Can Straight Actors Play Gay Characters? | Good Morning Britain

[@hakuealbranio272]

Just look at Neil Patrick Harris in How I Met Your Mother - he was playing the straightest man ever, chasing after every girl. It’s all about the brilliancy of the actor.

[@ROYAL_REBEL]

EXACTLY It's called acting. Straight actors can play as gay, gay actors can play straight parts Sir Ian McKellen plays straight parts ALL THE TIME

[@joewilliams9285]

or Doogie Howser

[@Blue-d3t1c]

I think not enough importance is given the writers and directors. For me, Neil Patrick Harris played the roll written for him well, as did most of the cast. “Straightest man ever”? I think ignorant confidence was his character’s comedic strength. A feature shared universally.

[@Damaged7]

Um you do know that being gay doesn't mean you are incapable of interacting with women right? Yes, he is an actor, he took on a role, thats his job.

[@NatrollJM]

did you actually red the video title?@@Damaged7

[@pierdolomentos]

Benjamin is an endless mine of stupidity and comedy :D

[@mursuhillo242]

Benjamin Butter(worthless). Almost like butter that goes on from being tasty delicacy into a rancid pile of rotting milk and stays there.

[@captainjacksparrow698]

When Piers asked '' What is an actor?'', we all knew the debate was over

[@gaurishetye1822]

You don't have to murder someone to actually play a murderer on screen

[@twilightparanormalresearch186]

Well with dumbass woke people you might

[@CanadianMonarchist]

I’m bisexual, and I think they absolutely can. If only gay actors can play gay characters, the only straight actors can play straight characters. As a bisexual who loved acting in high school I would be furious if someone said I couldn’t play a straight person.

[@_MjG_]

Bi, gay, same thing.

[@michaelbyrne5507]

Acting is acting! I'm autistic and I loved Dustin Hoffmann in Rain Man. He portrayed Kim Peek in a great movie.

[@liklyhoys2491]

Agree autistic aswell rain man was amazing

[@Bsmith806]

This is like saying “only murderers can play movie villains”

[@AyoxinBlake]

So by this dude's logic, people like Ian McKellen, who is very much gay, shouldn't play straight characters, because he doesn't know what it's like to be straight. Ye gods...

[@jughead18sp]

lol.. only wizards can play Gandalf

[@alucardnolifeking789]

@@jughead18sp and only real orcs can act in lord of the rings !

[@eddievuong]

No, no. Apparently, accordingly to him, gay people has been acting gay half of their life so they know what it likes to be straight, thus they have all the right to play straight of course. /s

[@foedeer]

It is as if Piers is making the most of this opportunity to parent Benjamin for the betterment of society because Benjamin lacks the basic mental faculties to string a coherent argument.

[@drunknpoet]

why did they have Earthlings play aliens in movies? BIGOTS!

[@agnel_joseph]

This dude was born to get offended

[@captainjacksparrow698]

If you ever feel useless, remember Bejamin exists...

[@CaptchaNeon]

I have a fully gay friend who plays straight roles all the time and his co-workers are straight get all the gay roles

[@asgardsiteworks]

Same, we (my friend group) have concluded that by observing the mannerisms and characteristics of the other party, they are able to play the roles, arguably better, than those who the role is "about"

[@Rok71236]

Acting is an art so whoever does it best should get the part

[@SearsA07]

The movie Birdcage. Robin Williams, Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria. Straight men playing gay roles and they were absolutely amazing!!!

[@JoleCannon]

Umm. Nathan Lane is gay.

[@SearsA07]

@@JoleCannon That I don’t know, thanks. I read he didn’t publicly come out until 1999, the movie came out 1996.

[@MsMM303]

Criteria should be who is the best actor. It is hard to beat Tom Hanks.

[@SuperGringo71]

Sean Penn played Harvey Milk in the movie Milk. I don't believe Sean Penn is gay.

[@technicolour0]

If anyone has seen John Hurt in A Naked Civil Servant, it blows out of the water the argument that a straight man cannot effectively inhabit a gay character. I agree that it is all down to skill. Gay actors like Ian Mckellen, Luke Evans, Rupert Everett and Victor Garber have founded excellent careers with hugely diverse roles.

