Mike Faist, Lucas Hedges to star in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN stage play in London- Page 3

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 4:39pm

RippedMan said: "But my biggest complaint is the “tragic gay play.” I’m over that. I don’t need to see anymore queer stories where someone has to come out or something tragic happens. Show me a gay person who is thriving and enjoying life.

This play doesn’t need to exist"

 

Absolutely right.    

 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 4:51pm

Let’s clarify something: there’s a difference between objectifying and critiquing an industry where straight men (speaking as a whole and not referring to the actors in this production) are praised for portraying tragic gay figures, when many queer actors are not even allowed in the audition room. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 4:58pm

Who gets to decide if a "play doesn't need to exist?" 

I'm one gay man who is quite interested to see how this production tells the story, the role music plays in it, and what these two fine actors bring to their respective roles.

Those not interested in any of those things can vote with their credit cards and feet and abstain from attending just as people do all the time with shows whose stories do not interest them or for which they have other objections. And the mounting of this production does not preclude more and different stories from being told, something I agree is worth championing.

Updated On: 3/20/23 at 04:58 PM

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 5:01pm

Lots of valid points being made in this thread in between the usual melodramatic bitchery.

My 2 cents are mostly that while acting is *acting* and one should be able to play a variety of roles different - even the diametrical opposite - of oneself, the reality of the situation is that the broader audience is simply more impressed when one plays a role dramatically different that their own...

Let's be honest: in the last decade plus, straight actors have been rewarded for playing queer characters. It's seen as exciting to watch an artist "transform" themselves into a role. Felicity Huffman won a Golden Glove & was Oscar nominated for Transamerica. Hillary Swank won an Oscar and every award under the sun for Boys Don't Cry. Timothée Chalamet was nominated for an Oscar for Call Me By Your Name. Cate Blanchett was just Oscar-nominated for Tár.

I love all of the performances I just listed. I remember seeing Call Me By Your Name 8 times in the theatre (remember MoviePass?) because that film - and particularly Chalamet's performance - was so jaw-dropping gorgeous. I still think Chalamet was robbed of an Oscar for that role and believe his work to be truly revelatory.

So yes, these performances are lauded because the acting in them is good. But the other layer of the issue is: it feels like Acting with a capital A to the audience to see an assumed straight actor "take on" homosexuality. When they see a romantic or even a *gasp* sexual scene that feels somewhat believable, they give the actor points for throwing themselves fully into the role. Like with how Brendan Fraser just won for The Whale (also a gay character, but I think we can mostly safely assume the physical aspect of the role were more captivating for award voters).

Which brings us to the crux of the issue: why are there virtually no mainstream queer actors who act as queer in dramatic films and win awards for it? Is it cause if a young gay man played the role of Elio in Call Me By Your Name, it just wouldn't be that impressive? They wouldn't be "stretching" themselves? Would people even notice a difference? The sad thing is, we don't know. Because even in a teen-aimed rom-com like Love, Simon, which in no universe is going to be Oscar bait, the role of Simon is still played by a straight guy.

So no, I don't think straight actors shouldn't be allowed to play gay characters, but what about all the queer actors who get told time and again that "you're not right for this part" because they have a limp wrist or speak with the sibilant s or "can't pass?" Were those actors given the opportunity to play a role that apparently is within the thin boundary casting directors can see them?

So I think it should be continued to be discussed, because it's a relevant topic that won't go away. And something to ponder over.

Updated On: 3/20/23 at 05:01 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 5:21pm

nealb1 said: "Looks really good.

Even if these 2 actors are gay - so? What does that have to do with going to the theatre and seeing the show? One's private life, is just that. Their private life, regardless of the profession.
"

As someone else mentioned, it is VERY different when you're a performer. Once casting directors know you're gay they pretty much only see you as gay and therefore don't cast you as a "romantic lead" because they don't think the audience will believe you. It's sad, and not sure how to even begin to change that, but that's what makes this very frustrating. 

