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'Why should this be an issue?': Fans revolt as Taron Egerton states there shouldn't be a 'rule' for straight actors to play gay characters

Taron Egerton has shared his stance on whether straight actors should play gay characters after starring in 'Rocketman'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taron Egerton left the audience spellbound when he starred as Elton John in 'Rocketman.' The biographical fantasy musical drama film was the first by a significant studio to include a gay male sex scene which was being played by a straight actor. Regardless, the 2019 film let Egerton receive numerous nominations, including the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. 

Apart from Taron Egerton, the film also starred Jamie Bell as Taupin, Richard Madden as John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila Eileen, John's mother. Nevertheless, the 'Kingsman' actor has now revealed his opinion on the controversial topic of straight actors playing gay characters, saying that he doesn't think there should be a 'blanket rule'. He also believes that straight actors should be able to play LGBTQ+ roles as acting is their profession. Read more to find out.

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'A precedent not worth setting'

Egerton, best known for his roles in 'Rocketman' (2019) and the Kingsman franchise, weighed in on the ongoing debate in an interview with Far Out Magazine. The actor claimed that, due to his upbringing, he has never thought that there should be a rule about which actors can pursue certain roles. "I grew up in a very liberal town, and a couple of my close friends are gay. I feel an affinity with that community," he said. "I don’t particularly feel that there should be a blanket rule about whether straight actors should play gay roles. That’s very easy for me to say as a straight man, but I think that’s possibly a precedent not worth setting." Regardless, Taron learned to play the piano for the film and sang live in all the songs. He and Sir Elton, now 75, became fast friends after filming.  

'Actors should be able to act'

Although there have been endless debates over straight actors in LGBTQ+ roles in recent years after the interview surfaced online fans justified Egerton's statement and fully supported him. A fan said, "It’s called acting. The entire field is pretending to be something you’re not."  A fan shared, "It's acting. Why should this be an issue? That's like saying unless you're really a superhero, you shouldn't be able to play one." A fan tweeted, "In the 2000s, Heath Ledger & Jake Gyllenhaal received universal praise & accolades for portraying 2 LGBTQ+ men on screen. Today, it could be seen as controversial,” while another added, "It shouldn’t be a rule at all. Acting is acting after all." Lastly, a fan commented, "Actors should be able to act, and writers should write better characters. LGBTQ+ characters have been stereotyped and mocked in film and television for years, and that's where the main problems lie, not necessarily with the actors who portray the characters."

Regardless, Egerton will soon be seen in 'Tetris'. Egerton will be seen as Henk Rogers, who discovers 'Tetris' in 1988 and then risks everything by traveling to the Soviet Union, where he joins forces with inventor Alexey Pajitnov to bring the game to the masses. Jon S. Baird helmed 'Tetris' will be released on Apple TV+ on Friday, March 31, 2023. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.