[@ashleybellofsydney]

Courtney Cox, a Catholic woman -- played a Jewish character - Monica Geller - for a decade and nobody batted an eyelid.

[@julieshaker225]

There are over 500 gay actors. If he actually read something he would know that. Just because you're a gay actor doesn't mean you're a good one. Gay or straight.

[@garrymallard8335]

Oh great. Now we can't have another Iron Man sequel 'til they can recruit an actual Iron man...sorry...person...iron person.

[@nikolassodiant2595]

The simple fact to have to ask the question is very worrying!!

[@mikeclark7002]

WTF, why is this a thing, a good actor is a good actor and can fit any role. This is getting insane and actually disturbs me. it should be the best person for the job, surely?

[@Femmeaesthetic]

5:06 "sesUality" had me dying 🤣

[@Goingsideways346]

The woman simply feels sorry for the journalist and tries to help him with his lie because she is in pain for him

[@quixotiq]

Ben Butterworth is no journalist, surely ta fark. not a real one anyway

[@Femmeaesthetic]

I'm sorry but every time I see this nerdy dude, he makes me laugh 😂

[@rodwellzanga6712]

He doesn’t even have to say anything 😅

[@gannicusfinch7068]

I love how Piers zeroes in on Benjamin before he even opens his mouth. He outed the guy as a hypocrite in under a minute.

[@snflwr5283]

ngl maybe all those gay stars are not good enough for the act. the xmen actor was good and he get casted for movies, celebrate him! he plays straight character and all that. it's just about how good they are in the art performance not their sexuality. enough of all these underrepresented bs to use to define actors or actress. you get casted because you earn the role with your talent. that's it.

[@melanieandmylo]

Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario were so authentic as a gay couple for example and both are straight.

[@k5760-t5p]

Yes they can.Its acting. Its like you don't have to be a rapist to play a rapist in a movie. Don't be an angry and mean tooth ferry.

[@Ishmayilhijab12]

Dude that played Tony on 13 Reasons why is straight too🤷🏾‍♂️😂

[@utopia3161]

ACTING, ANYONE CAN ACT, DONT DISCRIMINATE.

[@gew12]

Ben needs to practice his acting role as an activist

[@waynew4726]

It's called acting..

[@rodwellzanga6712]

This Benjamin bloke needs urgent help😂😂😂😂😂

[@paularindam]

By that logic, Neil Patrick Harris should not have casted as Barney :D

[@k5760-t5p]

This dude gets offended as a profession

[@Iconing264]

What is the age of Benjamin Butterworth? That is the Question... Benji would be a perfect actor for the Ed Sheeren role in the future. see? I agree with him.

[@imarandomgirl.]

Its ACTING, you shouldn’t be who you are. Your liturally playing another character. This is so obvious!!! 😩😩

[@OneOfTheOutsiders]

What about Priscilla Queen of the Desert? Butterworth is nuts!

[@invisibleman1459]

Biggins is a legend, who doesn't like CB, one of the funniest men on TV, and nicest as well, you can tell Piers and Suzanne had respect for him when they addressed him, long live biggins......

[@joelwillems4081]

"Acting gay" is what actual gay people do. No two of them are the same in mannerisms, dress, tone, etc. It's all just a personality. It'd be the same as saying an actor can't portray a lawyer, a teacher, or the President because that isn't what they are in real life. -ugh-

[@MrTelboy1962]

A little late to the party here but I felt I needed to chip in. Applying Benjamin's logic, Victims of crime should only be played by victims of crime, bricklayers by bricklayers, space explorers by space explorers etc in order to bring "authenticity". So can we look forward to seeing Gary Glitter in the Rolf Harris story?

[@bernardross2171]

BENJAMIN WHAT? Is he real?

[@cindy-jc2do]

many many actors who a known to be gay play straight roles

[@anujsoni3192]

Benjamin doesn't make sense to me... And I am Gay myself. Sometimes, Benjamin offends me... But I can forgive him, if he keeps calm.

