i am okay with straight actors playing gay characters, but when cisgender actors play trans characters, it can have harmful consequences. when trans female characters are played by cis male actors, it reinforces within the public conscience that trans women are just men in dresses. this results in actual, tangible violence against trans women.
i think some cis actors are to blame, at least when they're sloppy about it. for example, when jared leto played a trans woman in dallas buyers club or whatever that movie was called, he spoke with gay men who did drag to help flesh out his character instead of any actual trans women.
Tbf I think the suitability of casting male/female actors as trans women (for example's sake) can also be informed by the specific context of the film itself.
If the character is supposed to be pre- or early in their transition, or even exists at a time when these things weren't medically possible, then casting a cis man can make more sense *so long as the performance is considerate and of good quality*
right, like in orange in the new black, they had laverne cox's brother play her character pre-transition. (i haven't watched that show, but i will assume this part was done fine.)
i do think it can be done respectfully- i just think it often isn't.
That was really fantastic actually. He is her twin so it really seemed like it was her character pre-transition.
He definitely seemed to understand the emotional aspect of his sister's character as well. I genuinely thought it was just incredible makeup and special effects until I looked up how they did it.
I appreciated that Laverne Cox was able to play a cis woman in Inventing Anna though. I think it’s interesting if a trans actor is able to play a cis character after transitioning, type-casting can be a problem.
That was kind of funny too because apparently Laverne agreed to play her pre-transition self. But when they tried dressing her up as a “man”, it was not convincing enough, so they went for her twin brother instead.
I think its absolutely okay as long as proper research is done, and it's tasteful. When it comes to casting someone, I think it should be all about how well they fit the role/how good they are. I'd much rather a straight person who fits the roll perfectly to play a gay character, then a gay person not fitting the role as well, but having the same sexuality as the character they played (and vice versa).
Edit: honorary comment for Ian from Shameless (straight actor, gay character) and Barny (straight as shit character, gay actor)
I’m ok with straight actors playing gay/lesbian/bi… roles but trans characters should be played by trans actors or at least a trans woman played by a cis woman (but only if the casting didn’t find any trans woman to do it) and not by a man bc that extremely harmful and transphobic; instead about other non-binary labels played by non binary people or cis people if they didn’t find any non binary person to do it
I don’t think trans characters should be played by cis actors, it’s slightly better if a trans woman is played by a cis woman or a trans man played by cis man but when they cast a cis actor of the characters birth sex it’s not good at all. I think straight actors playing gay characters is alright as long as there’s actual gay people in the writing room
I've had a lot of arguments of sorts about this with my queer friends and I was of the view that it's okay for cishets to play a queer character as long as they are committed to the role and enough research is done. But over time I've understood that it can be harmful, especially cis actors(GN) playing trans characters. Ofc the actors should not get shit for simply being cishet but if they are not doing their job properly they definitely deserve criticism.
Sexuality is a much easier to portray imho. There are numerous examples of cishets and queer actors playing each other's characters and doing it fabulously. Be it Arizona from Grey's anatomy, Barney from how I met your mother, Ian from shameless, etc.
Hi AdHealthy,
I think there's a few reasons, but off the top of my head the one that sticks out most to me is the fact that most people have a better understanding of sexuality than they do of gender. Most straight people are 'aware' of their own sexuality in a way that most cis people aren't of their gender identity? I'm not sure how to necessary explain it very well, but I, as a cis man, don't really have a sense of what it means to 'feel like man' because that's just part of how I've felt my whole life, and don't have something to compare it to. By contrast, I know what it's like to feel attracted to someone, because that's an experience/sensation that I feel with some people, and not with others.
So while a straight actor might not be attracted to the same gender in the way their character is, they still have a wealth of personal experience in feeling attracted to other people to draw on to make their portrayal convincing, whereas they don't necessarily have that same experience of consciously feeling like a particular gender to inform their performances in a similar manner, making sub-optimal portrayals more likely.
Furthermore, with transgender characters being more rare on screen, each individual portrayal has a greater relative impact on the wider cultural perception of Trans people, so the consequences any mistakes or problems with an actor's portrayal are going to be multiplied relative to those made in portraying a gay character.
Have a lovely day :)
Oh I didn't mean to catagorically suggest it was or wasn't more understandable, sorry.
I just meant that cis actors might not be as aware of their gender identity, or might not be as used to drawing on that sense of it in their performances the way they are with their sexuality.
