The Anything actor, who has come under criticism for “transface,” explains his views on casting in this unearthed clip.
Matt Bomer has yet to publicly address the controversy regarding the recent announcement of his casting as a transgender sex worker in the film Anything.
Yet in an interview with The Advocate earlier this year, Bomer provided some insight into his views on the issue, when he complimented director Ryan Murphy for not considering an actor’s LGBT identity in casting.
As context, Murphy had cast Bomer, a gay cisgender actor, as a lover of a female character, The Countess, played by Lady Gaga, in American Horror Story: Hotel.
“I think it was so great what Ryan had going on this year, just with all different kinds of actors of all different walks of life, all different sexual orientations, playing all different types of roles,” he said at a Paleyfest event for the series. “Straight, gay, it didn’t really matter. It was sort of just like, ‘You guys are actors. You can play any role no matter what, whether that role is straight, or gay, or whatever.'”
Notably, American Horror Story: Hotel had also cast another gay cisgender actor, Denis O’Hare, in the part of a transgender woman, a controversial practice many refer to as “transface.”
Many prominent members of Hollywood’s transgender community, including Sense8‘s Jamie Clayton and Her Story‘s Jen Richards, have spoken out against Bomer’s “transface” in Anything.In response, Bomer had blocked and then unblocked Clayton on Twitter.
Mark Ruffalo, who is a producer of Anything, eventually responded to the controversy on Twitter.
“To the Trans community. I hear you. It’s wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. It’s time,” he said.
Watch Bomer discuss his views on LGBT casting in the clip below:
