'I am in no position to complain': Guy Pearce apologizes after tweet about trans actors backfires
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Guy Pearce has issued a lengthy apology after a tweet about trans actors generated fury online. Pearce is known for his roles in Christopher Nolan's 'Memento', Curtis Hanson's 'L.A. Confidential' and Shane Black's 'Iron Man 3'. In a recent tweet, Pearce posed a question about trans actors playing both trans and non-trans characters and how acting is about exploring the world beyond their own. However, the question caused an uproar on Twitter.
Guy Pearce is also well known for playing a drag queen in his breakout movie 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'. The movie gained praise for portraying the LGBTQ community in a positive light. Released in 1994, the movie went on to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.
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The tweet that backfired
In a now-deleted tweet, Guy Pearce asked, "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. 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?" The tweet was severely criticized online.
The apology
The actor shared a lengthy apology note on Twitter with a caption that read, "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."
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
Pearce started his apology note by acknowledging that raising the question on Twitter was a bad idea. He added that the topic is rather discussed properly in person where everyone is heard and understood, noting that the subject in question is complex and sensitive.
Guy Pearce's explanation
Guy Pearce went on to point out the discrimination in modern society and recalled his family has also been subjected to certain "pernicious prejudice." He acknowledged his remarks were insensitive and clarified that his question was about the process of acting, but that directing it toward one minority group was unnecessary, considering he was in "no position to complain about fairness" and had a “full house of privilege." He also mentioned that he is often asked if 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' should have cast gay actors instead.
"It's clear a great many minority communities are underrepresented on screen and that so too are actors from those communities," he continued. "But, I don't believe artists should have to announce their personal identity, sexual preference, political stance, disability, religious beliefs etc to attain work."
"None of this is straightforward," he added, noting that the issue was best discussed within the artistic community and not left to "politicians or press barons" to judge. "Sincere apologies for crassly focusing on just one already harassed minority in my original tweet," he wrote in conclusion.