Rebel Wilson has opened up on the debate surrounding straight actors playing queer characters.
The actor shared her thoughts on the topic during her recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs.
Speaking in response to a question surrounding double standards in comedy – for example with people who are not overweight making jokes about being overweight – Wilson shared: “I think that’s hard.”
The Pitch Perfect star, who is engaged to a woman, expanded: “It’s going into this territory of saying, ‘Well only straight actors can play straight roles and gay actors can play gay roles’, which I think is total nonsense.”
The topic has been circulating the entertainment industry recently, with some actors defending the view that straight actors should be able to play queer characters.
For example, Paul Mescal defended his portrayal of a gay man in All Of Us Strangers, saying: “It depends who’s in charge of telling the story”
He continued: “The issue is that there have been so many queer performances in cinema that have been offensive, but that’s because the filmmakers and the actors have been careless.
Earlier this year, Will & Grace star Eric McCormack, weighed in on the topic: “I would like to think in general that the best person for the role, the one that comes in and knocks it out of the park, is the one that gets the part.”
Last July, Stanley Tucci reflected on his portrayal of queer characters in Supernova and The Devil Wears Prada, sharing his view on straight actors playing queer roles. “Obviously, I believe that’s fine,” he said. “And I am always very flattered when gay men come up to me and talk about my role in The Devil Wears Prada or Supernova, and say I did it the right way.”
However, back in 2022, This Is Going To Hurt star Ben Whishaw spoke on the topic, giving his opinion about Eddie Redmayne’s performance as trans pioneer Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl, saying: “Going forward, there will be other films in which the role is given to someone who lived that experience. Why shouldn’t a role like that be given to someone who knows, inside, what the character is? I’m all for that.”
In 2021, It’s A Sin creator Russel T Davies shared his thoughts, suggesting that gay actors should be cast in gay roles to preserve “authenticity”. “You wouldn’t cast someone able-bodied and put them in a wheelchair, you wouldn’t black someone up. Authenticity is leading us to joyous places.”
Expanding on her belief, Wilson said: “I think you should be able to play any role that you want.”
She continued, speaking about the wider context of comedy: “But I always think, in comedy, your job is to always flirt with that line of what’s acceptable. Sometimes you do step over it but, at the end of the day, you are trying to entertain people.”
In other news, Wilson was praised recently for “helping” a fan with body dysmorphia through her memoir, Rebel Rising.