MovieChat Forums > Kinky Boots (2006) Discussion > I liked the movie, but think it's a disg...

I liked the movie, but think it's a disgrace......

posted 17 years ago by dragonmaster0303
18 replies | jump to latest

......that the lead role of this film was given to an Australian - playing an Englishman, no less.

Now I have nothing against Australians, in fact a good friend of mine is an Aussie, and have nothing personal against Joel Edgerton (although I do have to say that I don’t think he’s a very good actor, something I've thought ever since I first noticed him in ‘The Secret Life Of Us’, but do you mean to tell me that they couldn't find one single Englishman to play that role when every other actor (certainly all the main ones anyway, I can't claim to know the nationality of all the extras before someone decides to be pedantic) is English?

It is no wonder the British film industry is as poor as it is when a film manages to get decently funded (which doesn't happen nearly often enough) but still can't even support British actors!

Shame on you all! Okay, rant over :-)

[–] butterfly-revolution 17 years ago

It's callled acting!

Its an accent! Its what actors do. If they are playing a character from a different geographical area then they use an accent to realistically portray them as being from that geographical area.

What does it matter where he is from as long as he portrays the character?
Would you also demand that, if the actor were british, that he be from Northampton aswell?

Chiwetel isn't a real drag queen either, were you aware of this? If so why aren't you complaining about that too?

Its called acting! it's what actors do, and if you dont get that then i'm affraid that you are simple!

[–] dragonmaster0303 17 years ago

Maybe you should read something before you fly into an attack! Look! I can use exclamation marks too! There's another one! My whole point was about the British film industry & I'm afraid none of your points were at all relevant!!! (Although I am happy to state that he was very poor in his portrayal of the character if you like, as it is true!).

[–] georgehimself 17 years ago

Oh no, the British film industry is going to fall because they hired Joel Edgerton! I don't think the casting director had the fate of THE WHOLE BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY on his/her mind when he was looking for an actor, did you think that just maybe he was the best actor that they could afford?

[–] lillyth_1 16 years ago

It's called acting. Get this...a$$holes have played saints, saints have played asses. It's ACTING. God knows there is enough nationalistic BS in the world with having it spill over into film casting.

[–] ikinmoore 16 years ago

It doesn't matter about the nationality of a person if he is going to play a british character. The only arguement I have is that if an actor who is playing a british character doesn't change his accent. In this case, Joel was totally convincing and brilliant as the lead actor in this film.

The best films are made in an intelligent format.

[–] wmousie 16 years ago

As Mr. Edgerton is Australian, you can take comfort in the realization that, in all probability, one or more of his ancestors were English, and very probably passed down enough Anglo-Saxon genetic material to enable Joel to convincingly portray an Englishman.

If not, you must chalk up the tragedy to the cost of just reparations for the several times that Peter Sellers portrayed an Indian.

[–] LatigoMeans 16 years ago

Good lord!
If people like the OP had their way and all acting roles had to go to persons that matched a characters ancestral origins, and all aspects of a film had to be historically accurate, and everything had to be 100% politcally correct...
that would indeed be the end of the film industry.
Let's turn entertainment into sterile pulp, not offend anyone and be bored to tears.

~LjM
Step on it! And don't spare the atoms!

[–] blaircam 16 years ago

Peter Sellers portrayed an Indian. Funny!
You might as well add...
David Carradine playing a Chinese
The Wayans playing white chicks
And Eddie Murphy playing almost every role in pretty much every movie he's made for years!

[–] mellowinman 15 years ago

If not, you must chalk up the tragedy to the cost of just reparations for the several times that Peter Sellers portrayed an Indian.

That was brilliant. You are officially the winner of this thread.

It's called a BRAIN. ~USE IT!

[–] ntscuser 16 years ago

Oddly enough I knew a member of the family on which the factory owner is based and his entire life people kept asking him if he was from Australia because of his strong Northamptonshire accent. So if anything Edgerton should have played it with a very slight Australian accent!!!!!!

[–] hatefilms 15 years ago

I think it is because he looks v.similar to Albert Finney in Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (set in Nottingham - sort of a homage!). BTW I think the script must have been thought of in the 90s as the club is very Madam JoJo's (or Piano Bar?) as was around late 80s/early 90s and the interiors even look similar (I know it is still open but it seems to be a normal nightclub). Does anyone know if they shot there?

And why ius this film so predictable?

[–] warrendavison 15 years ago

I didn't have clue he was from Australia until I read this thread, so he he did a good job diguising his original accent. Saying that, he certainly didn't have a Northamptonshire accent either. It sounded more of a soft-Yorkshire accent to me. (I was actually born in Northampton and spent six years in Australia as a child, so should be a good judge of both accents!)

[–] ChrisRichmond 15 years ago

I thought he sounded a bit further north than Northampton, but didn't twig he was an actually from MUCH further south.

He also looked a bit like a young Albert Finney, I thought.

On your train of thought, I think I just caught the caboose.

[–] not_happy_jan 15 years ago

I'm not going to take a bite out of you, cause meh, honestly, there's no need to.
You've got your opinion, you guys have got your own.
Personally, when I saw this for the first time last night, I thought Joel Edgerton WAS English. That's how good his acting was. I'm Australian, and I couldn't detect any trace of a flawed accent.

N~M~N#213
I~E#43
O~D#49
TA#102
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mG9tiaY-2Qo

[–] diva-41 15 years ago

Ooooohhhh this old argument again? A disgrace that an American is playing Bridget Jones, a disgrace that an Australian is playing Queen Elizabeth, a disgrace that a Catholic is playing a Jew, blah blah blah.

Pish posh. The older I get, the smaller the world gets. Let's dispense with the isolationist crap, shall we?

We are a world, let's hang together as a world. I just want to see good performers in good roles. I dont care where they come from.