Actor Paul Mescal has shared his thoughts on the debate over whether straight actors should take on gay roles.
Mescal stars alongside Andrew Scott in the drama All of Us Strangers that is being released in Australia later this month.
While Scott is out and proud, his co-star Mescal is heterosexual. In a new interview with the UK’s Sunday Times Mescal says he’s thinks it’s okay for straight actors to take on gay roles, as long as queer people are telling the story.
“It depends who’s in charge of telling the story,” he said. “The issue is that there have been so many queer performances in cinema that have been offensive, but that’s because the filmmakers and the actors have been careless.
“I don’t think this film exists in that conversation whatsoever. And that’s it.” Mescal said.
All of Us Strangers is the latest film from director Andrew Haigh who has had previous success with the gay drama Weekend, as well as 45 Years and Lean on Pete. He also created the television series Looking.
In his latest film, as loose adaptation of a book by Taichi Yamada, Andrew Scott plays Adam, a lonely screenwriter who slowly builds a relationship with his neighbour Harry, played by Mescal.
Paul Mescal’s breakout role was in the television series Normal People. Since then he’s appeared in the films The Lost Daughter, God’s Creatures, Aftersun and Foe.
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