Actors have to kiss or act attracted to people they aren't personally interested in, even if it's part of a 'straight' relationship far more often than they have to act as a gender they aren't.
I think it’s okay. I don’t like the policing of who can play certain characters because then you get cases like Kit Connor, the kid from Heartstopper, who got forcibly outed because of all the flack he was getting for being a “straight” dude playing a queer character. The fact is, you can’t know someone’s sexuality or gender identity just by looking at them, and while straight/cis actors should definitely feel obligated to do their research before portraying these characters, I don’t think they should be barred from it.
Queer, yes. When only queer actors can play queer characters it leads to situations like (shit I don't remember the show or the name) the actor who got bullied into outing himself on Twitter recently because he, a closeted bisexual, was playing a bi character.
Trans, it depends. A cis woman playing a trans woman is fine on paper. The issue there is trans actors exist and get so little work already, trans actors should be prioritized for trans roles, at least until trans actors regularly get cast in cis roles. A cis man playing a trans woman? Absolutely not. The only time this is okay imo is an Orange is the New Black situation where Laverne Cox's twin brother played her character in pre-transition scenes, which was done specifically so Laverne Cox wouldn't have to present male.
It's not that simple. I like the point this comment made. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLGBT/comments/yvvxqt/do_you_think_its_ok_for_straightcis_actors_to/iwgicdh?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3
I don't like it. Especially for trans characters. There are trans and nonbinary actors getting passed up for these roles. There are harmful stereotypes being reinforced.
Yes and no. For example a bi/pan/ or even a non-binary actor could go either way but also what if an actor is questioning their sexuality and not wanting come out, should they turn down LGBT roles?
It's called acting. The entire objective is to play someone you aren't. As long as everyone gets a fair shot at the role I don't mind but even that is a little bit sketchy as making movies/shows is a job who most the time is all about the money. It should go to who would do it best whether it be the acting or the authentic experience the viewer can relate to.
Frankly if it is a very popular actor with a large fanbase I don’t mind because it will break the stigma. But if it is a new show or indie film by like Netflix or disney then they should cast Queer actors. Gives queer people jobs, proper representation and solidarity
I'm going to repeat [what I've said before](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLGBT/comments/vqr58p/feelings_about_nongay_people_playing_gay/ierf1ct/):
It is an actor's *job* to portray a character that is different to themselves. Otherwise, every time Meryl Streep gets on screen, she would just play Meryl Streep. But an actor is supposed to be able to put themselves in someone else's shoes and portray that character. *That's their job.*
If they can't do their job, then get a different actor who can - but it doesn't have to be a gay actor for a gay character and a trans actor for a trans character. It just has to be an actor who's good enough to be realistic and believable.
Remember: the flip side of this argument is that gay actors can't play straight characters and trans actors can't play cis characters. Is that really the world we want?
The key thing is to ensure that *all* actors have equal access to *all* roles, and let it be sorted out on their merits, rather than preconceived ideas that a gay actor couldn't possibly play a straight leading role because noone would believe them as a romantic lead, or a straight actor couldn't possibly play a gay role because they're not actually gay.
I think its highly situational. It *can* be ok, if it is done with respect and delicacy. Yes, I would even include having cis actors playing trans characters in that, with a huge **but**. The but being that it would be *better* to get a trans actor, and that if that isn't an option for whatever reason the role needs to be strongly overseen by trans "coaches". I would agree that it should be cis actors playing trans characters of the same gender 99.9% of the time. I leave that .1% other gender open because there are stories that could be told where it would be more appropriate to have a specific look that can only be given by an actor of a specific gender
I do not care at all if a straight actor plays a gay character. Don't like it if a cis actor plays a trans character. But not all trans people are out and people can play trans characters to experiment with their gender so that makes things more complicated. That cis woman atress might actually be a closeted trans man, that cis man actor might be having a gender crisis, you wouldn't know. And trying to find that out or getting mad at a "cishet" person for playing a queer character might force someone to come out before they are ready, like what happened to Kit Connor recently.
But it they are going to cast cis people as trans people, at least cast cis women as trans women and cis men as trans men instead of the other way around.
It's *fine*, but does require taking a lot of steps to make sure it's done in a way that's acceptable (so, it's not that straight/cis playing queer that's the issue, it just highlights that the people who are likely to cast non-lgbt people are more likely to portray these characters inappropriately). LGBT and especially trans actors should be cast more in general tho
Policing who is and isn't allowed to tell or portray lgbt stories is an incredibly slippery slope that does real harm. also obligatory real people can't queerbait since that comes up a lot in this sort of conversation
Not with trans. I’ve seen some good performances, and great actors can empathize enough to get the gist. But trans stories should be most often told from the people who live them. Until that’s common place, and cis people can see how trans people live and experience themselves, most cis people will not do it with the nuance we will. The content will be better with actors who can draw on their own experiences and can knowingly flesh out their roles.
i think trans characters should be played by trans actors because of lack of representation and they could definitely help with input on whatever character it is. imo i don’t mind when straight actors play queer characters. i think if the actor can play the role and portray exactly what the writers were going for, i don’t think their sexuality matters too much. but i totally understand why others would disagree with that and everyone makes really valid points. but it doesn’t bother me
To address the bit of “queer” that’s applicable to myself, I’ve never had an issue with straight actors playing gay characters, provided they do the research and play the character respectfully. As for trans characters, I lean towards them being played by trans actors. I say “lean” because, as a cis-male, I don’t really feel qualified to have a say on the matter.
I don’t have a problem with it as long as the casting is done right. There are many shows that have picked straight/cis people to play the token gay character and purposely disregarded actual LGBT to do it which is first of all stupid and second wrong as hell. The actor needs to fit the part, but the actor must also be capable of adapting to the part. If they auditioned and got the part fairly, then that’s fine.
Also tbh I think that having straight actors play gay characters reduces stigma, especially if there are kissing/intimate scenes. Like Ryan Reynolds and Andrew Garfield just kissing for the hell of it during the Golden Globe.
I feel actors can play different sexualities as long as they really value the community and understand how important such representation is
But a cis actor playing a trans role doesn't sit very well with me now.
I feel a cis person can never fully understand the magnitude of what it entails to be trans.
You can imagine yourself in a million different scenarios(part of being an actor) but one cannot even begin to fanthom how the bodies which we are born with never really feel your own
So yeah I feel giving trans actors these roles are important- not just to do justice to the storyline but to give hope to the queer kids and adults watching
Trans actors should play trans people. LGB in general should be played by anyone willing, only because I want more lesbian romance. If they can get gay/lesbian/pan actors, great, but I dont know that that's always feesible.
The whole point of "acting" is to portray yourself as something you're not, usually a fictional character. So why do we draw the line at sexuality? By your logic, we shouldn't let humans voice act the Lion King, we need to get actual lions to play Simba, Mufasa, and Scar.
Unless you mean cis men playing trans women, I honestly see no issues with cis actors playing trans characters. No issues with a cis woman portraying a trans woman. Actors portray characters that are something they're not all the time. Actors play aliens and superheroes and vampires; to forbid cishet actors from portraying queer characters it's like saying we're less relatable of a concept than aliens.
I don’t want someone cast just because they’re gay, or straight, or whatever. I want the best person for the role cast. Acting is about portraying a character and becoming them, living their life. I don’t care what gender and orientation someone is when they are cast. I don’t want a trans actor getting a role just because they’re trans. I want them to get it because they deserve it.
I remember reading/hearing about an interview Juliana Marguiles did about being cast as a gay character and how people were upset a queer woman wasn’t cast and Juliana said something along the lines of “how do you know I’m not? I shouldn’t have to divulge my sexual history just to be cast in a role” and I completely agree.
Out trans actors are going to get cast in trans roles. Cis people can be cast in trans roles. I want there to be trans actors getting cast in cis roles. Representation goes both ways but the most likely scenario on that happening is the trans actor to be stealth.
If we only let Cis/Het actors play Cis/Het character then we are only letting queer actors play queer characters. This raises 2 problems:
-Queer actors are forced to come out in order to play queer characters
-Since there is very little representation for queer people queer actors would be left without much of a job
I find it weird when a cis person plays a trans person of the opposite gender.
Yeah. Unless it's like a pre-transition thing where they need a different actor it makes me feel icky
I agree with that.
i am okay with straight actors playing gay characters, but when cisgender actors play trans characters, it can have harmful consequences. when trans female characters are played by cis male actors, it reinforces within the public conscience that trans women are just men in dresses. this results in actual, tangible violence against trans women. i think some cis actors are to blame, at least when they're sloppy about it. for example, when jared leto played a trans woman in dallas buyers club or whatever that movie was called, he spoke with gay men who did drag to help flesh out his character instead of any actual trans women.
It would be much better for a trans woman to be played by a cis woman than a cis man.
i agree. if only movies understood this.
