The Jared Leto Question

[RallyCola]

At issue is whether or not there is a transgender woman who could have played the role better. The oscar was awarded for Leto's ability to embody the role well. I contest that if a cis gender woman had played the role of a transwoman, it would not have been as well received as Leto's portrayal. Moreover, I contest that had a transwoman played the role in DBC, more attention would have been paid to her gender and the fact that she had or was transitioning than her ability on screen to portray a character well.

the fact is that most of society is not well educated on the transgender community to be ready to respect a transgender actor in this or any role so the answer is, in a movie such as this where you have A-list talent, i don't think a transgender actor would have been appropriate because the masses would have reacted errantly. Moreover, because the role was of a poor hooker, it would have put an undue spectacle on the transgender community.

Trans actors need to break into film and tv as regular characters where the fact that they are trans is only part of their personal life, not their character's life. That's equality and acceptance. Anything short of that still segregates transpeople as something other than normal.

[Rabbiteyes]

I agree with most of the comments. It would have been very meaningful for a trans woman to win the Oscar but winning it was not a foregone conclusion for anyone. I also don't understand the argument that if someone plays a character who has some stereotypical features, they are then the mere embodiment of those stereotypes. Sometimes certain character traits are derived from actual biographical data where the character is based on a real person, and sometimes stereotypes are touched upon incidentally without an implied message that these characteristics are typical of a member of that class.

The Rayon character wasn't based on a real person...

The main character of the movie WAS based on a real person...and that person was bisexual (and no indications of him being bigoted). But the writers made him straight instead (since, well, straight guy saving gays seems like a better story, right?).

They still needed a gay character in the film then.

So they invented Rayon.... as a crossdresser.

Yup, the character was a crossdresser originally. Actually, they just swapped out the word "Crossdresser" for "tranny" at some point (but left the script as it was).

Anyhow, who was Rayon? The gay pity porn wet dream character of the directors.

Someone who audiences could really feel the deepest form of pity for...the very bottom of society.

Drug addict....aids infected....prostitute....who dies....AND is trans.

I mean really, does it get any more sad? I guess she could have been black?

[Rabbiteyes]

Trans actors need to break into film and tv as regular characters where the fact that they are trans is only part of their personal life, not their character's life. That's equality and acceptance. Anything short of that still segregates transpeople as something other than normal.

Ideally....sure....

But we all know that isn't happening or going to happen.

Trans actresses getting trans roles is one of the few things they actually CAN do.... but still manage to miss out on those roles in favor of a man ready to throw on a dress.

[RallyCola]

Ideally....sure....

But we all know that isn't happening or going to happen.

Trans actresses getting trans roles is one of the few things they actually CAN do.... but still manage to miss out on those roles in favor of a man ready to throw on a dress.

that is a very defeatest statement and it would almost seem to pigeonhole trans actors. to simplify the issue, it really will come down to whether a casting director is hiring an actor because he or she is a transgender person or hiring an actor who just happens to be a transgender person.

it is quite clear to me that major film and tv roles will only come after success in independent films or plays. i would not be surprised at all if an off-broadway, or for that matter, a broadway show is where someone will get a big mainstream break.

[Rabbiteyes]

"I found my answer when I listened with jaw dropped to what director Jean-Marc Vallee had to say on CBC Radio about casting a trans person as the role of Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. “Never,” he said. “Is there any transgender actor? To my knowledge — I don’t know one. I didn’t even think about it”. When the interviewer interjected with, “Of course there are transgender actors,” Vallee answered with, “Which ones? There’s like five, or three, or what — two? I never thought of that. I never thought of hiring a real rodeo guy to play the rodeo Ron Woodruff. And just like in every film — we’re actors, we’re directors. I’m not aiming for the real thing. I’m aiming for an experienced actor who wants to portray the thing.”


They didn't even look for a trans person...or think about it.

But, yea, random cis straight guy who talked to a tranny once or twice seems legit. Not like the role would turn into an ugly walking stereotype or something (oh wait, crap, that is what happened).

[broncofan]

The Rayon character wasn't based on a real person...

