Straight actor to play first gay character in Disney film, faces backlash

[Pacify Him 9,073]

Ok this is so exhausting  There aren't that many gay actors and if it happened to be a perfect world where they hire gay actors, it's going to be the same actor over and over again. I'm done with the stupidity of our society.

[youcantcatchme 284]

Have no problem with straight person playing gay characters, at least its breaking down barriers and stigma with homosexuality for the straight audience. Because otherwise it can also be argued in reverse, i.e a gay person cant play a straight character.

However having said that I absolutely despise this guy, anyone else I wouldn't bat an eye lol

[Guest]

I like Jack... he’s funny most of the time & I would honestly like to see him play this character. Actors play characters, that’s what acting is. If you’re good at it you should be able to play any role. You shouldn’t have to be gay to play a gay role or straight to play a straight role but if that’s how they want it then good luck finding roles. If gays want only gays playing gay roles then good luck cause there’s barely any as it is & that means less roles for you. The only time I think someone shouldn’t play a character is if you aren’t that characters race.

[LaLuna 12,732]

So straight actors are not allowed to play gay characters now. Gotcha 

[SpeechIess 1,060]

He hasn't been relevant since 2014, so I really could care less about what he does but this outrage is dumb.

[bloody g 31,739]

And the winner is... Who cares?!

 

Really though I'm happy we have the representation that's all we need. Actors are actors

[Giorno Giovanna 3,178]

can these idiots spare us this ****?

actors are actors and do their fukking job

scarlett johansan can easily play a transgender man, and a straight man can easily play a gay man

 

there are actual fukking problems like your corrupt fukking rats of a government that try to fukk up the whole world, that have no backbone and honor, that dodge any responsibility if another of their mischivous corrupt plans gets publicly critized...and I could go on for hours

 

 

[Jimboid 10]

It's worth asking where the issue with the casting lies...

The idea of openly gay people playing the role of straight people is not entirely a fair measure, plus the fact that, as has been shown through this thread, many of those 'openly gay' people were not out when cast in straight roles. 

Groups that are marginalised and/or that have a history of marginalisation/persecution are not part of the 'mainstream' and so an argument of representation is that it's much easier for marginalised groups to represent the 'mainstream' than it is for the 'mainstream' - part of a more established and dominant discourse -  to represent the marginalised group. 

Yes, all actors portray characters and lives that are different to their own, but because there is a history of struggle and acceptance implicit within marginalised groups, it can be difficult for those outside those groups to fully comprehend or to accurately draw upon the nuance and detail of this.  As a consequence it becomes much easier to create a representation with broad brushstrokes that stereotypes because of this - in all honesty, it sounds likely this is what Disney are doing with the comments around the character being effete and very camp.

Disney's first feature was 'Alice's Wonderland' in 1923.  Nearly 100 years on and the company reportedly has one of its first major openly gay characters.  Progress here has been slow.  If nothing else, it feels a missed opportunity that this does not allow an actor with direct and lived experience to portray this first character and in the 21st Century it feels a little unenlightened not only that this has occurred, but that the reasons why this might present problems are not more readily recognised and seem not to have been foreseen through the casting process.

[ryhanna 3,507]

The idea of having to be openly gay to play this character makes me so uncomfortable though. It implies that you'd need to disclose your sexuality to your employer, no? Some people might be fine with that, but what about actors who like, you know, privacy? Why do they need to feel pressured to come out of the closet and reassure their employer and the public that they're 'qualified' to play the role because they're gay? 

I mean, I fully support gay actors getting more roles, obviously, but this just sits so badly with me. It just reeks of manufactured outrage. 

[hELXIG 42,577]

I can see both sides of the argument 

[notconfident 276]

wow, i even heard that people hire non serial killers to play serial killers, that's just mad!!!

i mean seriously, actors are meant to act and i'm pretty sure they made a good choice with this one

[Guest]

I‘m lost in the age of the social 

[aaronyoji 2,053]

On 8/13/2018 at 9:27 PM, Scathach said:

But where do openly gay actors play straights. Ask yourself.

gay p0rn. 

 

honestly gay or straight, the role will still go to an attractive white man. so many out gay actors are just status white men either way, so this is a non issue for me.... its like... 0.00 world problems. while white gays with pecs and height get fully immersed into str8 culture and often celebrated, everyone else in the lgbt community get swept under the rug... 

[aaronyoji 2,053]

the point of major companies like disney having an openly gay character isn't for the gay audience, it is for the straight audience to slowly become immune to lgbt characters in media, which I'm sure they aren't yet. which is why they cast actors like jack and scarlett for that other film. would you guys prefer these roles not be written in then? and gay characters as a whole stay out of mainstream media content?? cuz those are the damn options, now stop being so idealistic and realize that progress does not just happen because you slam on your keyboard. 

 

MY issue is not with the slow, glacial acceptance of lgbt actors in media but more so its only white lgbt members that become acclimated into society, but thats for another topic.... 

[AMENiCURE 9,381]

I'm shocked it's not Sam Smith playing the role to earn the first gay to play gay role title.