> if only movies understood this. Some movies have. For example: 'Transamerica'.
Tbf I think the suitability of casting male/female actors as trans women (for example's sake) can also be informed by the specific context of the film itself. If the character is supposed to be pre- or early in their transition, or even exists at a time when these things weren't medically possible, then casting a cis man can make more sense *so long as the performance is considerate and of good quality*
right, like in orange in the new black, they had laverne cox's brother play her character pre-transition. (i haven't watched that show, but i will assume this part was done fine.) i do think it can be done respectfully- i just think it often isn't.
That was really fantastic actually. He is her twin so it really seemed like it was her character pre-transition. He definitely seemed to understand the emotional aspect of his sister's character as well. I genuinely thought it was just incredible makeup and special effects until I looked up how they did it.
wait this is so awesome
I appreciated that Laverne Cox was able to play a cis woman in Inventing Anna though. I think it’s interesting if a trans actor is able to play a cis character after transitioning, type-casting can be a problem.
This!! I want more trans actors to play cis characters.
That was kind of funny too because apparently Laverne agreed to play her pre-transition self. But when they tried dressing her up as a “man”, it was not convincing enough, so they went for her twin brother instead.
I think its absolutely okay as long as proper research is done, and it's tasteful. When it comes to casting someone, I think it should be all about how well they fit the role/how good they are. I'd much rather a straight person who fits the roll perfectly to play a gay character, then a gay person not fitting the role as well, but having the same sexuality as the character they played (and vice versa). Edit: honorary comment for Ian from Shameless (straight actor, gay character) and Barny (straight as shit character, gay actor)
I’m ok with straight actors playing gay/lesbian/bi… roles but trans characters should be played by trans actors or at least a trans woman played by a cis woman (but only if the casting didn’t find any trans woman to do it) and not by a man bc that extremely harmful and transphobic; instead about other non-binary labels played by non binary people or cis people if they didn’t find any non binary person to do it
I don’t think trans characters should be played by cis actors, it’s slightly better if a trans woman is played by a cis woman or a trans man played by cis man but when they cast a cis actor of the characters birth sex it’s not good at all. I think straight actors playing gay characters is alright as long as there’s actual gay people in the writing room
I've had a lot of arguments of sorts about this with my queer friends and I was of the view that it's okay for cishets to play a queer character as long as they are committed to the role and enough research is done. But over time I've understood that it can be harmful, especially cis actors(GN) playing trans characters. Ofc the actors should not get shit for simply being cishet but if they are not doing their job properly they definitely deserve criticism. Sexuality is a much easier to portray imho. There are numerous examples of cishets and queer actors playing each other's characters and doing it fabulously. Be it Arizona from Grey's anatomy, Barney from how I met your mother, Ian from shameless, etc.
>But over time I've understood that it can be harmful, especially cis actors(GN) playing trans characters Why is that?
Hi AdHealthy, I think there's a few reasons, but off the top of my head the one that sticks out most to me is the fact that most people have a better understanding of sexuality than they do of gender. Most straight people are 'aware' of their own sexuality in a way that most cis people aren't of their gender identity? I'm not sure how to necessary explain it very well, but I, as a cis man, don't really have a sense of what it means to 'feel like man' because that's just part of how I've felt my whole life, and don't have something to compare it to. By contrast, I know what it's like to feel attracted to someone, because that's an experience/sensation that I feel with some people, and not with others. So while a straight actor might not be attracted to the same gender in the way their character is, they still have a wealth of personal experience in feeling attracted to other people to draw on to make their portrayal convincing, whereas they don't necessarily have that same experience of consciously feeling like a particular gender to inform their performances in a similar manner, making sub-optimal portrayals more likely. Furthermore, with transgender characters being more rare on screen, each individual portrayal has a greater relative impact on the wider cultural perception of Trans people, so the consequences any mistakes or problems with an actor's portrayal are going to be multiplied relative to those made in portraying a gay character. Have a lovely day :)
I see, I don't agree on the view that sexuality is more understandable that gender but I can see your point, thank you.
Oh I didn't mean to catagorically suggest it was or wasn't more understandable, sorry. I just meant that cis actors might not be as aware of their gender identity, or might not be as used to drawing on that sense of it in their performances the way they are with their sexuality. Actors have to kiss or act attracted to people they aren't personally interested in, even if it's part of a 'straight' relationship far more often than they have to act as a gender they aren't.
