DEBATE: Should straight actors play gay characters?

[HeroSignalCosplay]

Thanks for reviving this dead ass thread btw.

I think this topic like all things, require some nuance. So I mostly agree with what you said. Should it be mandatory or a requirement? No.

But it is "nicer" to me when the actors are actually queer. Just my perspective. It feels more honest and it's more relatable in a way.

I agree, I think it'd be better imo if the actor playing queer characters are actually queer partly for the same reason you say but also because we dont have to worry about like a kissing/steamy scene being off the table. There have been movies/series where said scenes have had to be written out cause of the str8 actors (some not all) were uncomfortable with them. Like Eric Dane who played a closeted gay athlete in Valentine's Day he was suppose to mention the he was in love and have a passionate kiss with his boyfriend at the end of the movie after he came home but it was written out for obvious reasons. Dont get me wrong there have been str8 actors who fully inverse themselves in their roles and done a good job, Alex Lani in Gray's anatomy, those guys from Red White and Royal Blue they understood the roles they were getting into.

This is main reason I guess why this topic/debate exists at all. It's an admittedly silly question/idea that is in response to the double standards and long standing homophobia of Hollywood. I think those to answer no to this question might be taking things too far in the opposite direction but I understand their motivations at least even if I disagree.


Yes it's nice to see actors like Ncuti in leading roles, to me it is far more inspiring and motivational to see real life queer/gay actors succeeding (regardless of role) than simply seeing fictional gay "characters" that are often not enough for me to really connect to deep down. There is always that separation between fantasy and reality after all

Now if only the double standard issue could be remedied. str8 actors can play queer characters just fine and they get praise and no blowback to their careers, lgbtq actors are the ones that get type casted most of them only get roles as queer characters regardless of their acting abilities or if they've done it before coming out. Luke Evans and Matt Boomer for example, did nothing but play straight roles throughout their careers then when it was found out theyre gay Luke's barley had any roles and Matt's only had roles as gay characters. So many people say "they were questional playing str8 men anyway" or "with them being gay irl people have a heard time seeing them be straight it ruins the fantasy" How?! even if those men were straight those women seeing their movies would have no shot with them anyway. And why doesnt that work both ways when straight men play those gay roles. Everyone's ready to rush to their defense "it's called acting" "seeing these two men go at it like this is so hot" "it's a movie this isnt isnt real"

 

[HeroSignalCosplay]

Like Eric Dane who played a closeted gay athlete in Valentine's Day he was suppose to mention the he was in love and have a passionate kiss with his boyfriend at the end of the movie after he came home but it was written out for obvious reasons.

sorry didnt get to edit this in time
Eric Dane's character was a famous football player who was also in love with Bradley Cooper's character but the two had a big fight before Bradley left for an overseas business trip about how Eric was in the closet and had no intention of coming out and hiding his relationship for the sake of his image and Bradley was debating if he wanted to still be with him. There were suppose to be picture of the two of them together and more hints to their relationship throughout the movie and when Eric comes out at the press conference he was suppose to mention regret in possibly losing the man that he loves during his speech. And at the end when Bradley returns he brings him flowers and the two were suppose to have a kiss scene (no sex just a romantic kiss) but it was written out due to Dane being uncomfortable with it, Bradley too but he was more willing to do it for the role

My uncle worked on the production company for the movie hence how I know this, I had just finished high school and came out around the time it was released.

 

[AfterHours69]

sorry didnt get to edit this in time
Eric Dane's character was a famous football player who was also in love with Bradley Cooper's character but the two had a big fight before Bradley left for an overseas business trip about how Eric was in the closet and had no intention of coming out and hiding his relationship for the sake of his image and Bradley was debating if he wanted to still be with him. There were suppose to be picture of the two of them together and more hints to their relationship throughout the movie and when Eric comes out at the press conference he was suppose to mention regret in possibly losing the man that he loves during his speech. And at the end when Bradley returns he brings him flowers and the two were suppose to have a kiss scene (no sex just a romantic kiss) but it was written out due to Dane being uncomfortable with it, Bradley too but he was more willing to do it for the role

My uncle worked on the production company for the movie hence how I know this, I had just finished high school and came out around the time it was released.

That’s hilarious, considering where he was eventually willing to go, but I get it. The world was very different not too long ago.

 

[HeroSignalCosplay]

That’s hilarious, considering where he was eventually willing to go

what do you mean? Did something else happen?

 

[bigboaster]

I agree, I think it'd be better imo if the actor playing queer characters are actually queer partly for the same reason you say but also because we dont have to worry about like a kissing/steamy scene being off the table. There have been movies/series where said scenes have had to be written out cause of the str8 actors (some not all) were uncomfortable with them. Like Eric Dane who played a closeted gay athlete in Valentine's Day he was suppose to mention the he was in love and have a passionate kiss with his boyfriend at the end of the movie after he came home but it was written out for obvious reasons.

Oh wow. I had no idea. Crazy how times have changed since the? Or have they? I wonder if am actor with enough say could still in 2024 as for a gay sex scene or kiss scene to be totally nixed? Hmm who knows.

So many people say "they were questional playing str8 men anyway" or "with them being gay irl people have a heard time seeing them be straight it ruins the fantasy" How?! even if those men were straight those women seeing their movies would have no shot with them anyway.

