Who would play the 1950s Perry Mason
Nathan Lane.
shareNo, because Mason is straight. I know Burr was gay, but he played straight totally convincingly. Lane couldn't possibly.
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MovieChat Forums > Perry Mason (2020) Discussion > Who would play the 1950s Perry Mason
John Malcovich
shareGreat choice.
shareThe only problem with Matthew Rhys is that he is too feminine for a gay guy ... Malkovich would be great, but he also would probably not be interested in the role.
shareI guess I didn’t follow hownos’ original post. Is he saying that the actor is supposed to be gay (like Burr) but Perry isn’t? I don’t know. But Malkovich isn’t gay. He would be great in anything especially the trial scenes which there don’t seem to be too many (hoping last 2 episodes are all trial scenes). I know the author, Gardner, thought Raymond Burr was perfect. You know Mason is supposed to be really hard boiled like Philip Marlowe and also an attorney who helps those who don’t stand a chance.
shareThe actor is supposed to be gay? So far, one actor who portrayed Mason has been gay. It's not like it's an established tradition. And Burr played him 100 percent straight. Burr was also overweight, so saying the actor needs to be gay is as ridiculous as saying he needs to be fat.
shareDid you read the poster’s initial comment? I don’t think you’re following the thread. I didn’t understand Nathan Lane comment - the very first one.
The one I replied to and the one your commenting on was from Brux:
“The only problem with Matthew Rhys is that he is too feminine for a gay guy ... Malkovich would be great, but he also would probably not be interested in the role.”
I replied because I’m confused with what he was asking or saying.
Whether the actor is gay or straight doesn’t matter. And I don’t even know why there’s a discussion about it. But staying close to the original character, Mason is straight and presumably big. Burr lost 60 pounds to play Mason. Of course, in Ironsides he was obese and therefore in a wheelchair. But that was many years later. But Gardner specifically requested Burr to be Perry Mason because Burr originally auditioned for Hamilton Burger. In the novels, he is an attorney who helps out with those out of luck but he’s also hard boiled like Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe.
> But Malkovich isn’t gay.
Oh, I thought JM was gay.