That is actor Eddie Redmayne in the photo above femulating in the film The Danish Girl in which he plays Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe, a Danish artist who was an early sex reassignment surgery patient.
As in the past, whenever a non-transgender person gets the role of a transgender person, there is a hue and cry from the transgender community complaining that a transgender actor/actress should have gotten the role. And so it goes with the non-trans Redmayne portraying Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe.
I have no complaint about hiring a non-trans person to play a trans role. If I was casting a film, I would want the best actors/actresses to be in my film whether or not their personal life experience matched that of the film’s characters. If there was a match that would be icing on the cake, but if not, that’s where the ability of an actor to play a role takes over.
And as a member of the audience, I want my money’s worth; I want to see the best performances that money can buy up on the big screen, not an amateurish production featuring authentic transpeople or cowboys or cops or snipers. Have you ever sat through a film featuring any of Warhol’s trans trio, Candy, Holly, and Jackie? I rest my case.
My complaint about the casting of transgender roles is using females to play transwomen and vice versa, using males to play transmen. For the sake of authenticity, male actors should play transwomen and female actresses should play transmen.
Who is a more authentic transwoman: the pretty and petite Felicity Huffman in Transamerica or the large of frame, six-foot-one Jeffrey Tambor in Transparent? The audience has to suspend disbelief, i.e., that Huffman is a cisgender woman in order to accept her as a pre-op transsexual, whereas it is easy for the audience to buy into Tambor’s masculine roots.
On the other hand, if any film company decides to do Femulate: The Movie, then all bets are off!
Wearing Max Mara.
Actor Peter Sellers in the 1962 British film Lolita.
Liked the last part on making Femulate: The Movie. You're definitely good looking enough for the big screen!
ReplyDeleteAll right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up!
DeleteI agree completely, all actors should chosen to play roles that they are best at. And that when a transgender story is being told the actor playing it, to be authentic. Should be of the same birth sex as the character being depicted. I do like that the trans subject is being brought up. But I believe it lacks authenticity because hollywood is often using eye candy to hold its audience. I don't like Hollywood creating images that people believe is what they are supposed to be or look like. By using a cis gendered actor playing the transformed gender it's saying that transgender people can't be pleasing to the eye.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Holly!
DeleteWhen it comes to actors in films, I would like a little authenticity, which I think mean select the best actor for the job.
ReplyDeleteOn another note if they do make Femulate the movie, who would you choose to play the central character ~ you?
Fiona suggested Charlize Theron and I agree... Charlize is tall and I think the resemblance is striking! LOL
DeleteDear Stana,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you totally. I admire straight actors who play gay roles very convincingly. I applaud non-trans actors who play transgendered roles well. For example, 6'3" Lee Pace, a non-trans actor, played Calpernia Addams in the excellent Showtime film SOLDIER'S GIRL. Lee said this is the role he is most proud of. He mentioned he learned so much about transwomen. Bravo, Lee Pace.
Love,
Sheila.
Lee Pace was perfect in that film.
DeleteWay to go Stana! I like that you did not defer to political correctness when you voiced your opinion about this subject. I wholeheartedly agree that as paying movie goers (or television watchers) we should be entitled to the absolute best actors.
ReplyDeleteSally
Thanks, Sally!
DeleteYou're entirely right about using male actors as transwomen, ESPECIALLY in this case I do not think Lili had the access to HRT and plastic surgery (implants, etc) modern transwomen do. I understand Redmayne lost a lot of weight for the role... in that shot he looks good.
ReplyDeleteAnd you skipped the WORST casting of a transwoman.... Raquel Welch in Myra Breckenridge... I mean, REALLY??? then again, with that film, who knows what they meant to be saying??
Hold out for ...um... maybe Charlize Theron to play you?
Myra... good read, lousy film. And yes, Charlize Theron is my first choice to play me. LOL
DeleteI agree with you Stana. Very few people know that the male me that they encounter daily likes to dress and present as a woman. The same may be true for Redmayne. I presume that the film will try to present the issue of being T in that era in an honest fashion. I think that the film will have more of an audience with the lead played by an actor with an Oscar on his shelf than someone of lesser filmdom renown.
ReplyDeletePat
Interesting that this film project has been kicking around for awhile and Nicole Kidman was supposed to play Lili Elbe, but now they switched to Redmayne.
DeleteDear Stana,
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Wikipedia article on the film, THE DANISH GIRL, filming just started late last month. It is slated for a 2016 release.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Danish_Girl_(film)
Love,
Sheila.