Aaron Sorkin Says Straight Actors Should Be Allowed To Play LGBT Roles

Aaron Sorkin believes straight actors should be allowed to play LGBT characters on the stage, small screen and big screen.

The filmmaker came under criticism for his latest project, Being the Ricardos, which sees Spanish actor Javier Bardem play the role of Cuban-American star Desi Arnaz.

The film follows the turbulent life of I Love Lucy duo Lucille Ball (played by Nicole Kidman) and Arnaz.

Sorkin's critics said he should have picked someone who was actually Cuban for the character rather than rely on someone with star power.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

He's since hit back against that notion and explained how there shouldn't be so much focus on who the actor is and rather what they bring to the role.

In an interview with Sunday Times Culture, Sorkin said: "If I was directing you in a scene and said: 'It's cold, you can't feel your face'. That's actable. But if I said: 'Be Cuban'. That is not actable.

"Nouns aren't actable. Gay and straight aren't actable. You can act being attracted to someone, but can't act gay or straight.

"So this notion that only gay actors should play gay characters? That only a Cuban actor should play Desi? Honestly, I think it's the mother of all empty gestures and a bad idea."

He said it was 'chilling' to see the 'artistic community resegregating ourselves'.

The question of whether actors should be similar to the roles they are playing has been hotly debated over the past few years.

Alamy

Advocates say a person who is from the LGBTQ+ community should be hired to play someone like them because they have experience in that realm, whereas a straight actor would have to do some digging.

In Sorkin's interview, The West Wing creator explained how the world needs to stop being so sensitive on microscopic details when it comes to acting.

He said we are 'going to have to start to be OK with having our feelings hurt once in a while'.

Sorkin also touched on how Gina Carano was fired from The Mandalorian for going on problematic rants on social media.

He believes the Carano was unfairly let go from the Disney TV show but also understands how executives have to make decisions if their show is negatively in the news.

"That's life in a democracy. Also, it's different if you spread misinformation about vaccines, for instance. Or incite violence," he said.

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, LGBT

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie