A Few Notes on Cisgender Actors Playing Transgender Characters

*Disclaimer: My thoughts on this subject have definitely evolved from what they were when I wrote this. Honestly, these days, I just don’t have any interest in seeing cis actors in trans roles. Whenever I hear about a trans role being played by a cis actor that I like, it bums me out – not because I wish I could see it but “can’t” out of moral principle, but just because it’s a disappointment that they’re doing it. I don’t want to see cis actors “disappear” into a trans role, and it doesn’t really matter how much a fan I otherwise am of their work. My gut reaction is usually just, “Ugh, pass.” Luckily, TV is becoming more inclusive in casting authentically on this front, and trans actors are starting to make (very) tiny inroads onto the big screen, offering better alternatives to check out.*

 

I’ll admit that I’ve watched my share of trans characters as performed by cis actors, and while I don’t think playing contrary to your gender identity means that you should be immediately showered with accolades and held up as a paragon of acting, I’ve definitely been mad impressed by some of the performances I’ve seen (such as Lee Pace in Soldier’s Girl, Peter Capaldi on Prime Suspect, and Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry.)  It wasn’t until I really started paying attention to trans issues that I started to question the practice of hiring cis actors for trans roles.

It’s not that cis actors are incapable of playing trans characters well.  As with virtually any role, some actors can pull off this type of demand and some can’t (I maintain my disappointment at Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto.)  However, continually casting cis actors in trans roles – and then heaping awards on them – is monumentally unfair in an industry where working trans actors have their choice of roles extremely limited as it is.  Much like sticking able-bodied actors in a wheelchair or whitewashing a character of color for the screen adaptation of a popular book, casting cis-as-trans takes away big opportunities for a marginalized subset of the acting community.

It’s only been in the last couple years that I’ve really seen trans actors playing trans characters, mainly on TV.  There’s been Laverne Cox on Orange is the New Black, Candis Cayne on Elementary, Tom Phelan on The Fosters, and assorted supporting/minor characters on Transparent.  Seeing these actors perform in various-sized roles, from recurring guest star to ensemble regular, only hammers home how important it is that actors are allowed access to opportunities. 

My question is, once I’ve identified myself as a consumer who feels this way, what’s my responsibility?  I want to see trans stories being told and trans characters incorporated organically into a narrative, but the majority of these characters (especially the prominent ones) are still being cast with cis actors.  Let’s take The Danish Girl, out later this award season and starring Eddie Redmayne (he already has his able-bodied-playing-disabled Oscar – will he rack up a cis-playing-trans Oscar as well?)  Do I see it because I support studio films about transgender people?  This tacitly accepts the casting conventions that led to Redmayne getting the role instead of a trans actress.  Do I not see it, boycott it, or even protest it because I believe trans roles should be filled by trans performers?  This runs the risk of Hollywood, in all its fallaciously logical wisdom, saying, “People aren’t going to The Danish Girl!  Obviously, this means consumers aren’t interested in trans movies – let’s not make any more.”  Do I see it to support the story and write a letter to the studio expressing my disappointment with the casting practices?  Since, in the film industry, money talks far louder than words do, this could simply result in the studio saying, “Well, it wasn’t enough to stop you from buying a ticket, so we don’t have anything to worry about!”

I don’t know what the answer is.  Where and how do my interests as a consumer intersect with my role as an ally?  How can I do my part, however small, to be part of the solution instead of the problem?  There are fantastic, compelling stories out there.  What can I do to help see them get told as they should be?