What else is in the Teaches of Peaches?

[cyrano]

Last month, in Newsweek, Ramin Setodeh argued that gay actors just can't play straight roles because all that gayness just shines through and distracts us from their performance.
This horse crap again? According to this theory:

Laurence Fishburne can't play Morpheus because his 'still inside the Matrixosity' shatters the image.
Sir Ian McKellan can't play Magneto because of his lack of megalomaniacal desire to control the world. And also his disturbing lack of mutant powers.
Colin Firth can't play Mister Darcy because of his intrusive twentieth centuryness.
Laurence Olivier, due to his lack of being king, can't play Henry V.

Of course, there's the problem with Ben Stiller, but that's because he can't act and not because he is or isn't gay.

Actors play people who aren't them. THIS IS THEIR JOB.
If you can't get over the fact that you know an actor is gay? That's not a flaw in their acting abilities.

Comments

[emmymau.livejournal.com]

*ahem* Word.

[wildpaletz.livejournal.com]

Who is Leonard Fishburne and who did he play in the Matrix movies? I'm just asking because there was a Laurence Fishburne who played Morpheus.

But I do agree with your general argument. I mean, Neil Patrick Harris is quite successfully playing a hilarious, womanizing cad and has been nominated for at least one Emmy for it.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Woops. Fixed!

[wildpaletz.livejournal.com]

NP, it's me being a pain and all that. :)

I do think some actors don't have a great range, and that might qualify for crossing sexual orientation--but some actors don't have a great range and while they play "adorable and cranky" well, they can't do anything else, either.

IMO I think there was more chemistry between Rachel and Jessie than between Rachel and Finn, especially in their first scene, but that writer evidently disagrees.

Also, that writer seems to not understand the difference between lesbians and bisexuals, but maybe that's because I was reading it too fast.

Back to work!

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I like having my facts straight when I rant. (:
And I agree, there are some actors out there who can't act. But that's due to talent, rather than who they sleep with.

[wildpaletz.livejournal.com]

Oh, some people are very good in their limited range. But they have limited ranges.

[senatorhatty.livejournal.com]

No, because Fishburne played Morpheus.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Damn it!

[tamago.livejournal.com]

You are so totally wrong. Colin Firth can't play Mr. Darcy because his natural hair color is closer to blond than brooding black. So there. Ha. (sticks tongue out. blows raspberry.)

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree more. I've done technical theater for years, and I've seen plenty of gay actors play heterosexual roles beautifully.

I also think the limitation is with the viewer, not the actor.

[darth-snarky.livejournal.com]

Okay, this guy is ridiculous. He also claims:
In the 1950s, the idea of "color-blind casting" became a reality
Um, what?

FWIW, Kristen Chenoweth agrees with you.

[esmerel.livejournal.com]

I actually quite liked Ben Stiller in "The Zero Effect", but he's generally cast as a complete fucking stooge - something he's not nearly as good at.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Ahem, Rock Hudson anybody? Raymond Burr...Tony Perkins? And if we throw the bi's in you can also mention James Dean and Danny Kaye as well. Also don't recall Alan Cumming "gay-ing" up Kurt Wagner in the second XMen film, but what the hell do I know?

[marialuminous.livejournal.com]

Wait, is someone implying that there are non-gay actors?

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Hey now. Don't make all of us bisexual actors teach you a lesson.

[marialuminous.livejournal.com]

Well now, there's one of the most appealing threats I've heard in a while...

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Always leave them wanting more.
Unless you're feeling energetic.

[miss-friday.livejournal.com]

Yup, here's another shining example of a stupid idea concocted by a room temperature IQ.

The more interesting question is when will Cyrano realize that these people (and their moronic notions) are as thick on the ground as dead leaves and start ignoring them?

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Probably about the time that he feels that people saying stupid shit like this and getting away with it, not getting called on their stupid shit, is helpful and constructive.
And he's kind of stubborn.

[miss-friday.livejournal.com]

Seriously, if I reacted to all the dumb-ass shit ideas I heard every day, I'd have time for nothing else. And if I had nickel for each of those ideas, I'd be able to retire to Tahiti right now.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

You want me on that wall. You *need* me on that wall.

[odogoddess.livejournal.com]

Yeah, because all those straight guys that wanted to be just like Rock Hudson really knew he was gay as a pink picnic basket.