Plenty of people and (even gay men too) won't admit it, they do have this subtle bias against gay actors that you mentioned.

Not thinking they can be believable as "straight". That knowing they are gay ruins the immersion or whatever.

It's part of why the closet still exists. It's a terrible homophobic (and false) stereotype, that even plenty of lpsgites reinforce on a regular basis imho.

And why doesnt that work both ways when straight men play those gay roles. Everyone's ready to rush to their defense "it's called acting" "seeing these two men go at it like this is so hot" "it's a movie this isnt isnt real"

Well in my personal theory about this. I do think it comes down in some cases to gays' very typical hetero worship tendencies. But they mask it behind "it's called acting ackshually!!" to sound reasonable.

The idea of seeing some attractive straight actors "going gay" and doing "gay shit" gets them off in a way that gay actors simply don't in the same role.

I remember on reddit ages ago, I think ask gay bros? At least one user there explicitly stated that re: this debate. So it's not some kooky idea I made up.

 

[AfterHours69]

what do you mean? Did something else happen?

He rimmed a guy in Euphoria, right? I don’t watch that show.

 

[HeroSignalCosplay]

He rimmed a guy in Euphoria, right? I don’t watch that show.

neither do I, but I looked it up and saw if he did any kissing or anything like that with guys but I didnt find anything of him doing any sex scenes with me. The actor playing the younger version of his character did a kiss scene but not him. I found an interview with how he's aware he's a straight man but says his role on the show gives voice to gay men..........dude your character's an abusive heavily closeted internalized homophobic predator, who are giving a voice to? Austin Wolfe? Hell you wouldnt even kiss Bradely Cooper on the cheek in Valentine's day because you were uncomfortable

 

[HeroSignalCosplay]

Oh wow. I had no idea. Crazy how times have changed since the? Or have they? I wonder if am actor with enough say could still in 2024 as for a gay sex scene or kiss scene to be totally nixed? Hmm who knows.

yeah it was, my uncle told me he would take me on sets of the movies when i visited him during summer and holidays and i was 19 and had just came out he was super supportive and when i saw this movie had two gay men i was excited especially since I had a crush on Eric Dane as a teenager but then he told me about the kiss being cut out and why

Plenty of people and (even gay men too) won't admit it, they do have this subtle bias against gay actors that you mentioned.

Not thinking they can be believable as "straight". That knowing they are gay ruins the immersion or whatever.

It's part of why the closet still exists. It's a terrible homophobic (and false) stereotype, that even plenty of lpsgites reinforce on a regular basis imho.

exactly and it really sucks and makes it understandable why queer actors in Hollywood prefer to stay in the closet, but then again its a damned if you do damed if you dont situation especially if youre found out while on a date or out in public then people will be slamming you saying "oh youre hiding who you are" "how could you do that you can represent queer voices" blah blah blah the reason they stay hidden because it can be super effective on a person's career or hell an ender to it.

Well in my personal theory about this. I do think it comes down in some cases to gays' very typical hetero worship tendencies. But they mask it behind "it's called acting ackshually!!" to sound reasonable.

The idea of seeing some attractive straight actors "going gay" and doing "gay shit" gets them off in a way that gay actors simply don't in the same role.

I remember on reddit ages ago, I think ask gay bros? At least one user there explicitly stated that re: this debate. So it's not some kooky idea I made up.

Really a damn shame but thats the industry for you

 

[GeorgeMM]

If gay actors can convincingly play straight rolls (Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, etc), then straight actors ought to be able to play gay characters as long as they can do it convincingly.

The bigger concern in today's American cinema is that we need more acceptance of gay actors, and more acceptance of Native American, Latino, Asian, and other actors. We also need more gay, Native American, Latino, Asian, etc. characters in movies, television, and streaming content. It seems that both the actors and the characters ought to represent the diversity of our society.

A film like "Boys in the Band" might be difficult to ring true with a straight only cast.

 

[Topher the Gopher]

I didn't vote because I couldn't commit to a variety of answers that weren't contradictory. I'll just say that it's fine if a straight guy did the best at the auditions. I wouldn't want a less qualified gay guy to be cast based on their being gay.

 

[bigboaster]

I didn't vote because I couldn't commit to a variety of answers that weren't contradictory. I'll just say that it's fine if a straight guy did the best at the auditions. I wouldn't want a less qualified gay guy to be cast based on their being gay.

Too much choice strikes again. But I do agree with your final point. Hopefully skill/talent should come first (even though historically that certainly isn't always the case in such a superficial industry)

 

[bigboaster]

If gay actors can convincingly play straight rolls (Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, etc), then straight actors ought to be able to play gay characters as long as they can do it convincingly.

I get your point but I am unsure why you only listed closeted actors who were not out when they were at their peak?

The bigger concern in today's American cinema is that we need more acceptance of gay actors, and more acceptance of Native American, Latino, Asian, and other actors. We also need more gay, Native American, Latino, Asian, etc. characters in movies, television, and streaming content. It seems that both the actors and the characters ought to represent the diversity of our society.

I would say that in terms of characters at least, we have seen a LOT of progress in recent years though. Maybe even a bit of over-representation now in some cases?

Per GLAAD's annual racial diversity report for 2023, 50% of lgbt characters across broadcast, cable and streaming were POC.
Meanwhile the percentage of lgbt adults that are POC is about 40% altogether. So yeah, things are certainly better than before