The unassailable Alan Cumming – a legend in his own time – is an icon and a treasure of the modern-day landscape of theatre and cinema. There is hardly a role that the Scotsman has not been able to blend into with ease, be it that of a Marvel superhero or a James Bond villain. An avid thespian, cabaret owner and an LGBTQ+ activist, the Goldeneye actor has rallied cinema, independent feature films, and theatre into a stream of mass consumption, bringing lesser-celebrated media into the centerfold of popular culture in today’s New York City.
The list of accomplishments of the auteur is endless, however, the most recent statement from the icon is one that manages to address a highly debated issue in the industry regarding representation and opportunity.
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Alan Cumming Addresses Straight Actors Playing Gay Icons
Possessing an uncanny ability to turn any project into a cult classic, Alan Cumming is perhaps one of the rare actors whose presence is so captivating that even the great Stanley Kubrick was once compelled to write a role specifically tailored for Cumming in Eyes Wide Shut with him in mind.
As such, when the Scottish actor comments on a heavily-discussed and debated issue involving the representation of the LGBTQ+ community and whether gay actors should be given the primary opportunity to embody gay roles, the industry perks up its ears to listen to what the activist has to say about the subject:
“I think the only reason that you should object to someone playing someone is if they’re not convincing and they’re not authentic. I’ve played lots of straight people and I’m not straight – spoiler alert. So, I think the problem is there’s not enough queer people who are deemed famous enough to carry a movie. And there’s not enough disabled people, you know, when there’s a disabled role, there’s not enough disabled people who are deemed famous enough to carry a movie.
That’s the sort of the language that Hollywood uses to try and do that. But I think that needs to change. If we have more gay, Black, disabled – all those minorities who suffer when these situations happen, if we have more of them who are well known, they’ll only get well known by getting jobs. But ultimately I think, if you’re convincing as someone, that’s your job as an actor.”
The comments come in the aftermath of rumors about the Divergent trilogy actor, Theo James, portraying Wham! frontman and gay icon, George Michael, in a biopic. The reports began to gain steam when the actor pitched himself in the role and claimed interest in embodying the singer if a biopic was to take shape sometime in the near future. Although the late singer’s estate has denied the reports via an official statement, backlash and criticism were quick to follow, including a blasting reaction from Adam Lambert himself.
Theo James Faces Mounting Scrutiny After Biopic Claims
After claiming that he was supposedly “eyeing” a role in which he would get to portray the gay pop star in a biopic, the British actor responded to a fan question about the same in an episode of Watch What Happens Live! With Andy Cohen, saying – “Yeah, I’d love that. He is an icon. He’s a lot of Greek, and I’m a lot of Greek. Put that Greek together, and you get falafel.”
In 2021, rumors and speculations about a film about the singer took root when The Sun reported the production of a George Michael biopic had been undertaken but irreconcilable differences would mean an indefinite halt on the project. In light of recent comments, the George Michael Estate announced:
“To all of George’s Lovelies, fans, and lovers of his music, a story has been published stating that George Michael’s family has endorsed a so-called ‘biopic’ about his life. On behalf of George’s family and GME, we want to make it clear that there is no truth whatsoever in this story. We know nothing about this project and will not be endorsing it in any way.”
On social media, Adam Lambert responded to Theo James’s initial suggestion about embodying the frontman with a tersely worded comment: “Yay another straight man playing a gay icon”, taking an indirect jab at actor Rami Malek for the 2018 drama, Bohemian Rhapsody, in which he played the Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury.
Source: The Wrap