[@georgplatzer8213]

I generally agree with Piers but what i dont like is that he never lets the other guy finish what he was saying. Thats really annoyi9ng to always fall in the word

[@Edwardbrooks-jz7fn]

Good luck David Walliams

[@shadrachstanleigh2285]

I'm an on-again, off-again actor who has never been married. But I've played married men. I'm an American who's never lived under dictatorship (not yet, anyway) but I've played a Soviet apparatchik. I'm not saying that there must be a "quota" system or that a director shouldn't be entitled to prefer a gay actor for a gay part (especially when the character's sexuality has an outsized place in the script as opposed to other characteristics), And I almost never agree with Piers Morgan about anything.

[@paulhondl]

Good acting always comes along with the actor not letting the audience notice that they are not the person they are portraying. Achieving this is the main part of preparing for a role --> so you initially might have an advantage if you are a homosexual person playing a homosexual role, but that is a minor factor. According to woke arguments, since sexuality was not openely revealed for the most time in history, most people from past decades cannot be portrayed by anyone (you never know for sure ;P )

[@TheYvesDropper]

I hate it when someone call themselves an activist these days. They're just a bunch of angry people who would get offended and angry at everything, who'd argue at anything just for the sake of arguing. FFS, there have been many gay actors playing straight parts as well. Was he just woken up, saw news about James Corden plays a gay part and decided to be mad at it because being mad at something is what an activist would do?

[@Gayboy21]

Y’all know about shameless?? I love Ian and Mickey❤❤ and I think in real life their straight ❤ and I think that’s cool… it means their comfortable in their sexuality ❤ Also I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing those characters

[@woahowcool6680]

cam- modern family

[@quixotiq]

There have always been roles for quality gay actors - Rock Hudson, anyone?

[@marian2700]

I thought acting was called acting for a reason.

[@chrisstubbs2851]

wow Christopher Biggins, I've not seen him for donkey's years

[@ThemyPalatsides]

Benjamin how about the movie called The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I suggest you watch it and see how wrong you are.

[@ashnakamura2411]

This guy keeps embarassing himself, the hypocracy is just mind blowing

[@joewilliams9285]

So what about an actor playing a serial killer or rapist....can only REAL serial killers or rapists play those roles?

[@ashleybellofsydney]

All hell would break loose if anyone were to tell Denzel Washington he shouldn't have played Macbeth because there were no black men in 11th Century Scotland....

[@NicholasCanning-n1z]

he shares the Creepy in my opinion face twitch as Jonathan King.

[@NiiickTheGreek]

Pongo Banks wasn’t gay but he did a great job acting

[@zapiosnatan6355]

but dwarfs cant play dwarfs in the new snow white movie... XD

[@michaelbyrne5507]

I'm straight, but I love Biggins!

[@drewphilips75]

Ok, so this kills me but i do actually agree with Benjamin button about in THAT SPECIFIC ROLE a real gay person could add a dimension a str8 person couldnt however, this whole discussion is ridiculous

[@Varnaj42]

Sure. They did it in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. But then, that story was a farce.

[@blakemrolfsensanchez547]

Yes. Thanks to all the straight actors who have played gays has helped us a lot

[@JoleCannon]

I don't know if you're being sarcastic or real. I had a former-friend tell me and my partner we are more accepted because straight people took on the challenge of playing gay characters and showing us as real people. It always come around to "Let us do it, then you'll be accepted," and it shouldn't be that way. The issue I have is not that straight actors are playing gay parts, it's that for the longest time they were called 'brave' for doing so, and even now many gay actors are not even being considered for gay roles. We get so many big name straight actors getting awards for being 'brave' and playing gay.

[@areyouquinn]

If those gay actors are better at playing those gay parts with more "authenticity and dimension"... why didn't they get the role? And isn't having renowned actors with larger audiences and great acting ability represent a gay character -- doing a greater act of representation for the gay community? Or unless they have "misrepresented" gay in anyway?

