Do you think it's important for trans roles to be played by trans actors

[stephaniec]

Just curious on whether it matters or not whether roles in acting would make a difference if they were portrayed more authentically by using actors who are actually transitioning or have transitioned.

[Dee Marshall]

My mind isn't made up on the issue. There are good arguments on both sides. I do think that trans stories (books, movies) should be written by trans authors. Stories, if they're any good at all involve some sort of conflict. Non-trans writers are more likely to go for cheap and easy which just results in stereotyping. A well written trans story, directed by a sympathetic director, can star anyone.

[Deborah]

I have no opinion because I avoid watching trans shows.  They are a trigger.

[stephaniec]

I don't have a TV so I don't watch anything unless I'm in a hotel room. I love watching I am Jazz and I am Cait. I have personally no interest in watching shows that would portray a non trans as trans as the major character .If I were to try to watch a movie or a TV show where the major character was a non trans portraying a trans person , it would be too triggering. I wouldn't be able to enjoy the movie , but that's just me and no offense to anyone else nor to the actor making a living.

[Amanda_Combs]

In my opinion, the most important thing is that there is significant trans* involvement somewhere.  Also, I think trans* people should play more roles in general. 
   For example, if a story is about early stages of transition, maybe use a cisactor, because they look the part/are very talented, that's fine.  But, by the same coin, there should be more trans* people playing cischaracters.  A lot of us are hella passable; so there's no reason why not. To me it's more important that actual trans* people are considered, than that we get to play one role over and over until that story falls from popularity.
Just my thoughts.  :p


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[roseyfox]

In my opinion if there are a fair amount of trans actor then yes they should be afforded the opportunity first. Why is most simply they can fit into the character better. Because they better than anyone else will know the struggle and pain. The shame and hate from the world. But they will know the brighter side of all the struggle they been through. They can convince the director if possible what should and what should not be apart of the film/script from experience for a more real feel of the difficulty and struggles they faced.

However if there is not a ample pull of actress or actor who are trans to pull from. Then i do not see a problem with actors that would try and force them selves in that mindset of being in the wrong body. Understanding how critically the world stairs at you. All the judgement given and how people would try to take the rights of your own body away. However i do see how it can be abuse in a blackface type of way to spread stereotypes and lies about are community through either action,job or appearance.

So i prefer there to be more trans actor that play trans character. Though i do got to admit if you watch sence8 on Netflix I love the actor that plays nomi a transgender woman. She does a great job in my opinion at playing her part and after the first few episode the fact she is a trans character is ignored and she is seen primarily as just a female. But i also love the realness brought from orange is the new black with Laverne Cox.

[Kova V]

Honestly, it would be nice if transgender actors could play trans movie roles. I'd also be happy if they cast cis-women to play trans-women roles. I don't think I've seen a movie with trans-men, that would be interesting to see how Hollywood would cast that role. I'd bet they'd be played by cis-men too.

[stephaniec]

I don't know how I feel about this new trans hit man(woman) movie. She's telling everyone she's LGBTQ... friendly and bisexual , but she's made a nasty comment about not caring if this hurts trans people Michelle Rodriguez

[Lynne]

I don't think trans* actors are necessary to portray trans* characters. I think it's a good idea to find trans* people as consultants for the film, the more the merrier as everyone's story is a little different and just because they are trans* it does not mean that they can convey their thoughts and feelings clearly.

The actor needs to be talented, empathic and sensitive enough to be able to feel the depths of the role but that is not at all trans* specific. Good actors can really immerse themselves in a role if they have enough to go on and most of the emotions and elements in a trans* person's life can be found in other scenarios as well just in other combinations. It's not like trans* people are completely alien just because there is a mismatch between the inside and outside.

Of course a trans* actor maybe better at portraying certain trans* characters but that does not mean that there isn't any cis actors who could play the same role even better.

[naa]

It would be nice if the roles of trans women were portrayed by women, trans or cis.  Though trans preferably. 

Male actors portraying women is a pretty bad idea.

[oliviarium]

Jeffery Tambor in Transparent doesn't bother me, as the show starts at the beginning of a transition of someone later in life, and I feel like it kinda makes sense.  I'm not sure how many transwomen actresses are out there at that stage of transition and are, well, actresses.

The Michelle Rodriguez movie however sounds like an absurd role that should be played by no one.

I did see a comment somewhere else that was really interesting, to the effect of... CIS writers for a trans role, a woman in prison (Orange is the New Black), trans writers for a trans role, a super hacker with ESP (Sense8).

I'd like to see more trans people cast in roles where maybe the character is trans, maybe they aren't, but that's not really the main focus of things.  Maybe Laverne Cox in Doubt will be this way?  One can only hope.

[Nema]

I don't think it should matter at all. Just because we want these roles to be presented in a way that we find accurate, it doesn't mean that the person playing the part has to be LGBT.

Schwarzenegger wasn't really a cyborg, but he portrayed an awesome one in Terminator. Oldman wasn't really a vampire, but he did a great job portraying Dracula. And yes, I know there are no real ones as alternatives, but the point is that, when you want a role to be done correctly, you hire the best actor... not necessarily someone who has experience. It would then be up to the actor to study the part to do the best job possible.

This is just my opinion, and I don't expect everyone to agree. To each their own, right? 😊

[Devlyn]

Only cannibals should be allowed to play Jeffrey Dahmer.

<running away>

[stephaniec]

Only cannibals should be allowed to play Jeffrey Dahmer.

<running away>

totally agree

[Devlyn]

I was just joshing around. Seriously, though...only kamikaze pilots should be allowed to play kamikaze pilots.

<running away again>
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Oh yeah, and the dead people you see in movies?

<running away for good!>

[CatBlack]

The problem goes beyond "the best actor" getting the job, because trans people are almost never chosen/given the opportunity to prove their skills. There's a system of exclusion in place that pushes us to the side. Not to mention cis actors are disproportionately awarded for playing trans roles, which gives directors even more incentive to choose a cis male over an actual trans woman: Why choose a trans woman when you could choose a man who will likely be nominated for an award, boosting the renown of your film and making it more likely to sell?

[Michelle_P]

I don't think it should matter, any more than I don't think we should heap praise on a director for daringly casting a Trans person as a Trans character. 

I do think that I would like to see Trans people depicted as something other than sex workers, though.  That really gets old.  In Real Life, it turns out that not all of us are sex workers.  Some of us are pilots, or computer programmers, or geologists.  Some of us are doctors and some are lawyers.  Some are students, and some are teachers.

We're all human beings.

[DawnOday]

Just curious on whether it matters or not whether roles in acting would make a difference if they were portrayed more authentically by using actors who are actually transitioning or have transitioned.

You know, it's easy to think we are being discriminated against. But more important is the message. And I think
CIS actors like Jeffery Tambor are doing a good job of getting the word out. Hopefully as Jeffery said in the Emmys. He hopes he is the last Cis actor portraying a Trans character. Hear hear.

[DawnOday]

Jeffery Tambor in Transparent doesn't bother me, as the show starts at the beginning of a transition of someone later in life, and I feel like it kinda makes sense.  I'm not sure how many transwomen actresses are out there at that stage of transition and are, well, actresses.

The Michelle Rodriguez movie however sounds like an absurd role that should be played by no one.

I did see a comment somewhere else that was really interesting, to the effect of... CIS writers for a trans role, a woman in prison (Orange is the New Black), trans writers for a trans role, a super hacker with ESP (Sense8).

I'd like to see more trans people cast in roles where maybe the character is trans, maybe they aren't, but that's not really the main focus of things.  Maybe Laverne Cox in Doubt will be this way?  One can only hope.

Aren't we all actors? After all we want to pass without worrying about just being accepted for the people we are. By example How many here ask. Do I look like I could be accepted?

[Rhonda Lynn]

I highly recommend watching an episode or two of Sense8 on Netflix. Cis people will probably not realize that the actress that plays Nomi is actually trans unless they look it up on the internet. You have to be really observant to pick up the cues because she is 100% passable, beautiful, and her body shape is not a give-away at all. I'm not sure at one point I said it out loud "That actress playing the trans woman is actually trans!!"

I wasn't sure how I felt about this issue, but now seeing Jamie Clayton, I'm hoping that more trans actors play these roles because they add so much authenticity.