Should actors only portray their race/gender/sexuality/religion?

[i_am_the_koi]

Most of what Hollywood is pumping out these days is straight up garbage anyway

But what about smaller theaters?

What about Broadway and other places?


Harry Potter in San Francisco had Hermoine Granger played by a POC, Would it be ok for Emma Watson to play a POC in a play?

 

[HappyHighwayman]

Most of what Hollywood is pumping out these days is straight up garbage anyway

Does that statement have a point related to the topic at hand?

 

[DataDan]

Are Jews considered marginalized? They're rich and powerful but also experience mainstream anti-semitism today (look at all the black athletes coming out in support of Farrakhan in just the last few weeks).

Do they need to be a practicing jew, a genetic jew, or a cultural Jew to play one?

Dig that one out of The Leftie's Big Book of Jewish Stereotypes?

 

[Killroy1999]

Actors should portray their characters. Writers a producers are in the loop also.

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

[Whoopi Goldberg]
She's not Jewish and has no Jewish ancestry and chose the name. is that similar to the white lady who pretends to be black and renamed herself an African name?

How is Whoopi Goldberg's name related to the topic of actors playing somebody else? Are you implying that you might find her name offensive, BUT because no one finds her name offensive (I didn't think about it) then anyone can play anyone they want?

 

[HappyHighwayman]

Dig that one out of The Leftie's Big Book of Jewish Stereotypes?

I'm Jewish.

 

[Kurosaki]

Some of it should be a case by case basis. Think you'd lose a lot of good performances if things were too black and white (no pun intended).

For example, specifically for trans characters, there's movies and shows where that character being trans isn't really an important plot point, just a fact of the character. As opposed to a movie or show that is specifically trying to address trans issues as part of the plot.

 

[HappyHighwayman]

How is Whoopi Goldberg related to the topic of actors playing somebody else? Are you implying that you might find her name offensive, BUT because no one finds her name offensive (I didn't think about it) then anyone can play anyone they want?

She played a white dude in white face as per the screenshot. Additionally, she is not ethnically or culturally Jewish but makes claims that she is.

 

[DucatiHoney]

We can't go back and change the past. It certainly doesn't seem like an unreasonable request to have a people of X playing people of X moving forward though. Reverse-engineering this, what is our excuse for doing anything different? It's fair and it could open up a whole range of roles to people who might have been overlooked before. Just imagine how much undiscovered or passed-over talent there is out there. I'm having a hard time figuring out why the question even exists.

 

[HappyHighwayman]

I asked it because I read an article about how only trans people should play trans parts and it got me thinking.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

Does that statement have a point related to the topic at hand?

Not really, I started to write out a take related to the topic at hand but decided it wasn't hot enough. :laughing

 

[DataDan]

Gay people have always been playing straight characters and straight people play gay characters.

Wherever this discussion is going overall, toss that one out.

Ya think that will hold off the Critical Theory hordes? :laughing

Jim Parsons is gay. His portrayal of Sheldon, who was straight, in The Big Bang Theory was genius. He didn't merely "portray" Sheldon; he created the character.

BTW, if you hate BBT, you can piss right off. :teeth

 

[Blankpage]

Don’t remember ever seeing a movie with trans people in it. If I did I couldn’t care less if they’re really trans or not.
They’re actors aren’t they, thats what they do play people they’re not.

A great actor like Arnold Schwarzenegger could play any roll.

 

[Blankpage]

Never watched BBT, not even a minute of it.

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

She played a white dude in white face as per the screenshot. Additionally, she is not ethnically or culturally Jewish but makes claims that she is.

What screenshot? I don't see a screenshot in the OP... (and I do not follow Whoopi G's filmography)

I also meant "Whoopi Goldberg's name"

 

[HappyHighwayman]

Sorry that was in another thread

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Associate_(1996_film)

 

[CocoLoco]

Paul Drake is played by Chris Chalk in the new Perry Mason (another great serial produced by HBO imho). AFIK Paul Drake is a white dude in the pulps. I haven't read any of them so would appreciate if someone who has could correct me.

 

[HappyHighwayman]

Gets even weirder these days with shows like Altered Carbon where the base character is Asian but throughout the show wears different racial sleeves (and even female sleeves).

 

[CocoLoco]

We can't go back and change the past. It certainly doesn't seem like an unreasonable request to have a people of X playing people of X moving forward though. Reverse-engineering this, what is our excuse for doing anything different? It's fair and it could open up a whole range of roles to people who might have been overlooked before. Just imagine how much undiscovered or passed-over talent there is out there. I'm having a hard time figuring out why the question even exists.

As far as the names that show up in the credits go the list of folks in Hollywood making it is a pretty small one regardless of ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. At least that's my take.

 

[TylerW]

Ya think that will hold off the Critical Theory hordes? :laughing

Jim Parsons is gay. His portrayal of Sheldon, who was straight, in The Big Bang Theory was genius. He didn't merely "portray" Sheldon; he created the character.

BTW, if you hate BBT, you can piss right off. :teeth

This is kinda a different subject, but I've heard a lot of criticism of BBT because feel like it's making a punchline out of people who are on the autism spectrum - primarily Sheldon.

At least, that's what I've heard and read. I don't really know enough about autism to say one way or another.

I enjoy the show, warts and all.