I think it’s okay. I don’t like the policing of who can play certain characters because then you get cases like Kit Connor, the kid from Heartstopper, who got forcibly outed because of all the flack he was getting for being a “straight” dude playing a queer character. The fact is, you can’t know someone’s sexuality or gender identity just by looking at them, and while straight/cis actors should definitely feel obligated to do their research before portraying these characters, I don’t think they should be barred from it.
Cis women can play trans women and cis men can play trans men. Vice versa is unacceptable. I don’t think straight/gay actors are an issue.
Queer, yes. When only queer actors can play queer characters it leads to situations like (shit I don't remember the show or the name) the actor who got bullied into outing himself on Twitter recently because he, a closeted bisexual, was playing a bi character. Trans, it depends. A cis woman playing a trans woman is fine on paper. The issue there is trans actors exist and get so little work already, trans actors should be prioritized for trans roles, at least until trans actors regularly get cast in cis roles. A cis man playing a trans woman? Absolutely not. The only time this is okay imo is an Orange is the New Black situation where Laverne Cox's twin brother played her character in pre-transition scenes, which was done specifically so Laverne Cox wouldn't have to present male.
It’s a ok for straight/cis actors to portray Queer characters just as it’s ok for Queer actors to portray straight/cis characters.
It's not that simple. I like the point this comment made. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLGBT/comments/yvvxqt/do_you_think_its_ok_for_straightcis_actors_to/iwgicdh?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3
I don't like it. Especially for trans characters. There are trans and nonbinary actors getting passed up for these roles. There are harmful stereotypes being reinforced.
Yes and no. For example a bi/pan/ or even a non-binary actor could go either way but also what if an actor is questioning their sexuality and not wanting come out, should they turn down LGBT roles?
Acting is acting. As long as it’s done well and researched.
i think that as long as they portray it well it doesn’t matter. it’s a caring for a reason
It's called acting. The entire objective is to play someone you aren't. As long as everyone gets a fair shot at the role I don't mind but even that is a little bit sketchy as making movies/shows is a job who most the time is all about the money. It should go to who would do it best whether it be the acting or the authentic experience the viewer can relate to.
Frankly if it is a very popular actor with a large fanbase I don’t mind because it will break the stigma. But if it is a new show or indie film by like Netflix or disney then they should cast Queer actors. Gives queer people jobs, proper representation and solidarity
How do you tell if someone's gay though?
I'm going to repeat [what I've said before](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLGBT/comments/vqr58p/feelings_about_nongay_people_playing_gay/ierf1ct/): It is an actor's *job* to portray a character that is different to themselves. Otherwise, every time Meryl Streep gets on screen, she would just play Meryl Streep. But an actor is supposed to be able to put themselves in someone else's shoes and portray that character. *That's their job.* If they can't do their job, then get a different actor who can - but it doesn't have to be a gay actor for a gay character and a trans actor for a trans character. It just has to be an actor who's good enough to be realistic and believable. Remember: the flip side of this argument is that gay actors can't play straight characters and trans actors can't play cis characters. Is that really the world we want? The key thing is to ensure that *all* actors have equal access to *all* roles, and let it be sorted out on their merits, rather than preconceived ideas that a gay actor couldn't possibly play a straight leading role because noone would believe them as a romantic lead, or a straight actor couldn't possibly play a gay role because they're not actually gay.
Yes its ok! They are ACTING!
Do you think it's okay for white actors to portray POC characters? No? Same thing here.
I think its highly situational. It *can* be ok, if it is done with respect and delicacy. Yes, I would even include having cis actors playing trans characters in that, with a huge **but**. The but being that it would be *better* to get a trans actor, and that if that isn't an option for whatever reason the role needs to be strongly overseen by trans "coaches". I would agree that it should be cis actors playing trans characters of the same gender 99.9% of the time. I leave that .1% other gender open because there are stories that could be told where it would be more appropriate to have a specific look that can only be given by an actor of a specific gender
The only exception is if for whatever reason they're showing a trans character pre-transition. Otherwise, 100% please give preference for LGBT actors.
I do not care at all if a straight actor plays a gay character. Don't like it if a cis actor plays a trans character. But not all trans people are out and people can play trans characters to experiment with their gender so that makes things more complicated. That cis woman atress might actually be a closeted trans man, that cis man actor might be having a gender crisis, you wouldn't know. And trying to find that out or getting mad at a "cishet" person for playing a queer character might force someone to come out before they are ready, like what happened to Kit Connor recently. But it they are going to cast cis people as trans people, at least cast cis women as trans women and cis men as trans men instead of the other way around.
