Straight men playing gay men

In the 2018 Forbes Tony Award prediction article, the author makes a complaint about Andrew Garfield's casting of a "straight British man." He uses the term "gayface," one I've never heard, and I assume he created.

What are peoples' thoughts on this? By his standards, are gay men permitted to play straight men? I understand the need for representation of the LGBTQ community but this seems to be limiting the community even more. Acting is acting, and as long as Mr. Garfield is performing a respectable, truthful portrayal (he is), then no complaints from me.

Am I overthinking this? Thoughts?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeseymour/2018/06/04/2018-tony-award-predictions-harry-potter-spongebob-and-more/#2be412214a14

Gay face? That's the dumbest thing I've heard. The real problem that I see in theater is most gay characters in theater are written as stereotypical flaming will and grace type crap. Writers should do a better job at depicting people who happen to be gay, rather than forcing down the tired stereotype. Straight men should be able to play homosexual characters and homosexual men should be be able to play heterosexual characters. Sexuality doesn't matter when your an actor.

I didn’t find any truth in Garfield’s performance in London.

This argument will get us nowhere, recently I had a discussion about casting men in trans roles, like Tamors character started off pre-transition so to me its acceptable to my friend it’s not acceptable to cast a man.

I think they should have cast a gay actor for the lead in Angels, it’s just my opinion. It’s the second major revival and I don’t think gay men should have been excluded from the role for a celebrity.

Gay men are excluded from their own stories in film and tv more often than not. It’s changing and perhaps when there’s balance then ok it won’t be a problem.

Having gay men on stage telling gay history in Boys in the Band now is monumental, and I feel it is being looked over. Gay actors and gay stories were not bankable previously. Left to the fringes, I hope people understand what an important moment in LGBTQ+ history the Boys in the Band revival is.

Gizmo6 said: "Having gay men on stage telling gay history in Boys in the Band now is monumental, and I feel it is being looked over. Gay actors and gay stories were not bankable previously. Left to the fringes, I hope people understand what an important moment in LGBTQ+ history the Boys in the Band revival is. "

Every single article mentions this?

I think gay stories are underrepresented in Hollywood ( along with everything else). But can you really make a case that they are underrepresented on Broadway? I feel like Broadway has had many LGBT characters for decades ( Billy Elliot, Falsettos, legally blonde, la cage aux folles, Bent, Rent, kinky boots, chorus line, The producers, Fun Home. if/then, color purple, cabaret,avenue Q) I mean the list goes on.

HenryTDobson said: "In the 2018 Forbes Tony Award prediction article, the author makes a complaint about Andrew Garfield's casting of a "straight British man." He uses the term "gayface," one I've never heard, and I assume he created."

Old argument. Old term.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/06/straight_actors_in_gay_roles_is_gayface_ok.html

RicardoMagon said: "I think gay stories are underrepresented in Hollywood ( along with everything else). But can you really make a case that they are underrepresented on Broadway? I feel like Broadway has had many LGBT characters for decades( Billy Elliot, Falsettos, legally blonde, la cage aux folles, Bent, Rent, kinky boots, chorus line, The producers, Fun Home. if/then, color purple, cabaret,avenue Q) I mean the list goes on."

As an academic with a PhD on Queer theatre, yes I can say with some authority that gay stories are underrepresented. A gay character does not a gay story male.

haterobics said: "HenryTDobson said: "In the 2018 Forbes Tony Award prediction article, the author makes a complaint about Andrew Garfield's casting of a "straight British man." He uses the term "gayface," one I've never heard, and I assume he created."

Old argument. Old term.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/06/straight_actors_in_gay_roles_is_gayface_ok.html"

Thank you for this article! Interesting.

Certain LGBTQ stories have been told (not much in the way of trans actually but that's consistent with real life) and they are sort of from the same demographic and some times it feels like they all have one voice (they don't but that's what happens with they dominate the story). There's way more stories to tell from LGBTQ authors and characters from different points of views and areas of life that Broadway has not explored yet. One reason Fun Home in 2015 was such a revelation was because it hit so many new notes with the telling of a woman's history grappling with her sexuality, meeting gender standards, and her father's sexuality. Although the story of coming out or being "gay" has been tackled on Broadway before, it was never really tackled from that perspective with a butch lesbian being the main character.

The other problem is straight actors win awards for ‘playing gay’ whereas gay actors are unbelievable

http://www.newsweek.com/glee-sean-hayes-gay-actors-play-straight-70225

Also, the father face point is probably the dumbest thing I’ve read on these boards and I’ve read some **** here!

Why does homophobia always masquerade as stupidity?

I'm going to set aside the central argument of the article and just unpack the terminology it's trying to use for a second:

Equating the ludicrous idea of "gay face" to, by using the name "gay face", to black/yellow/red/brown face that white actors used to but on (and still do in community theatre productions of The King and I all over America) is a little... upsetting and off base while boarding on downright demeaning to the actual problem of white people playing people of color.

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Updated On: 6/5/18 at 07:13 PM

A good actor or actress can and should play any role that they able to persuasively play- not all actors are right for every role- but a person's sexual identity, racial identity, or gender- male, female, transgender- should not hinder a performance if they are right for the role.

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "Certain LGBTQ storieshave been told (not much in the way of trans actually but that's consistent with real life) and they are sort of from the same demographic and some times it feels like they all have one voice (they don't but that's what happens with they dominate the story). There's way more stories to tell from LGBTQ authors and characters from different points of views and areas of life that Broadway has not explored yet. One reasonFun Homein 2015 was such a revelation was because it hit so many new notes with the telling of a woman'shistory grappling with her sexuality, meeting gender standards, and her father's sexuality. Although the story of coming out or being "gay" has been tackled on Broadway before, it was never really tackled from that perspective with a butch lesbian being the main character."

This 100% Lesbian stories are completely underrepresented

Fun Home was a revelation and I can’t wait to see it again in London