‘You play us but we can’t play you’: Scarlett Johansson’s trans role in new film spurs backlash
Unbowed by criticism of her casting as a transgender man by trans actors, who say they are never considered for non-trans parts, actress points to non-transgender actors who won acclaim for playing transgender roles
Scarlett Johansson’s plan to portray a transgender man has sparked a backlash from many who object to actors who are not transgender playing trans roles.
Earlier this week, it was announced Johansson would star in Rub & Tug, a film about prostitution ring leader Dante “Tex” Gill, who was born Lois Jean Gill but identified as a man. Since the announcement, transgender actors and advocates have criticised the production for not casting a trans actor in the role.
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Johansson, who is also producing the film, further inflamed critics with a statement to the website Bustle, via her representative, that said criticism “can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment”.
Tambor, Leto and Huffman have received acclaim for playing trans characters despite not being transgender themselves. Tambor won two Emmys for his performance on Transparent, though he departed the show last year after he was accused of sexual misconduct by two transgender women: actress Trace Lysette and his former personal assistant, Van Barnes.
Leto won an Oscar for his performance in 2013’s Dallas Buyers Club . Huffman was nominated for an Oscar for the 2005 film Transamerica.
Lysette was among those who disapproved of Johansson’s intentions. On Twitter, she wrote: “So you can continue to play us but we can’t play y’all?”