Here’s the first thing Disney and Jack Whitehall need to do over this “straight actor cast as gay character” row: not apologize.
‘No, of course We Can’t Cast Olivier. Only an Actual Nazi Dentist Will Do…’
Then, the next thing they both need to do is never, ever, ever apologize.
And not back down either.
Otherwise what’s left of Disney’s credibility as an entertainment industry player will be toast. So too will all that hard work Whitehall has put in in the last couple of years trying to make the big break from popular English stand up comedian to major Hollywood movie star.
So too will the entire point of the acting profession.
Actors, let’s be honest, aren’t generally good for much. All they basically do is pretend to be other people, usually reading out lines that cleverer people have written for them – and get paid lots of money for it.
But if it’s no longer politically acceptable for them to play anyone other than themselves, then where’s the skill? Where’s the value-added that justifies all those inflated pay checks? There isn’t any. Which means that apart from that tiny minority of actors who are loved for only ever being themselves – Clint; Michael Caine; Joey from Friends – the entire acting profession is going to die on its feet.
Read the rest on Breitbart.