Scarlett Johansson quits transgender role after LGBT backlash

[rooster59]

Scarlett Johansson quits transgender role after LGBT backlash

 

Premiere of “Avengers: Infinity War” - Arrivals - Los Angeles, California, U.S., 23/04/2018 - Actress Scarlett Johansson. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Scarlett Johansson on Friday pulled out of a movie in which she was cast to play a transgender character following a backlash from some members of the LGBT community who believed the part should have gone to a transgender actor.

 

Johansson, one of Hollywood's biggest stars, had agreed to take a role in "Rub & Tug" as Dante "Tex" Gill, a real-life American crime kingpin who used his massage parlour as a front for prostitution in the 1970s and 1980s. Gill was born a woman but identified as a man.

 

It was the second time Johansson, an American of European descent, found herself in the middle of a casting controversy after appearing in 2017's "Ghost in the Shell" in a role originally conceived as a Japanese character.

 

Johansson, 33, said she had decided to withdraw from "Rub & Tug" for ethical reasons.

 

"Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I've learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realise it was insensitive," the actress said in a statement to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender magazine "Out."

 

"I understand why many feel he (Gill) should be portrayed by a transgender person, and I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film," she added.

 

On social media, newspaper editorials and videos, the transgender community had slammed her casting as highlighting the limited opportunities given to transgender actors.

 

In recent years, straight actor Eddie Redmayne played a transgender woman in "The Danish Girl," Jared Leto won an Oscar for playing a trans woman in "Dallas Buyers Club," and Jeffrey Tambor has won awards for playing a father who transitions to a man in the television series "Transparent."

 

According to LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, none of the 109 movies released by Hollywood's seven biggest studios in 2017 included a transgender character.

 

GLAAD welcomed Johansson's decision saying on Twitter that "her announcement, together with the transgender voices who spoke out about this film, are game changers for the future of transgender images in Hollywood."

 

Filming has yet to begin on "Rub & Tug" and no replacement for Johansson was immediately announced.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-14

[DoctorG]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

GLAAD welcomed Johansson's decision saying on Twitter that "her announcement, together with the transgender voices who spoke out about this film, are game changers for the future of transgender images in Hollywood."

 

Filming has yet to begin on "Rub & Tug" and no replacement for Johansson was immediately announced.

It is now likely that the film will not be made at all, denying work to many people, but that is OK, as long as we virtue signal and pander to the minority.

[lupin]

insanity rules...

 

I expect all future super hero roles to be played by actual super heroes

and all roles depicting serial killers to be played by actual serial killers

 

[watcharacters]

2 minutes ago, lupin said:

insanity rules...

 

I expect all future super hero roles to be played by actual super heroes

and all roles depicting serial killers to be played by actual serial killers

 

 

 

I think the insanity starts with all the "celebrity" worship.

 

 

[Small Joke]

Quite right. 

It's not a Pantomime. 

9 minutes ago, lupin said:

insanity rules...

 

I expect all future super hero roles to be played by actual super heroes

and all roles depicting serial killers to be played by actual serial killers

 

Your definition of insane is in itself insane. 

And your attempt at equivelancy is embarrassing you. 

[Small Joke]

1 hour ago, DoctorG said:

It is now likely that the film will not be made at all, denying work to many people, but that is OK, as long as we virtue signal and pander to the minority.

Glad it's pissing you off,  Bro! 

[anfh]

The whole of Western Society in the so called civilised world is becoming a PC pantomime !!!!! Most of it is so <deleted> stupid and panders to the lunatic left ideology. 

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Political Correctness gone mad!!!

[Jingthing]

I don't think there was anything wrong with casting her. 

Gay men often play straight men.

Straight men often play gay men.

Don't see why it should be different with transgender roles.

You cast the actor that makes the most sense as far as talent and also box office potential.

 

I suppose this opinion from me may surprise some people. I'm sorry if it offends some transgender people, but I suggest focusing on other more existential issues, such as passing civil rights protections regarding housing, employment, access to public toilets, etc. 

