Actor Mark Ruffalo has responded to the trans community’s critical response to the casting of actor Matt Bomer as a transgender sex worker in his new film, Anything.
“To the Trans community. I hear you,” Ruffalo, who is an executive producer on the project, wrote on Twitter Wednesday night, adding: “It’s wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. It’s time. In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making The Normal Heart.”
In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making "The Normal Heart".
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
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.
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
According to EW: “Bomer’s character befriends a suicidal man who moves from Mississippi to Los Angeles after the death of his wife. It will be directed by Timothy McNeil, making his directorial debut as he adapts a script based on his play, which shares a title with the film.”
After news broke that Bomer will star as a transgender character in the film, Both Bomer and Ruffalo were inundated with criticism from members of the LGBT community about the casting. Many argued that a real trans woman should have been cast in the film instead of a cisgender actor.
“More cis men being sourced to play trans women. Hollywood, do better,” one user tweeted.
Actress Jen Richards added: “I auditioned for this. I told them they shouldn’t have a cis man play a trans woman. They didn’t care.”
I auditioned for this. I told them they shouldn't have a cis man play a trans woman. They didn't care. https://t.co/T7YFe6OeX9
— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016
Some labeled Ruffalo as a hypocrite:
.@MarkRuffalo lip service to the trans community but when actually money and a job is involved — he hires a cis guy pic.twitter.com/OBcUAMOX2b
— Trans Hollywood (@transhollywood) August 28, 2016
“There are many qualified trans actors and writers who could have played in and advised on the construction of the scenes you’re about to edit into a motion picture. They will lose more work because of this,” wrote trans musician Mya Byrne in a piece for Huffington Post. “We know you have good intentions. But those intentions have far-reaching after-effects that you, as cis men, don’t experience.”
To critics who are calling for the film to be recast and reshot, Ruffalo had this response:
@MarkRuffalo @Vodstok "We are all learning" thing reminds me of when my Dad calls me by my old name A DECADE POST-TRANSITION & "apologises".
— Purple Tinker (@prpltnkr) August 31, 2016
Bomer has yet to publicly comment on the ongoing controversy.
