Should Gay Roles Only Be Played By Gay Actors?

[anotheoldgit]

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/stage/2019/jan/14/gay-roles-actors-assassination-gianni-versace-bohemian-rhapsody?amp_js_v=a2&;amp_gsa=1&;usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15759172201981&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&;ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fstage%2F2019%2Fjan%2F14%2Fgay-roles-actors-assassination-gianni-versace-bohemian-rhapsody

[ummmm]

Makeup? What? Why?

[Zacs-Master]

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1621699.html

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1619260.html

Kinda done this before.

[ludwig]

To be honest, I always thought Jack Whitehall was gay.

[andy-hughes]

No.

Acting, by definition, is the ability to pretend to be someone you are not, and in that sense, anyone can play a gay, or a straight character, regardless of their own orientation.

It is not necessary to be gay in order to pretend to be gay, any more than it is necessary to be an American to play an American character.

If an actor can portray the character convincingly, that is all that's required.

[andy-hughes]

Togo - // Mind you Miriam Margoyles has a point. She is appearing in Call The Midwife Which is to be shown on Christmas Day. She whinges,"I'm a Jewish lesbian who hates Christmas, what am I doing playing a nun in the most viewed programme on British television on Christmas Day?" //

I would love to give Ms Margoyles the benefit of the doubt here, and assume that he has her tongue firmly in her cheek - irony is often lost in print.

The alternative is that she is taking a prime role in a major TV series for doubtless a good fee and serious residuals, the sort of role any actress would die for - and she is being a graceless miserable undeserving shrewish witch with no manners.

But like I say - benefit of the doubt.

[Cloverjo]

I’d say Margolys definitely has her tongue firmly in her cheek. She played an austere Catholic in Blackadder. Brilliantly!