 

I also reckon some people that don't think cisgender people should be cast in transgender roles might say, everyone accepts that it's not OK to cast blackface anymore, in other words white people playing black people using cosmetics. That's true, it isn't OK, and I agree it shouldn't be OK. (Of course there could be exceptions to that if you were doing a film about blackface, then you would need to use actors in blackface.)

 

But I don't see this as equivalent to that. Maybe I'm wrong and someone can convince me that it is. 

 

Next ... 

Edited July 14, 2018 by Jingthing

[canuckamuck]

Hollyweird is more interested in being offended at everything than they are at creating relevant films.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Hollyweird is more interested in being offended at everything than they are at creating relevant films.

There are some good films.

I suggest Lady Bird for example. 

[canuckamuck]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

There are some good films.

I suggest Lady Bird for example. 

Well they have to eat so they have to make salable films, but my point is their heart isn't in it. It's all progressivism, all the time.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Well they have to eat so they have to make salable films, but my point is their heart isn't in it. It's all progressivism, all the time.

Well, I suppose I agree with you that the Hollywood film industry is largely more politically liberal. I like that. You don't.  But bottom line just make good movies, of course. 

[Sydebolle]

Fruit cake movies casted by non-fruit cakes? Not possible in the Western world ?

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Sydebolle said:

Fruit cake movies casted by non-fruit cakes? Not possible in the Western world ?

It's a bit early to shop for Christmas, snookums. 

[BritManToo]

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's a bit early to shop for Christmas, snookums. 

It's never too early for Christmas!

[pacovl46]

How many good and well-known actors are actually transgender? Making movies is expensive and of course they want to make some money, too. That’s the reason why they normally book stars for the leading parts. Johansson pulls way more people into theaters than any transgender actor, none of whom are famous, hence they didn’t get cast.

[connda]

Damned if you do; Damned if you don't. 

 

Lordy, they better go back and do a remake of Brokeback Mountain with the 'proper' casting.  Criminy!

And Will and Grace reruns!!! Take them off the air!!!

Imho, Somewhere down the line this all self-implodes in political correctness. 

Edited July 14, 2018 by connda

[Ulic]

8 hours ago, Small Joke said:

Quite right. 

It's not a Pantomime. 

Your definition of insane is in itself insane. 

And your attempt at equivelancy is embarrassing you. 

Yes, the equivalency was poor. More correct is that no transgender person can play a non-transgender part no straight actor can play a homosexual part and of course no gay actor can play a straight part and the list goes on.

[JLCrab]

... and they hired a British-Irish citizen actor to play US President Lincoln in Spielberg's Lincoln. What horrors!

[Mac98]

On 7/14/2018 at 2:23 AM, Small Joke said:

Quite right. 

It's not a Pantomime. 

Your definition of insane is in itself insane. 

And your attempt at equivelancy is embarrassing you. 

I predict there will be protests against non smokers playing the part of smokers (bad for their health, you know).

[Jingthing]

I predict there will be protests against non smokers playing the part of smokers (bad for their health, you know).

No there won't.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Katipo]

Merriam Webster DIctionary of Actor: 

a : one who acts in a play, movie, television show, etc.

b : one who behaves as if acting a part

 

So a woman acting the part of a transgender person seems part of the job to me. But Ok, I understand that transgender people want greater representation and to tell their own story. So which well known transgender actor are they going to use? Will this person get a similar amount of bums on seats as a highly sought after actor like Scarlette Johansson? Me things not. The project might get shelved altogether. And then what? Even if it's made, it'll probably just end up a low budget movie with a very limited similar release. What has been achieved then? 

Having a cinema super-star in the role would have garnered world wide media and audience interest. It could have been a door opening for future transgender actors.

In this keyboard commentators opinion, they transgender community might have had good intentions, but they've just shot themselves in the foot.