Cate defends straight actors taking on LGBT characters

LOS ANGELES: Cate Blanchett has defended the casting of straight actors as LGBTQ characters, saying she will “fight to the death” with people who stop artistes from taking up any kind of roles.

The 49-year-old actor, who played a lesbian woman in her critically-acclaimed film Carol, said at the Rome Film Festival that it is not necessary for an actor to experience what the character feels, and she believes that it defies the whole point of acting.

“It also speaks to something that I’m quite passionate about in storytelling generally, but in film specifically, which is that film can be quite a literal medium.

“And I will fight to the death for the right to suspend disbelief and play roles beyond my experience. I think reality television and all that that entails had an extraordinary impact on the way we view the creation of character. I think it provides a lot of opportunity, but the downside of it is that we now, particularly in America, I think, we expect and only expect people to make a profound connection to a character when it’s close to their experience,” Blanchett added.

Of late, Hollywood has been severely criticised for casting straight actors to play gay, lesbian and trans roles. In July, actor Scarlett Johansson had to drop out from a project, where she was supposed to play a transgender man, following backlash from the LGBTQ community.

The Carol star says, it is not necessary for an actor to experience what the character feels