The representation of LGBT stories has always caused controversy in film and television, partly because the actors or actresses portraying these roles have often been heterosexual. This issue has sparked a debate for years about the intersection of acting and the sexuality of the protagonists who have experienced similar situations to those depicted in movies and series.
Actress Rebel Wilson has recently joined the debate in her latest interview on BBC Radio 4’s podcast “Desert Island Discs,” where she stated that sexuality should not be considered when selecting actors for a role.
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“I don’t think there’s a different standard; it’s more about whether you’re someone who can joke about it now. But if you’re not [you can’t]. That’s kind of what’s happening at the moment. So it really has nothing to do with gender,” said the actress.
“I think it’s difficult. It’s getting into this territory of saying: ‘Well, only straight actors can play straight roles and gay actors can play gay roles,’ which I think is total nonsense,” she added.
In 2022, the actress came out after being blackmailed by a journalist who threatened her to make her relationship public. Following the incident, the star publicly revealed her sexual identity.
Regarding acting, she said: “I think you should be able to play any role you want. But I always think that, in comedy, your job is to always flirt with that line of what is acceptable.”
“Sometimes you overstep it, but at the end of the day, you’re trying to entertain people,” Wilson said. “If people are always safe and protective, you’re not going to get good comedy out of that.”
The topic of selecting an actor based on their sexual preference has sparked a debate in the industry around inclusion. Recently, Andrew Scott mentioned last year that he believes “transformation” is as important as representation in Hollywood.
“I don’t love the idea of being cast for something purely based on my own sexuality,” said the star of ‘All Of Us Strangers.’ “You’re not just playing a ‘gay,’ you’re portraying the character’s attributes. I don’t want a totalitarian regime; we need to look at each individual story we tell and what is right for that,” he added.