I remember when Andrew Garfield was doing Angels I had a few gay friends who left at intermission because they found his performance offensive for being too "fem." Just interesting. I didn't have an issue with it, but I do find it to be a bit of an eye roll to keep having straight actors playing gay roles. 

[hork]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 5:41pm

TotallyEffed said: "Chase Miller said: "The original actors from the film have said that Ennis and Jack aren't exclusively gay. They're just 2 people who fell in love. I believe both characters are meant to be seen as bisexual or "fluid". I don't have a problem with this."


Yeah this sounds exactly like something straight men would say."

And that sounds like something a bisexuality-denying gay man would say. I think the movie's treatment of sexuality is vague and poorly done, but it's clear that both Jack and Ennis have some attraction to women.

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 6:11pm

^ 100%

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 6:27pm

Garfield was no more "fem" than many of the gay actors I've seen playing the role.  People see what they want to see.

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 6:45pm

What is up with London's fetish for making straight plays out of movies?

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 6:49pm

Probably the same as Americans turning every movie in to a musical. 

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 7:06pm

I find this casting very disturbing.

Has Mike ever been horseback riding?  Has Lucas ever tried to corral sheep?  Didn't Lucus grow up in NYC - does he even know how to drive a pick up truck?

They should have went to a rodeo and cast real cowboys who are publicly out as real cowboys,

This production will never be authentic.

 

Updated On: 3/20/23 at 07:06 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 7:08pm

...and have they ever cooked beans over an open fire? These things matter. 

[herewegoabc]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 7:13pm

I know you're being sarcastic obviously, but Mike Faist has actually played a cowboy/rodeo role before in Panic. Looking at the poster for this, that's all I can see. 

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 7:19pm

Playing a cowboy before doesn't make one a cowboy.

It makes one an actor.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 7:48pm

Jordan Catalano said: "...and have they ever cooked beans over an open fire? These things matter."

 

Now that's getting personal, Lion.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 9:13pm

Oh man, they could do like “Oklahoma”’and cook and serve beans during intermission. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 9:19pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Ledger was brilliant and in a just world would have won his Oscar for BROKEBACK. I'd have been more than fine with PSH winning for THE MASTER (instead of Christoph Waltz for Django) and/or DOUBT (instead of Ledger for Dark Knight, since in this world Ledger would already have an Oscar). PSH's win for CAPOTE was a very "Oscary" part, like Brendan Fraser this year."

I couldn’t agree with you more.  Ironically, there was a second movie made about Capote, starring Toby Jones and Sandra Bullock.  I thought that Jones was more believable in the role, although I thought PSH was outstanding in Capote.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 9:30pm

Some of you are missing the points entirely. Sorry gay people want to be better represented. Sucks that somehow makes you all so angry. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 9:41pm

RippedMan said: "Some of you are missing the points entirely. Sorry gay people want to be better represented. Sucks that somehow makes you all so angry."

I don't see any anger here.  I see people sharing a mix of opinions just as it has occurred in the past when gay representation, casting, and production themes were talked about.  As one would expect, not everyone sees things the same way even among those of us who have stated we are gay.

 

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 9:58pm

Eh.  Call me when London does a straight play adaptation of a Bruce LaBruce movie. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 10:14pm

ok…

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 3/20/23 at 11:45pm

I wonder how many of the rightfully indignant people on here actually went to see "Bros".  

[cam5y]

Posted: 3/21/23 at 12:26am

Have to agree. Also, just wanted to bring up Jonathan Bailey, as a general matter.

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/21/23 at 12:35am

cam5y said: "Have to agree. Also, just wanted to bring up Jonathan Bailey, as a general matter."

I think he's a little occupied filming the WICKED movie to commit to a 3-month West End run of anything...

[cam5y]

Posted: 3/21/23 at 12:42am

Sorry, just meant that he is out and proud and a complete romantic hero beloved by all Bridgerton fans of my acquaintance.