I’m going to say something that really shouldn’t be controversial anymore: LGBT+ characters deserve to be played by LGBT+ actors whenever possible.
For decades, LGBT+ actors were told to stay closeted if they wanted careers, while straight actors collected awards and praise for “bravely” portraying LGBT+ experiences they could walk away from at the end of filming. Meanwhile, actual LGBT+ actors struggled to even get auditions, not just for straight roles, but sometimes even for queer ones.
Representation is not just about what appears on screen. It’s also about who gets opportunities behind the scenes and inside the industry itself.
And before someone says “acting is pretending”, yes, obviously. Actors play people unlike themselves all the time. But this conversation exists because Hollywood has a long history of shutting LGBT+ performers out while still profiting from LGBT+ stories. That imbalance matters.
There’s also something authentic that many LGBT+ actors bring to these roles. The body language, the emotional nuance, the lived experience, the understanding of what it feels like to hide, to come out, to navigate identity, those things can add depth that audiences absolutely notice, even if they can’t explain why.
None of this means a straight actor can never play an LGBT+ character. It means the industry should stop treating openly LGBT+ actors like a “risk” while handing LGBT* narratives to safer, more marketable straight stars.
If studios genuinely care about representation, then representation has to extend beyond the script.
