Hilary Swank Says ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ Would Be “Great Role For Trans Actor Today”
deadline.comHilary Swank has reflected on her role in Boys Don’t Cry two decades ago, saying changing awareness means she wouldn’t take the part today.
Swank won her first Oscar for the role of real-life transgender man Brandon Teena, murdered in a hate crime, in the movie which was released in 2000.
She told The Times of London newspaper: “Now for the most part, in most places, it’s accepted to be a trans person. [But] at that time, people weren’t even coming out as gay and lesbian, it was a career killer, or whatever.
They weren’t ready to tell their family, or maybe they weren’t even ready to tell themselves. We’re in such different times — I feel like it would be a great opportunity for an actor who’s trans to play that role.” Swank added: “But I also feel like actors are actors.
