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Neil Patrick Harris says it’s better to hire the “best actor” to play a role, instead of hiring someone who shares the same sexuality as their character.
“I think there’s something sexy about casting a straight actor to play a gay role, if they’re willing to invest a lot into it,” said Harris in an interview with The Times UK. The actor added that he believes the “best actor” should be chosen for a role, despite their sexuality.
“You wouldn’t cast someone able-bodied and put them in a wheelchair; you wouldn’t black someone. Authenticity is leading us to joyous places,” said Davies.
Harris said that while he doesn’t like to “jump on to labelling,” it is important for a gay actor to be “a visible option” for all types of roles.
“In our world that we live in you can’t really as a director demand that [an actor be gay or straight]. Who’s to determine how gay someone is?” said Harris.
“I played a character for nine years who was nothing like me. I would definitely want to hire the best actor,” said Harris.
James Corden was blasted by critics for his portrayal of a gay character in the Netflix movie The Prom. Critics called the actor’s flamboyant performance “offensive,” “the worst gay-face,” and “horrifically bad.”
