MovieChat Forums > Stonewall (2015) Discussion > What, there are no out Gay actors to pla...

What, there are no out Gay actors to play this lead?!!!

posted 9 years ago by HillstreetBunz
35 replies | jump to latest

I'm bored of these righteous actors playing these major Gay roles. It wasn't so long ago no one would play Gay in case it affected their careers, now it seems they are not happy unless they have at least one such part on their "look at me I'm a serious actor" resume. I should think a Gay actor might be unearthed amongst all the thousands of industry members without too much trouble. If I'm wrong, why don't we get a whole cast of white people to go a black face remake of 'Cabin in the Sky' or have Britney Spears take a crack at a new version of 'Lady sings the Blues'?

[–] Hugo-James 9 years ago

I don't get it at all. Even small roles on tv shows played by straight actors. I mean the amount of out of work gay actors must be astronomical. Hire one of them.

[–] ronfirv 9 years ago

Does it matter if they are good and convincing in their roles?
Maybe some are in the closet! :)

[–] rinahammon88 9 years ago

True but does it matter who's gay or not gay. As long as the story is told well and acted well it shouldn't matter

[–] fubared1 9 years ago

I agree, but being 'in the business' I know there is no such thing as a totally straight actor. They have all had at least one same-sex relationship at some point in their lives. I just wish they would come out of the closet and admit it, but that would also require intelligence, honesty and sensitivity, which very, very, very few actors have. I mean Emmerich himself, though openly gay, has never made a gay film, despite the millions his other trash films have made. And he obviously knew Rhys-Myers and Perlman were gay, even though they have never come out of the closet.

Life sucks, then you're reincarnated

[–] ronfirv 9 years ago

Well fubared, agree with most of what you have said on here. I do think many actors do have some sensitivity but perhaps also an over abundance of narcissism!
I had heard rumors about Rhys Meyers, but rumours abound about many actors these days. Channing Tatum for one only.
I met a tv actor some years ago and got the impression he might have been, shall we say, up for it?
The only Brit. actor I believe who has openly admitted to a previous gay relationship when younger was Tom Hardy - all credit to the guy for his honesty. Hasn't done his work opportunities or CV any harm at all I am delighted to read.
I agree yet again - have long ago assumed most have had at least one gay experience in their lives, if not more. Perhaps not developed into a full relationship but the experience has been known.
If I were fully straight as a guy there is no way, just no way at all I could act a gay man on stage or screen. Just could not do it, especially if it involved heavy kissing scenes or near-nakedness with another guy. However, being gay, that's only me trying to put myself in another man's shoes!

[–] gayspiritwarrior 9 years ago

There are actors we know are gay who've had heavy romantic scenes with women; why do you assume that straight guys can't do the same? That's just unrealistic. The idea that "most" actors have had at least one gay experience is equally unrealistic. Actors do a lot of things for a role they'd never even consider doing in real life, sex included.

The value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it.-Oscar Wilde

[–] renegade916 9 years ago

I feel like I'm the only homo that disagrees with this notion. If anything, this is the kind of thing *acting* is all about. Getting out of your comfort zone and becoming someone else. Take a look at Matt Bomer, an openly gay actor, who has only played on gay role in his career so far. Then there's Kevin Spacey, Wentworth Miller, the list goes on and on. That, and there are very few openly gay actors that prove to be a box-office draw. Jeremy Irvine and Jonathan Rhys Meyers have extensive resumes, and Irvine has already pulled the "I'm a very private person" card which generally (not always) translates to "I'm gay, but in order to protect my still blossoming career, I'm not going to come out just yet."

I'm always dragging that horse around...

[–] ronfirv 9 years ago

I agree some actors who are straight can play a gay man on screen and some extremely well indeed ; all I said was I, as a gay man, could never play a straight man, especially if I had kissing scenes to perform with a female actor, or if I were straight, could never kiss another man. However, I am not an actor of course.
When an actor says he is a private person, he is probably just that, and no secret agendas attached! :)

[–] Fusion72 9 years ago

If I were fully straight as a guy there is no way, just no way at all I could act a gay man on stage or screen. Just could not do it, especially if it involved heavy kissing scenes or near-nakedness with another guy

I know you're speaking for yourself here, but I do think you're being presumptuous of others. I really don't see it being a problem for a heterosexual man being able to detach himself from the romanticism/sexual part of kissing another man. (Hell, I think men can enjoy sex with other men, and still not be officially gay or bi).

[–] Darko-Magick 9 years ago

Neither Jonathan Rhys Meyers or Ron Perlman are gay in real life. Perlman has a wife and kids and Meyers has a girlfriend.

