The TDS article I linked in my post above, has this:
While promoting his role in the new Elvis biopic, the [Hanks] spoke to The New York Times about the 1993 drama film and he said that contemporary audiences would not find it authentic for a straight man to play a gay character:
Let’s address ‘could a straight man do what I did in ‘Philadelphia’ now?' No, and rightly so. The whole point of ‘Philadelphia’ was don’t be afraid. One of the reasons people weren’t afraid of that movie is that I was playing a gay man. We’re beyond that now, and I don’t think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy.
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Actors have to be careful now with social media spotlights on them. However, I think what Hanks said is bullshit. (I like Hanks, by the way, so..)
First of all, I don't know if I've ever read much conversation on this forum devoted to all things Brokeback that the casting of the film was negative. In any way.
I mean, Elton John himself approved the casting of Taron Egerton in Rocketman and I've never heard anything about Taron being gay.
I think nowadays saying that authenticity in casting should be paramount is not understanding what actors do. Acting is not authenticity in itself.
--acting
definition; Merriam-Webster
the art or practice of representing a character on a stage or before cameras
Too many people nowadays confuse acting with being. And, by the way, where does "authenticity" in casting begin and end? Should Americans play Americans? That would leave out at least half the film actors nowadays who are from Canada, Britain and Australia. By definition then, only Elvis should be playing Elvis in Tom Hanks' new movie.
The trope used for writers all the time is "write what you know". I recall a famous writer on Charlie Rose one night (although I can't remember who it was!) quite disagreeing with that overused sentiment. He said one should write what you want to know. I so agree with that. He meant that the discovery process is what gives art life and interest. I believe that. Actors who want to discover why any particular character is who they are and does what they do and inhabit this person is quite different than already being what you're playing. There's no discovery there and it's inherently less interesting. Annie Proulx, for example, was inspired by a man she observed in a bar and wondering if he was gay and what this life would be or was like. Two of the most popular stories written about gay men were written by women. Annie Proulx and Patricia Nell Warren. Some of the best movies about America were made by emigres from eastern Europe. Authors have said one of the best novels about war experiences was written by a man who had never set foot on a battlefield, Stephen Crane's the Red Badge of Courage. Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in World War II played himself in an autobiographical movie, to less than stellar reviews. Jerry Seinfeld never won an Emmy for playing himself on Seinfeld! He joked about that on the Emmys one time.
And if this idea about authenticity is to be accepted, why isn't historical accuracy accepted? That new show on Broadway titled SIX, about Henry the VIII's wives...if it's to be believed, all of his wives were black or Asian.