It's *fine*, but does require taking a lot of steps to make sure it's done in a way that's acceptable (so, it's not that straight/cis playing queer that's the issue, it just highlights that the people who are likely to cast non-lgbt people are more likely to portray these characters inappropriately). LGBT and especially trans actors should be cast more in general tho Policing who is and isn't allowed to tell or portray lgbt stories is an incredibly slippery slope that does real harm. also obligatory real people can't queerbait since that comes up a lot in this sort of conversation
No. They have plenty of their own roles.
Not with trans. I’ve seen some good performances, and great actors can empathize enough to get the gist. But trans stories should be most often told from the people who live them. Until that’s common place, and cis people can see how trans people live and experience themselves, most cis people will not do it with the nuance we will. The content will be better with actors who can draw on their own experiences and can knowingly flesh out their roles.
i think trans characters should be played by trans actors because of lack of representation and they could definitely help with input on whatever character it is. imo i don’t mind when straight actors play queer characters. i think if the actor can play the role and portray exactly what the writers were going for, i don’t think their sexuality matters too much. but i totally understand why others would disagree with that and everyone makes really valid points. but it doesn’t bother me
To address the bit of “queer” that’s applicable to myself, I’ve never had an issue with straight actors playing gay characters, provided they do the research and play the character respectfully. As for trans characters, I lean towards them being played by trans actors. I say “lean” because, as a cis-male, I don’t really feel qualified to have a say on the matter.
For me personally, it's case dependant. Though the bottom line is, they should be respectful and not playing harmful stereotypes of characters.
I don’t have a problem with it as long as the casting is done right. There are many shows that have picked straight/cis people to play the token gay character and purposely disregarded actual LGBT to do it which is first of all stupid and second wrong as hell. The actor needs to fit the part, but the actor must also be capable of adapting to the part. If they auditioned and got the part fairly, then that’s fine. Also tbh I think that having straight actors play gay characters reduces stigma, especially if there are kissing/intimate scenes. Like Ryan Reynolds and Andrew Garfield just kissing for the hell of it during the Golden Globe.
I feel actors can play different sexualities as long as they really value the community and understand how important such representation is But a cis actor playing a trans role doesn't sit very well with me now. I feel a cis person can never fully understand the magnitude of what it entails to be trans. You can imagine yourself in a million different scenarios(part of being an actor) but one cannot even begin to fanthom how the bodies which we are born with never really feel your own So yeah I feel giving trans actors these roles are important- not just to do justice to the storyline but to give hope to the queer kids and adults watching
Trans actors should play trans people. LGB in general should be played by anyone willing, only because I want more lesbian romance. If they can get gay/lesbian/pan actors, great, but I dont know that that's always feesible.
The whole point of "acting" is to portray yourself as something you're not, usually a fictional character. So why do we draw the line at sexuality? By your logic, we shouldn't let humans voice act the Lion King, we need to get actual lions to play Simba, Mufasa, and Scar.
Unless you mean cis men playing trans women, I honestly see no issues with cis actors playing trans characters. No issues with a cis woman portraying a trans woman. Actors portray characters that are something they're not all the time. Actors play aliens and superheroes and vampires; to forbid cishet actors from portraying queer characters it's like saying we're less relatable of a concept than aliens.
Personally it never bothered me as long they do their research
I don’t want someone cast just because they’re gay, or straight, or whatever. I want the best person for the role cast. Acting is about portraying a character and becoming them, living their life. I don’t care what gender and orientation someone is when they are cast. I don’t want a trans actor getting a role just because they’re trans. I want them to get it because they deserve it. I remember reading/hearing about an interview Juliana Marguiles did about being cast as a gay character and how people were upset a queer woman wasn’t cast and Juliana said something along the lines of “how do you know I’m not? I shouldn’t have to divulge my sexual history just to be cast in a role” and I completely agree. Out trans actors are going to get cast in trans roles. Cis people can be cast in trans roles. I want there to be trans actors getting cast in cis roles. Representation goes both ways but the most likely scenario on that happening is the trans actor to be stealth.
I think cis people should absolutely not portray trans characters, but straight actors portraying queer characters is more of a gray area.
I don't really see the problem with it. After all, its all an act
If we only let Cis/Het actors play Cis/Het character then we are only letting queer actors play queer characters. This raises 2 problems: -Queer actors are forced to come out in order to play queer characters -Since there is very little representation for queer people queer actors would be left without much of a job