Meyers has played gay/bisexual before and was brilliant. Underrated actor all round.

[–] wmschoell 9 years ago

C'mon, having a wife and kids doesn't mean a man can't be gay or bisexual. Not saying this actor is, but being a family man doesn't always mean "straight."

[–] dopeyguy89 9 years ago

Who honestly cares? The story is being told, period. Since when does ones sexuality give him or her entitlement to be a role anyway? Gay or straight? It's not quite the same as casting a white actor to play Nelson Mandela, it's a ridiculous argument. I want to see talented people behind and in front of the camera making a damn good story. If I were a gay actor and went in to auditioned for a role of a gay character and told I was likely to get the part simply because I was gay I would walk out. I would like to be seen for what talent I have, not with whom I sleep with at night.

[–] akahito_kawaii 9 years ago

The problem isn't that straight people aren't talented, but the fact that talented gay or bisexual actors and actresses can't find work, and they're even denied work because of their sexual orientation, like Matt Bomer not being Superman because he's gay, while straight actors are actively pursued to do this roles because, if they kiss someone of their same sex, it apparently takes guts and they get award recognition and more praise, which is the same thing happening to trans actors and actresses.

[–] rod775-1 9 years ago

Then gays should not be hired for "straight" roles? No, I don't buy it. It's called acting. The best actor should get the job. I also believe that a good actor should be able to portray any race, religion, social status, age, you name it.

[–] LokiKneelsBeforeMe 9 years ago

So a white guy should portray Harriet Tubman as long as he's a good actor? This logic is so flawed I doubt even you believe it. Either you are truly ignorant to minority struggles or purposely bigoted towards them.

Holy water cannot help you now, see I've come to burn your kingdom down

[–] billwenham 9 years ago

So to play a murderer in a film one must be a murderer?

[–] diva3000 9 years ago

Exactly. Well Said. No one care about gay actors getting work. Straights steal all the parts so they can get their "courage" award.

No, gay actors shouldn't give up the straight roles, because it's about power. It's about power. Straights have all the power in society. It's like affirmative action. Here's an example. There is a magazine called Ebony for black men. But no one would dare create one called Ivory for white men.

What if latino characters were played by passing white actors, or female parts were played by really female looking men. I know sexuality isn't something visible, but it's about identity. Often hearing impaired actors complain that hearing actors get all the deaf parts. What if there was a Holocaust film, and all the actors were german, muslim, or arab and no jews were cast. People would be screaming. Sometimes I call straights playing gay as equivalent to blackface.

They should make an effort to reach out to gay actors and actively look for them first before putting out a general call.

[–] LokiKneelsBeforeMe 9 years ago

In the 20th century hollywood films would always cast whites to play minorities, hell it still happens today. During Shakespeare's time only men were allowed to act so they played women roles. When white straight men have all the power, nothing will change without things like affirmative action and quotas. Only those with privilege like to whine about those things because they've never been on the other side of it.

Holy water cannot help you now, see I've come to burn your kingdom down

[–] Fusion72 9 years ago

Good point. Never really saw it that way. Makes me feel more sympathetic for gay actors.

[–] derintolu 9 years ago

You know having been both an actor and a director, the last thing I am thinking about is the actors sexuality. Who gives a *beep*? It's about who the best person is for the role. And scheduling and media and a ton of other things.

Also stop making this us and them. We are *beep* people. I love dudes, Some people don't. Get off your high horse and respect the director's vision. When you make a movie about stonewall, you can cast whoever you like.

[–] csj2332 9 years ago

I don't try to focus on that aspect when watching the movie. No one really complained about Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game, for example. It's all in the performance. And just be glad that the director and the writer are gay.

[–] spaceboy_a 9 years ago

If you're out from the start as an actor, it's very hard to catch a break. The industry is still scared of it. You have be in the closet first, get some credits and a profile and then come out... the trouble is by doing this, the gay actor is convinced that their success is because they hit the truth and will often most just stay in the closet.

There's also inherent homophobia from gay filmmakers in the industry who seem to get a kick out of casting a straight actor in a gay role, and vise versa.

[–] Kats987124 9 years ago

I totally agree, my friend.

[–] theDut 9 years ago

Get over it. I--a gay man--recently wrote and directed a short about a gay teenager and I ended up casting a straight actor because he nailed the emotional complexity of the role. Actors that are able to disappear into the role, rather than just portray the sexuality aspect, are the ones that get the part.

[–] enbilal 9 years ago

As a fellow gay director/screenwriter, I agree with you.