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Eddie Redmayne plays Lili Elbe
On another forum there is a lively debate regarding Mr Redmayne playing the role of TS pioneer Lili Elbe. It revolves around the fact that Eddie R is a ‘cis” gendered male and therefore unsuitable for the role.
My opinion is that actors are rarely the same as the characters they portray and they are paid to pretend to be someone else. Therefore, why are we so precious when it comes to TG characters?
Marlon Brando was not Sicillian, Peter OToole is 6’4″ and TE Lawrence was 5′,Leonard Nimoy was actually a Human, so what is the difference in this case? It is hardly a precedent!
As long as the characterization is genuine and the film is of quality , that is all I care about. I will look forward to seeing it in 2016.
[attachment=48]lilielbe.jpg[/attachment] -
12 Replies
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Genuinely looking forward to this movie. He was amazing with his role as Stephen hawking why can’t he be amazing at this too. Also he looks pretty good as a woman if I don’t say so myself
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Is this thread about the movie? The person playing the character or about a cis male playing a transgendered person?
I am looking forward to the movie for obvious reasons. I also must admit to being interested in it as it is a period piece. We think we have it difficult now, how difficult was it back then? I don’t know how expensive it was to get a good wig for example, for those that needed one, how much did dresses cost, not to mention the underwear corsets etc. Also, a lot of photos of cross dressed individuals show a lack of make-up. I think the social mores were ‘Ladies didn’t do that sort of thing’. Only ‘fast’ or theatrical women, i.e. tarts. did.
Mind you, according to television and movies, ‘Fast women and tarts’ could have had a lot of good times too. If you are old enough to remember Gunsmoke, Miss Kitty had a heart of gold and was loved by all. ‘Pretty Woman’, turned out well for Julia Roberts character, Sweety Charity helped Shirley MacLaine who famously said, at the Oscars, that, when she was researching her character she found she could have made a fortune in another career!
Anyway, here we have a supposed cis male playing a person who attempts to become a fully functioning female and evidently dies for it when there is an attempt to transplant a uterus.
So, are we supposed to get up in arms about this when we have many transgendered actors? Man, sorry, person, the barricades. Burn our (padded) bras! Do we start complaining because so many gay actors have portrayed heterosexual males? Ditto females? I played character driven games when I was a child, cowboys and indians. I was neither. Wargames, sorry, but Germans against the ‘British and everyone else was big back then. When I played mummies and daddies with girls I knew which part I wanted to play.
Thing is, we are up the creek without a paddle in this one, the game is to portray a character. Should the guys and girls in The Big Bang Theory be castigated because the guys and two of the girls aren’t actually scientists, should the girl, Penny, be criticised because she isn’t a dumb hick from the country who sleeps around with everyone who buys her a meal or a drink? Their words, not mine.
It is a fine line we can walk in this particular arena of criticism. Let’s just sit back and enjoy the movie. -
I agree Claire. I’m just about to re-watch Dallas Buyers Club, another movie where a cis gendered male brilliantly portrays a transwoman. Thinking about “Transparent” previously where the lead is a male playing a transwoman but transwomen and a transman play supporting roles I decided it was horses for courses. If you want to cast the role of the early stages of transition, a woman or a transwoman just doesn’t fit. A male actor looks far more realistic struggling to build the new look. The transwomen actors really shone as the well transitioned (trans)women.
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Unfortunately a lot of people don’t see him as having an accurate understanding of what it is like to be transgender in order to give a good performance. Which is only made worse by the significant number of trans actors out there who have this understanding first hand.
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Yes, ok Claire, enough examples already!!! I am convinced and to me, it is not a problem. Personally I think we have enough issues each day to contend with , without making more over bloody movies.
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I just thought I’d drop my two cents worth in sweetie. xxx
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Hi everyone,
1/. My 2 cents worth on this matter?. Not fussed about who plays what as long as they do it well. To insinuate that a certain class or type of person should play a particular role is bordering on discrimination and when that’s directed at “minorities” such as us on TGR, we are the first to complain
2/. Tho I consider myself reasonably well read up until recently I’d never heard of the term “cisgender”. This thread made me look it up.
So (sincere) thanks to all for enlightening me thus.
Caty
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Just thought I’d bring two recent posts together..
We have been debating about whether or not trans people should play trans parts in the “on screen media”, TV films etc.
There’s also been mention of the excellent Calpernia Addams interview on the ABC.
Thus I hear a few murmurings about “what’s the connection”.
It is this: If you have not seen the amazing way Lee Pace plays Calpernia in the movie “Soldier Boy” just look it up on You Tube.
OK Lee and Calpernia have different colour hair and styles, but with the professional prosthetics, make up and costumes, it is impossible to tell that Lee Pace is actually male.
So I guess this goes some way to reinforcing my views that if it is done well, then it is irrelevant who plays the part
The You Tube clip where they show Mr Pace being made over is just amazing.
Mr/Ms “Average CD” would probably think they had died and gone to CD heaven if it was to happen to them.
Regards to all
Caty
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Its probably worth adding that this is the link for those who can’t be bothered googling.
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Thank you Jordan, that was a fascinating clip. I would love the money to be able to afford such a great make-over and what a glorious wig!!! Oh myyyy.
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I think that so far no one has seen the obvious advantage of a cis male playing a trans role is that we gain another high profile ally every time.
With the research and mentoring required for an actor to effectively portray a particular role, the actor is self educating themselves in the lifestyle of that role and will gain a deep understanding of the way we live and the trials we go through. -
Hi to all,
If we think the makeover clip of Lee Pace is good, (and it is), some of the other you tube clips of Mr Pace as Calpernia are equally as good. Just go to the side bar of the link Jordan posted and you’ll see why.
OR… (THE FOLLOWING IS YET ANOTHER PLUG FOR MICHELLE FROM LUMINANCE!!!)
Be one of the lucky ones who have booked a makeover with her at TF… You will look just as good…
And no I’m not on a “commission”. Just like “spreading the word”.
Regards
Caty
Me again
Thursday 19th Just to take this a bit further check this out with Lee Pace/Calrpernia Addams, (from Tumbbler)
Amazing transformation, especially the “topless shots”
Caty
Caty
