Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Nicole Kidman to star as trans painter

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • September 16, 2009 - 11:31

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-14086.html (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-14086.html)

Actress Nicole Kidman is to play a a trans woman in an upcoming movie.

The star will act the part of Danish painter Einar Wegener, who in 1930 was one of the first people to undergo gender reassignment.

Wegener later took the name Lili Elbe and it is thought she may have been intersex or had Klinefelter's Syndrome. She died in 1931 of complications after her fifth surgery.

The movie's script is based upon David Ebershoff's novel The Danish Girl and director Tomas Alfredson has confirmed production will soon begin.

also http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a177487/alfredson-to-helm-kidman-transsexual-drama.html (http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a177487/alfredson-to-helm-kidman-transsexual-drama.html)

I'm sort of on the margins of all that stuff and I don't know of any out of work women in transition in Hollywood that could be cast on that level.  I don't think there is one.  It's for the same reasons that they had Felicity Huffman do it.  And Hilary Swank.  You need someone with good acting skills, and you need a name. And maybe Candis Cayne might be there soon, but she's not there yet.

I don't understand why a lot of people in the TS community feel it necessary to have a TS person play the role in the film. In the movie, the role is depicted the same no matter who the underlying actor/actress is. Yes, it would be good for the career of the TS person by giving them another movie under their belt, but if none is available, or they choose not to cast one, then that's fine.

In my opinion, I think it does the community a service by casting high-profile names if only for the appeal that would garner. If people saw this movie and saw that someone they had never heard of (and whom they may not agree with their gender identity) was playing a role they may or may not feel inclined to agree with, they would probably never even consider watching it. However, if they see that a big-name actress is the lead role in a movie with a subject they may not agree with, they may feel a bit less uneasy going to see it.

Now, if there were a high-profile actress who happened to also be TS, then that would make sense that they would be cast for that role. But nobody comes to my mind.

~Sarah

A commonly held belief is the public will actually watch a movie about a transwoman if the part is played by an ACTUAL woman.  They wouldn't be able to get past the idea that the woman on the screen was once really a MAN!

As far as the marquee is concerned, Kat's got it right.

Julie

As one of the unwashed masses, I can attest that names like Felicity Huffman and Nicole Kidman catch my interest more. Felicity Huffman did a fantastic job and I'm sure Kidman will too. Look at all the absurdly poor representations of transpersons out there; frankly when my doctor or friends hear the word transexual I don't mind one bit if they associate it with Nicole Kidman instead of some hairy crossdresser they saw on their weekend trip to vegas two years ago.

I adore Nicole Kidman! I can't wait until this movie is out!

Far more will see it with Kidman in it than any John or Jane Doe.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

I think this is great news.  It is a lot better than casting John Travolta in the role.


Kristi

Quote from: Kristi on September 16, 2009, 10:08:44 PM
I think this is great news.  It is a lot better than casting John Travolta in the role.

LOL and I totally agree. I love Nicole! Aussie turned Tennessean women rock ;)

I've always loved Nicole Kidman, and if Hollywood makes her up for this flick as well as they did in The Hours, it should be brilliant. While I do wish we could have actual transfolk portraying transfolk in film, I'm much better with seeing Nicole Kidman on the big screen than Alexis Arquette.

SD