ton of depth and nuance. However, straight actors can easily fall into the trap of playing stereotypes without humanity and nuance. They go for the camp, but none of the humanity. However, when gay actors play roles like that, it comes across as human and a form of self-expression. An example of this is Brandon Uranowitz in Burn This, Harvey Fierstein and Michael Urie in Torch Song, and Titus Burgess in Kimmy Schmidt. These actors are playing roles that are over the top and campy, but yet they find a level of humanity and genuineness that most straight actors aren't able to bring.
The difference between a straight actor playing a gay role and a gay actor playing a gay role? The gay actor can bring their own personal truth to a role and provide a voice to a community that has been silenced for so long. The gay community is an oppressed minority that deserves to have their voices be heard.
Anyway, I love the casting. Contrary to popular belief, Meryl is and always has been a tremendous singer. I'm also not totally thrilled about Corden, he'll be wonderful, but I really think Titus Burgess would've been a phenomenal choice for Barry.
rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Jordan Catalano said: "No I’m sorry, Streep did not sound great in “Into the Woods” and it will forever remain a mystery to me why this brilliant actress who can, at best, carry a tune is regarded as a good singer
Meryl Streep sounded amazing in Into the Woods. I don’t care if you hate the movie but you gotta give her props for doing an incredible rendition of “Last Midnight” at the very least.
If you think she sounded bad in Into the Woods you’re just...actively wrong
"
Well, it is pretty controversial about whether it was Meryl Streep or Donna Murphy doing the belting!
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Personally, I think Nathan Lane should be in the role. Not because he is gay, but because he is much funnier than James Corden and is a theatre icon.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
The theater community has always accepted LGBTQIA people. There is no shortage in theater, nor has there ever been. This is about making money, it's not really difficult to understand. It's a movie on Netflix based on a musical, not the end of the world.
Shows you really how far gay rights are in this country
They have come remarkably far, actually. Perhaps you should read a little bit of history before saying such ignorant, ridiculous things. Read up on the last fifty years of LGBT history in this country. Then perhaps you can make another statement. Jesus.
Meryl did do her own belting in Into the Woods. I've seen her sing onstage, live. It is her own voice. The fact that Meryl can't sing is a MYTH. Her voice has held up better than the likes of Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters (I love them, but their voices are not quite as strong as they once where). Except, Lupone. Her voice magically sounds like she's 25.
qolbinau said: "Well, it is pretty controversial about whether it was Meryl Streep or Donna Murphy doing the belting!"
I find this conversation very interesting; especially since when I saw Murphy do Into the Woods at the Public (4 years prior to the film), I thought she really struggled to sing it. I'm with GeorgeandDot, I think it's Meryl all the way.
Gay actors can play straight roles because straight people don’t struggle with being offensively and inaccurately represented in media, as well as the fact that there will never be a shortage of straight roles. When the same can be said about gay people and gay roles, then we’ll talk.