The main character of the movie WAS based on a real person...and that person was bisexual (and no indications of him being bigoted). But the writers made him straight instead (since, well, straight guy saving gays seems like a better story, right?).

They still needed a gay character in the film then.

So they invented Rayon.... as a crossdresser.

Yup, the character was a crossdresser originally. Actually, they just swapped out the word "Crossdresser" for "tranny" at some point (but left the script as it was).
Anyhow, who was Rayon? The gay pity porn wet dream character of the directors.
Someone who audiences could really feel the deepest form of pity for...the very bottom of society.
Drug addict....aids infected....prostitute....who dies....AND is trans.
I mean really, does it get any more sad? I guess she could have been black?

I agree with you that the artistic choices weren't the bravest. I particularly understand your objection to the macho homophobic guy taking charge and gradually developing a sensitivity for the gay and transgender community. I thought it was a bit of a cop-out, as well as a weak plot device.

Maybe the director and screenwriter didn't trust the audience to be sympathetic to Rayon unless he was portrayed as coming from the most desperate circumstances. If that's the case, then the choices are a response to prejudice rather than a driver of it.

I don't think the portrayal of Rayon was a malicious one. It might reflect the filmmaker's belief that there would be trans-phobic and homophobic people in the audience.

But if you look at the history of message movies, they don't date very well. There was a movie decades ago called Gentleman's Agreement about anti-semitism, that if you watch now, comes across as a well-intentioned, albeit overwrought and absurd film. I bet you there were some people at the time who thought so simply because they had a familiarity with the issues.

[RallyCola]

They didn't even look for a trans person...or think about it.

did you miss my original post????

of course they did not look for a trans actor. they wanted a commercially viable movie so they cast someone with a name.

if they had cast a transwoman, the press would have focused on her transition more than her skill as an actress. the masses would have labeled it a gay aids movie. the producers were completely right NOT to seek a transwoman as their point was to make money.

that fact...that the movie was made to make money...is exactly the reason that a trans actor needs to be cast in a role that has nothing to do with transition because that is the best way to hedge against having the focus be on the actor's gender...it is the best way to hedge against the uneducated audience labeling it inappropriately.

[Rabbiteyes]

of course they did not look for a trans actor. they wanted a commercially viable movie so they cast someone with a name.

Ok, if you want to talk about business...let's do that.

From a business stand point, Jared Leto hasn't done a movie for over 6 years. He really isn't a big name.

On the other hand, you are right...the media would have asked a trans actress about trans things for the trans role she is playing (WHICH IS A GOOD THING!).

In the same way Laverne Cox gets a HUGE amount of publicity and attention (for being a trans actress playing a trans character). Whatever actress had gotten the part for Buyers Club would have gotten huge press as well....

From a business stand point, a trans person would have brought a lot more attention. Instead, you had Leto going around to the talk shows talking about waxing his entire body and deciding to wear drag out once to "get connected with the role".

Basically, it was like having a straight guy play a woman and then asking him how he felt... and he focuses on "omg, did you know women shave their legs?!? with these special non man razors! omg!"

You seem to be trying to argue that a trans person SHOULDN'T play trans roles....which is kind of insane?

You seem fine with the results of cis straight guys playing trans characters (in that they bring nothing to the role but tired stereotypes).

The director gave an interview about how Leto first met him in character....and that leto was so into the character, that the first thing he did was try to seduce the director (because, of course a trans women wants to fuck any man that walks by). Even outside the movie these guys had their heads so far up their asses that they didn't realize they were just living out some weird stereotyped idea of women and trans people.

The entire thing is just pathetic.

[MrBest]

its called acting

[bluesoul]

You seem fine with the results of cis straight guys playing trans characters (in that they bring nothing to the role but tired stereotypes).

the actor only brought to the role what was required of him. if the part demands he play a certain character he cannot change it and suddenly be an activist for a cause he most likely doesn't understand.

also, didn't domino presley dare "us" to try and live in the opposite gender for a week? how long did the shooting of this film last, because i think jared leto may have done it for us- especially, since as you put it, "he's going on all these talk shows talking about waxing his entire body and deciding to wear drag out once to "get connected with the role".