Current Events > Straight actor is getting death threats from LGBT community for playing gay role

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https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/love-victor-star-michael-cimino-anti-gay-comments-205021634.html

Love, Victor is the groundbreaking gay coming-of-age romance series, now in its second season on Hulu, that so many older LGBTQ people yearned for when they were teens. But according to co-stars Michael Cimino (Victor) and George Sear (who plays Victor's boyfriend Benji), not everyone is feeling so appreciative of the high school drama. "I got some homophobic comments I kind of expected that to happen. I didn't expect it from my own family members, though," Cimino told gay U.K. magazine Attitude in its new summer issue. "Some of them reached out, saying, 'You used to be so cool; now you're so gay.' I chalk it up to ignorance. People have that programming and they often dont have to evolve and try to push past that." Cimino, who identifies as straight, added, "Theres nothing wrong with being gay. That ignorance is often something thats been passed on from generations prior. I always approach that [by saying], 'These are normal people that are struggling and they shouldnt have to struggle.' Still, he pointed out, "I have changed opinions. I had some friends who are religious and they've changed their perspective on things." But still, some advised him to avoid gay roles so he wouldn't be typecast. "I've been advised that you shouldn't play gay roles, especially [for] your first big role. 'Everyone will think you're gay' or You won't be able to book anything,' 'Youll never be able to build a fan base.'"

For Cimino, criticism has come from all sides, including from those who do not approve of him playing gay and long-running and complex issue within the LGBTQ community. "I've definitely had some criticism from the LGBT community for being in the role I've had death threats, which is horrible. But the show is important to me. The messages of hate I came into it knowing that would happen, regardless of how good I was," Cimino said. "But there are some straight actors who play gay characters, who are all about supporting LGBT rights while they're promoting their project, but once theyre done, a year later, its kind of forgotten. Thats not how [to] be an ally, thats not how you support LGBT rights," he said. "If youre not an actual ally, then what are you doing?"



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Has Tom Hiddleston gotten any death threats from the Nordic God community yet?

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Despicable behavior

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I wish actors would stop pretending to be things they're not.

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there are crazy people in every community tbh

Were_Wyrm posted...

I wish actors would stop pretending to be things they're not.

Is this a subtle joke? >_>

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Death threats are never acceptable, regardless of source.

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Man there are some really fucking stupid people in the world
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I mean, death threats are always wrong, but is there really any reason to cast a straight person in a gay role? :v

Ardbert posted...

I mean, death threats are always wrong, but is there really any reason to cast a straight person in a gay role? :v

Im guessing this is some attempt at a joke, didnt strike me as particularly funny though

cjs28 posted...

Is this a subtle joke? >_>

It was in no way, shape, or form subtle.

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BilalPowell posted...

Has Tom Hiddleston gotten any death threats from the Nordic God community yet?

Nah, they're pretty easy-going.

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Ardbert posted...

I mean, death threats are always wrong, but is there really any reason to cast a straight person in a gay role? :v

This is a bad question.

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Ardbert posted...

I mean, death threats are always wrong, but is there really any reason to cast a straight person in a gay role? :v

Presumably he was the best fit amongst those who auditioned for the role

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eston posted...

Presumably he was the best fit amongst those who auditioned for the role

It's just hard to believe for me that there wasn't a gay actor that fit better. It's like they were casting for a dog in a movie, and picked a cat instead. :v How could a cat possibly play the role of a dog better than a dog could?

I guess if all the gay actors in hollywood were already busy with other things it's okay.

You're also implying that no gay person shouldn't be able to play a straight person.

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Ardbert posted...

It's just hard to believe for me that there wasn't a gay actor that fit better. It's like they were casting for a dog in a movie, and picked a cat instead. :v How could a cat possibly play the role of a dog better than a dog could?

I guess if all the gay actors in hollywood were already busy with other things it's okay.

Maybe there's a gay actor somewhere who could have fit the role better, but they choose from people who audition for the part. And I'm not sure the difference between gay people and straight people is quite the same as the difference between dogs and cats

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eston posted...

Maybe there's a gay actor somewhere who could have fit the role better, but they choose from people who audition for the part. And I'm not sure the difference between gay people and straight people is quite the same as the difference between dogs and cats

yea, it isn't a huge issue at the end of the day. I just think it's kind of silly and out of touch. Like, you wanna depict gay people in what you're making, but you didn't go that extra step to actually have the gay character portrayed by someone who is gay.

No one should be sending death threats over it though, absolutely not. That's crazy.

Think Sean Penn would be cancelled if Milk came out today?

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Oh shit it's Hairi no wonder he said what he said.

