Actor Guy Pearce has apologized after recently questioning the standards surrounding the casting of transgender characters in film and television productions.
Pearce initially questioned the logic employed by those who suggest that only transgender-identifying actors should portray transgender characters. After receiving backlash, the Australian actor tweeted out a lengthy apology for the “insensitive” tweet.
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“I posted a tweet yesterday that I shouldn’t have, which to prevent upsetting anyone else I have now deleted. A fuller apology and explanation of the point I was raising is attached,” he wrote.
I posted a tweet yesterday that I shouldn’t have, which to prevent upsetting anyone else I have now deleted. A fuller apology and explanation of the point I was raising is attached xx Guy pic.twitter.com/bu1vLQcPFm
— Guy Pearce (@TheGuyPearce) March 28, 2023
He wrote in the attached statement that, “I see that raising the question of gender identity within the casting process on a platform like Twitter was not a good idea.”
“For that, I apologize, enormously. I acknowledge it has only stirred up and inflamed attitudes and made us all dig our heels in,” he added.
“Our industry is already a cesspool of politics, bums on seats funding, nepotism, and favoritism. It’s clear a great many minority communities are underrepresented onscreen and that so too are actors from those communities. But I don’t believe artists should have to announce their personal identity, sexual preference, political stance, disability, religious beliefs, etc. to attain work,” Pearce continued.
However, he didn’t cede his point entirely.
“I believe that to suggest ‘acting’ can only come from our own lived experience annihilates our imagination,” he said.
The actors original tweet read: “A question – if the only people allowed to play trans characters r trans folk, then r we also suggesting the only people trans folk can play r trans characters?” he wrote in the since-deleted tweet. “Surely that will limit ur career as an actor? Isn’t the point of an actor to be able play anyone outside ur own world?”
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Pearce’s career launched after his appearance in the 1994 movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert where he, ironically enough, portrayed a drag queen.
The actor said he has been asked on several occasions whether it was appropriate for him to take the role. He further explained that this sparked his curiosity, prompting the tweet.
