How 2021 Became a Tipping Point for Queer Actors Telling Their Stories
Bros, an LGBTQ+ milestone in Hollywood on multiple fronts. Notably, it is the first time a major studio, Universal Pictures, has green-lit a romantic comedy with two male leads.
Second, every major cast member is part of the LGBTQ+ community; even the straight parts are portrayed by Friends of Dorothy.
The film is co-written by and stars Billy Eichner, and the ensemble includes Luke Macfarlane, Amanda Bearse, Harvey Fierstein, Bowen Yang, Ts Madison, Symone, Miss Lawrence, Guillermo Diaz, and Guy Branum.Bros is emblematic of a sea change in the entertainment industry regarding how power players value “authentic” queer casting — that is, the debate over whether LGBTQ+ actors should be preferred for LGBTQ+ roles.
On one side of this argument is the age-old thespian adage: Any actor can play any role. Indeed, from Brokeback Mountain to Carol, many moving portrayals have proven this mantra correct.Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in Carol (2015)However, on the other side of the debate is the cold reality that Hollywood, always eyeing the bottom line, has viewed LGBTQ+ actors as less commodifiable than their straight counterparts.
