Anger as straight Whitehall gets gay Disney role
DISNEY has come under fire after it emerged that its first openly gay character will be played by a straight actor.
Comedian Jack Whitehall, who also appears in TV sitcoms, is set to star as a ‘very camp’ young man in adventure film Jungle Cruise. The blockbuster is due out next year and also features Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt.
However Disney’s casting of the 30-year-old has been heavily criticised. Actor Omar Sharif Jr wrote: ‘Really Disney? Your first significant
gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail.’
Gabe Friedman, a singer and actor, wrote: ‘This is a poor choice, Disney. Jack Whitehall should have said no to this role. I’m so tired of the lack of LGBTQ representation on screen.’
Actor Ethan Harvey tweeted: ‘If only there were gay actors who could play “camp” as well as Jack Whitehall.’ Others argued that gay actors have often played straight roles. Disney were last night yet to respond to requests for comment.
The row came as actress Ruby Rose deleted her Twitter profile after a backlash over her casting as Batwoman in a TV series by production company The CW Network.
The 32-year-old faced criticism from those who claimed she was ‘not right’ to play the lesbian character from a Jewish background.