[@amymallon23]

Well it is acting i wouldn't mind being a lesbian actor but actually straight lol

[@Goingsideways346]

At this point the topic tasteless and its only getting worse every moment they continue the discussion.

[@mho...]

As long an an actor takes a role seriously and just portrays a character, it doesnt matter whatsoever what they do/like privately! no ones damn buisness, aslong as they do a good job! like Rami Malek playing freddy beautifully! or robi williams playing MsDoubtfire! was great back then & no one cared about anything otherm then him trying to be with his kids, no matter what he has to do or wear for it! otherwise, i could also demand that no caucasian should be allowed to wear *whiteface" & play a ginger! because thats more racist, then playing a "mindset"!

[@a.dejesus792]

Gay actors are not under-represented, most if not all big budget movies want the best actors for a particular role. And a lot of gay actors, with all due respect, just don't have what it takes to star in big budget movies.Of course there are exceptions. Rock Hudson being one of them. He was gay and he never did a gay movie role. In Hollywood, if you have talent, you will be given movie roles. And if you don't, you won't. Simple as that. But understand that I am generalizing here.

[@ringobingo]

Benjamin Worthless

[@gparnaik]

At the end of the day films have 2 purposes... entertainment and money... I get the point about the acting, but only the big names get the big bucks.

[@lindagrobbelaar8584]

Double standards Think of the dwarfs that cannot play dwarf rolls. Remind to also vote for the dwarfs

[@Lawton1111]

So let me get this right, the debate is that straight people 'shouldn't' play a gay role? Or a gay person can't play a straight role? Isn't that discrimination? Unless I've missed something?

[@aka_massi]

Yes, the can. And the other way around.

[@asgardsiteworks]

Someone give those two a knighthood.

[@HelenWoodward-y1h]

LIBERACE…MICHAEL DOUGLAS, MAT DAMON, ROB LOWE…made me sick. Very convincing.

[@jughead18sp]

this benjamin guy is on the other video too complaining. does this guy got a job?

[@74z9]

nope

[@Jigz1991]

@@74z9 😂😂😂 damn... hahahaha

[@NathanMoses99]

Planet of the apes(old one) is the best example to shut ben up 😅, its about if the actor is good and should be the investment.

[@Blue-d3t1c]

Tell me what authenticity a 20 something gay actor can bring to the topic of aids in the 80’s that someone who actually lived it cannot?

[@johanthornqvist5686]

Is this even a discussion???

[@mickcardiff3044]

The world's gone bonkers..

[@lw1zfog]

bet Butterball is all for the rainbow unicorn alphabet mafias adoration of the stunning & brave woman facer’s though ?

[@marcusp905]

It's only gay if you push back

[@Blue-d3t1c]

It is all B.S. Doogie Howser was not played by a juvenile doctor, should we cancel? Jack Nicholson is not a reincarnated psycho killer, cancel?

[@colt3839]

How about the best actor get the part for that role?? Gay or straight who ever doe she beat gets the role!!!

[@7spider391]

Benjamin clearly doesn't know what an actor is?

[@teeanasamala2134]

People rants about equality but end up becoming bigots and discriminating idiots. You become what you hate most!

[@martin5504]

Can gay actors play straight? I wonder.

[@shmoicel]

Benjamin Button 💀

[@mickcardiff3044]

Malik got the part coz he had the teeth..

[@matthewj9832]

what a good first two question s

[@HB-mj2jz]

Isnt that the point of acting? Can only someone with super powers play superman / spiderman etc? Gay people also play straight people and thats no issue apparently All actors should play the parts they want. I dont see the issue.

[@strittech8980]

Rock Hudson was gay

[@mickcardiff3044]

Crikey Ben must realise that there are a lot of big male movie stars out there that are still in the closet..

[@billbob8794]

the better the actor the less this matters they want to drain the talent pool thats such a bad idea if you want to spread the word of gayness

[@dustman96]

This reeks of the desire for special treatment.

[@gerardesc7221]

This topic is dumb, if you think gay actors can play heterosexual and homosexual characters but no the other way around then you don´t believe in acting. We might call this gay gatekeeping.