“Whatever performance ends up on film is the responsibility of the director.”
Sitting down with TravelGay, iconic actor Stephen Fry opened up about James Corden his performance in Netflix film, The Prom.
“I don’t want to add to the hate James Corden is receiving. I have to say in his defence that whatever performance ends up on film is the responsibility of the director.
“So Ryan Murphy is at fault there, not James. He should have said to dial it down and not go for the camp, podgy 1970’s figure,” he said.
Since the film’s release, many critics and viewers have expressed their disappointment in Corden’s over the top and stereotypical performance of Barry Glickman.
Fry also opened up about the ongoing debate of straight actors playing gay roles, referencing Russell T Davies and It’s A Sin.
“I think Russell was absolutely right in the case of It’s A Sin. There is something magically extra about knowing the boys playing the boys are themselves gay young men who missed that crisis because they’re far too young.
” […] in the case of actors not being able to come out or being told that it would harm their careers it’s shocking that it’s still the case in LA.”
Last year in an interview, Davies opened up about casting gay actors in gay roles stating: “My take is to cast gay as gay. Absolutely. I believe that profoundly. I think you not only get authenticity; you get revenge for 100 years straight-washing.”
Neil Patrick Harris, who stars in It’s A Sin with Fry, recently opened up about the topic in his interview with The Times, stating “I’m not being woke about this… but I feel strongly that if I cast someone in a story, I am casting them to act as a lover, or an enemy, or someone on drugs or a criminal or a saint.”
“They are not there to ‘act gay’ because ‘acting gay’ is a bunch of codes for a performance. 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.
“I’m not one to jump onto labelling. As an actor you certainly hope you can be a visible option for all kinds of different roles. I played a character [in ‘How I Met Your Mother’] for nine years who was nothing like me. I would definitely want to hire the best actor.”
You can watch It’s A Sin on Channel 4 and HBO Max.
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