Just a few days ago, it was announced that Scarlett Johansson would be teaming up with filmmaker Rupert Sanders for a new film titled “Rub & Tug.” The film is said to follow the life of a criminal woman who dressed in suits, had short hair, and preferred to be called “Mr. Gill.” Gill then went on to become the mastermind behind a series of illicit massage parlors and a steroids ring in the ‘70s. However, when it was announced that Johansson would play Gill, many were outraged.
You see, while many people, in history, have referred to Gill as a “crossdresser” or a woman posing as a man, that wouldn’t be the term used today. It’s clear, decades later that Gill would have been referred to as a trans man. So, when people found out about Johansson’s casting, they attributed it to another instance to a cis person taking the role of a trans person, which is fairly prevalent in Hollywood.
In response to this outrage, Johansson, through her reps, released a statement (via Bustle) saying, “Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment.” Of course, the actress is referring to three actors known for taking on trans roles in the past, with all three winning awards for their work, including Tambor’s multiple Emmy wins and Leto’s Oscar win.
However, Johansson’s comments were further upsetting to people after her recent role in “Ghost in the Shell.” In that film, the actress portrayed a character that has a Japanese name, and throughout the history of the franchise, has been shown to be an Asian character. Combine this with the fact that “Rug & Tug” director, Sanders, also helmed ‘Ghost,’ you can see why people would be concerned.
Ultimately, it doesn’t appear that the actress, or the director, will be deterred by the outcries of members of the trans community that are upset over the casting announcement. One such voice is Trace Lysette, a trans actress who appeared on the show “Transparent,” with the aforementioned Tambor. Lysette took to Twitter to voice her frustrations by saying, “Oh word?? So you can continue to play us but we can’t play y’all? Hollywood is so fucked… I wouldn’t be as upset if I was getting in the same rooms as Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett for cis roles, but we know that’s not the case. A mess.”
As of now, there’s no word on a release date for “Rub & Tug,” however, production is said to begin soon.
https://twitter.com/tracelysette/status/1014313678441668608
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I’ve been reading about this and I thought thats what “Acting” is supposed to be….trying to portray something so convincingly , even if you are not…. I recall when one famous actor portrayed a dying gay man …… think he even won awards for it
I think that you’re referring to Tom Hanks in the movie Philadelphia (Denzel Washington co-starred). But, you’re right. Acting is acting.
yep, thats the one.
God please stop politicising casting. I’m so sick of this identity politics crap. Literally nobody in Japan gave a shit about the whole Ghost in the Shell thing.
Nobody criticized Tim Allen and Tom Hanks because they weren’t inanimate objects when they portrayed an astronaut and cowboy figurine in Toy Story.
“So you can continue to play us but we can’t play y’all? Hollywood is so
fucked… I wouldn’t be as upset if I was getting in the same rooms as …”
Who the HELL said you couldn’t ? So you don’t get a particular role. You may not have the talent. OR – more likely – it just happens to be Tues and YOUR dice didn’t fall the right way. But go on – keep whining. Keep playing thee victim always. Maybe, just maybe NO ONE wants to be around you is cause they are sick of hearing it. Maybe you should go out and DO it. Huh ???
He won’t get the part of a woman because he’s not a woman, and anyone with decent eyesight can see that. I saw him on Blunt Talk and it took me all of ten seconds to realize that he was a man, long before it was revealed in the story.
Dumbest “backlash”, as if people need a random new reason to feel hurt about. Everytime there’s a bad guy in a movie, let’s make sure we hire a real bad guy for that role. Everytime a housewife in a movie, let’s get a real housewife. Yeah…clever backlash logic.
The mistake is to take the issue out on the actor. They are filling the role that was asked of them. And the assumption that if she turned down the role the studio would go and hire a trans actor. These are choices made before the movie is approved.
It’s acting not real life. Leave her alone dammit. She’s great at her work. What does her real life matter? Plus how do you really know anything about anyone’s real lives other than your own.
I have a buddy that is a blind black actor. When Jamie Foxx got the role of Ray, he went ballistic since that was literally the role he was waiting his whole life to play. It’s even the reason he stabbed himself in the eyes years before production began so he would have the best shot at getting the role.
AWESOME!!!!
So in order to play someone with a certain affliction, that actor must have that same affliction. Good to know.
Very little of this is about Hollywood. Most movies aren’t made in Hollywood, cast in Hollywood, or produced by Major Hollywood Studios.
If the whiny trans actress can find someone or some company who wants to invest 50 million dollars in her, she can then hire a Director and a Screenwriter and portray Robin Hood, Greta Garbo or even King Kong.
Until then, most projects will continue to be greenlit based upon the bankability of the cast or the Director.
This guy Trace Lysette is pretending to be a woman, so why can Scarlett Johanssen not pretend to be a woman dressed as a man? What a whining hypocrite.