Tom Hanks won his first Oscar playing a gay lawyer who sues his firm for wrongful dismissal. However, Hanks has said that he couldn’t play the role today, as it would be inauthentic for a straight guy to play a gay man.
Speaking to The New York Times Magazine, the 65 year-old actor said:
“Let’s address, ‘Could a straight man do what I did in Philadelphia now?’ No, and rightly so. We’re beyond that now, and I don’t think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy.
“It’s not a crime, it’s not boohoo that someone would say we are going to demand more of a movie in the modern realm of authenticity. Do I sound like I’m preaching? I don’t mean to.”
No Tom, you’re not preaching, you’re virtue signalling mate.
By Hanks logic, an unordained person shouldn’t play a priest or someone who has never seen the inside of a gym should never play a boxer.
I bet Hanks doesn’t have too much support among gay and lesbian actors and actresses though, because what’s good for the goose, right?
Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto and Kristen Stewart, to name just three, would soon see their careers hit the skids if they were told they couldn’t play straight characters because it would be viewed as inauthentic.
Bore off Tom.
