Does anyone feel that this is getting just a little bit unreasonable?

I get that most on this thread aren't interested in equality. Some are though.

I think that many on the thread are interested in equality of opportunity and also interested in going to see a film, play, TV programme because the people portraying the parts can act, perform, take on a role and make us believe in it.

Dinahmo

Whitewavemark2

What happens if a person is bi- sexual?

Or a eunuch.

Or hermaphrodite

Bit difficult

There is an hermaphrodite in Fellini's film Juliet of the Spirits - just out of interest.

Difficult for the casting team, but there are sure to be actors who'd tick that box if the rules changed to make it necessary.

Their CVs will declare them mixed race, middle class with working class roots and aristocratic connections, bisexual so able to play gay or straight roles, from mixed ancestry - all continents and nationalities covered there, and an incredible medical history.

I saw Ian Holm as Puck many years ago.

It was a long time before I realised he wasn't really a woodland sprite but was actually a white heterosexual male person.
He was such a good actor.

George Lucas must be heartily relieved that he didn't have to worry about bringing authenticity to the role when auditioning actors for Star Wars. Jeddi's are a bugger to recruit.

What about the actors who portray murderers?

Chewbacca

George Lucas must be heartily relieved that he didn't have to worry about bringing authenticity to the role when auditioning actors for Star Wars. Jeddi's are a bugger to recruit.

He should ask on here. Someone is bound to have one amongst their contacts.

Zoejory

What about the actors who portray murderers?

The police wait for them at the stage door. It's great for the crime figures, but not so good for the casting team.

Maybe acting, as a profession, should be banned completely. Afterall, acting is lying; it's pretending to be something or someone they're not; in a situation they've probably never been in. So if we're looking for complete authenticity all acting, in all its forms, should be banned so that the hard of imagination won't get offended. This Brave New World is looking bleaker by the day.

He should ask on here. Someone is bound to have one amongst their contacts.

<whispers> We used to have one Doodledog. But fortunately no longer.

I think, Gagajo there have been a few moves towards more diverse casting in the last few years. The characters of Clarrissa in Silent Witness and Izzie in Coronation Street for instance. But it is the problem (for the makers) of taking a financial risk. Should Cormoran Strike be played by an able bodied actor who is known to be able to act, or should they take a chance on an unknown who has actually lost a leg? That is a big financial risk and drama is an industry, not a charity.

I wonder if Eddie Redmayne will apologise for playing the part of a disabled man when he was in the Stephen Hawking film? Plenty of disabled actors would have been available. And what about apologising to the French for his cultural appropriation when he was in Les Miserables? Plenty of French actors were available. In fact, in his acting career, he's only played one role that was true to his type and that was when he played Angel Clare in Tess of the Durbervilles; a sexist, misogynistic, hypocritical male. Perfectly cast.

Crikey.

When did you meet him Chewbacca? I mean you must have spent a lot of time with him to understand his character so thoroughly?

I met him at around the same time that you met most of the Tory party Alegrias. I formed the same opinion of him as you did of them: rich, posh, white, Old Etonian.

And what about apologising to the French for his cultural appropriation when he was in Les Miserables? Plenty of French actors were available.

Were there any French actors in Les Miserables - Americans, British, Australian, New Zealanders?

Victor Hugo would be having une crise de nerfs!

Thanks Chewbacca. I didn't realise that you had a window into my brain.

I've never written any of those things, but if it makes you feel more comfortable to think I do believe that, then you just carry on. Wouldn't want to dislodge that chip.

Chewbacca

I met him at around the same time that you met most of the Tory party Alegrias. I formed the same opinion of him as you did of them: rich, posh, white, Old Etonian.

?

I am forever grateful that I don't have a window into your brain Alegrias!

I think that some roles can’t easily be acted by someone not in the group being portrayed. An actor playing the part of someone with Downs for instance, would be entirely inappropriate, and we don’t want to go back to seeing people like Pete Lorre playing Mr Moto (do we?)

But transpeople are not in those categories. You can’t ‘act’ Japanese, or someone with Downs, as those are one aspect of a person’s selfhood, and can’t be changed. The whole concept of trans is about change, and based on the idea that ‘gender’ is a state of mind..

Anyway, how many films are about transpeople? A trans actor would struggle for roles if they could only play other transpeople. Unless of course they wanted the best of both worlds - to have access to roles involving non-trans people whilst ‘bagging’ all the trans ones for themselves?

The whole concept of trans is about change, and based on the idea that ‘gender’ is a state of mind

Well, exactly Doodledog. So, taking ER at his word, if a trans actor should have played the part , are they going to hire 2 actors? They'd need a transman to play the part before transition and then a transwoman to play the part after. Or would the transwoman have to detransition then retransition?

When all the gay actors are only considered for gay roles there’ll be trouble. There aren’t that many gay characters in films, plays etc so doubtless this will lead to some actors hiding their sexuality. As for Redmayne, he’s just jumping on the luvvie bandwagon.

pmsl Chewbacca ?

Doodledog

Zoejory

What about the actors who portray murderers?

The police wait for them at the stage door. It's great for the crime figures, but not so good for the casting team.

?
Just sputtered my mug of tea everywhere!

Doodledog

I think that some roles can’t easily be acted by someone not in the group being portrayed. An actor playing the part of someone with Downs for instance, would be entirely inappropriate, and we don’t want to go back to seeing people like Pete Lorre playing Mr Moto (do we?)

But transpeople are not in those categories. You can’t ‘act’ Japanese, or someone with Downs, as those are one aspect of a person’s selfhood, and can’t be changed. The whole concept of trans is about change, and based on the idea that ‘gender’ is a state of mind..

Anyway, how many films are about transpeople? A trans actor would struggle for roles if they could only play other transpeople. Unless of course they wanted the best of both worlds - to have access to roles involving non-trans people whilst ‘bagging’ all the trans ones for themselves?

Yes, good point.
I can only think of The Crying Game ( good film.)

Can an out of work gay/ trans actor still claim benefit if they ( is that correct) refuse a straight roll.
Not that it’s relevant, just being facetious. ?

And how did they train all those apes to carry guns and ride horses in Planet of the Apes? Please don't tell me that they weren't real apes! Surely they weren't people acting like apes, were they?

Knew you would be MerylStreep!