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Ardbert posted...

yea, it isn't a huge issue at the end of the day. I just think it's kind of silly and out of touch. Like, you wanna depict gay people in what you're making, but you didn't go that extra step to actually have the gay character portrayed by someone who is gay.

No one should be sending death threats over it though, absolutely not. That's crazy.

The issue is really more about representation anyway. You cast a gay actor to play a gay character in order to give gay actors more visibility, not because they are intrinsically better at playing gay characters than any straight actor ever could be. Either way a scripted romance is just going to be acting.

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Death threats and the like are never ok. And the actors do do a fine job. I like the movie and series. But I admit it does annoy me that there are hardly any queer actors actually involved in it.

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Ardbert posted...

It's just hard to believe for me that there wasn't a gay actor that fit better. It's like they were casting for a dog in a movie, and picked a cat instead. :v How could a cat possibly play the role of a dog better than a dog could?

I guess if all the gay actors in hollywood were already busy with other things it's okay.

There's more to playing the role of a character than just the one identifiable factor. Sure, you could be authentically attracted to the same sex, but that's not the same as being able to convey things to an audience in the way the director's trying to make happen.

and/or: star power appeal

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JustMyOpinion posted...

USER INFO: ARDBERT
Rookie User User Since: Jun 2021Karma: 10Active Posts: 104

Whose shitposting alt is this?

im actually just new here :v

Ardbert posted...

I mean, death threats are always wrong, but is there really any reason to cast a straight person in a gay role? :v

so by your logic, gay people shouldnt act as straight people?
get outta here

So we are ok with denying people jobs based on sexual orientation?

Isnt that a step backwards?

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Do....do these DDIQS (the ones complaining not the community in general) seriously not understand what acting is?
Are you telling me Tom Cruise has never actually saved the world?!

And do...do they really want to set a standard? Sure hope they have as much outrage when a gay man plays *gasp* a straight

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Drrobotniks posted...

so by your logic, gay people shouldnt act as straight people?
get outta here

well, i mean, i guess ideally not. but there aren't enough gay roles in movies to employ all the gay people in hollywood. :v so you have to give them work as straight people too.

It is literally called acting.

The whole point is that you put on a performance. If you are playing yourself, you're not really acting. You're just being you. The "representation" rule doesn't apply when you have LGBTQ actors playing heterosexual characters as frequently as hetero actors playing LGBTQ characters.

It's not like a visible minority where you can only play someone with the same skintone. You can pretend to be someone of a different orientation, religion, nationality, or political equation. If that's not the case, then we need to round up and arrest anyone who has played a Nazi because it surely means they are one.

I've not seen any criticism of this on his Twitter page OR the show's. It seems to be another case of fixating on something that only a small minority are vocal about, but isn't really a huge issue.

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Ardbert posted...

well, i mean, i guess ideally not. but there aren't enough gay roles in movies to employ all the gay people in hollywood. :v so you have to give them work as straight people too.

So it's a double standard? How about we don't do any kind of discrimination based on sexual orientation at all when casting actors for roles?

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Ardbert posted...

It's just hard to believe for me that there wasn't a gay actor that fit better. It's like they were casting for a dog in a movie, and picked a cat instead. :v How could a cat possibly play the role of a dog better than a dog could?

TIL gay people and straight people are two different species

oh wait, Rookie User post

ROOTFayth posted...

there are crazy people in every community tbh

this, sadly

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HylianFox posted...

TIL gay people and straight people are two different species

I mean... have you seen straight people? >_>

https://twitter.com/KarlBarthTopCop/status/1405539078167175170?s=20

People care way more about entertainment than they have any right to.

I understand that representation in media is important but let actors be actors.


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This is why Twitter needs to be shut down, it's unsafe for man, woman, or beast.
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Ardbert posted...

I mean... have you seen straight people? >_>

https://twitter.com/KarlBarthTopCop/status/1405539078167175170?s=20

What is wrong with those shirts?

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I think it's meant to be an "I stuffed her" joke, but it comes across clumsily.

Were_Wyrm posted...

I wish actors would stop pretending to be things they're not.

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I also see they cast a white woman as the Black Widow.

SMGDH

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FortuneCookie posted...

I think it's meant to be an "I stuffed her" joke, but it comes across clumsily.

how does it come across clumsily though, it's pretty clear to me

It's called acting.

The guy who directed The Deer Hunter?

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Were_Wyrm posted...

I wish actors would stop pretending to be things they're not.

Seems like the homophobes are outing themselves here.

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Veggeta X posted...

Oh shit it's Hairi no wonder he said what he said.

I wonder how many email accounts he's burned through O_O

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cjs28 posted...

Is this a subtle joke? >_>

yes

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