Penn Badgely spoke to PinkNews about his former Lifetime and future Netflix show You and, during the interview, got into how Hollywood is full of “privileged ass white people” playing all the roles and how sick of it he is. His time amongst his fellow privileged ass white people actors on Gossip Girl obviously got him all fucked up about the state of the world.
On You, Penn plays a bookstore owner who stalks one of his customers on social media and then in real life (that sounds uplifting). One of the actors on the show is trans and plays a trans character, and he’d like to see more of that.
“If anybody exists at any kind of intersection of oppression beyond the box of white male, I’d say let’s make damn sure that they’re being represented by the people who have lived this experience [and] not have people who haven’t lived the experience portraying them,” he tells PinkNews.
I know, this is brand new information, but better late than never, I guess.
Penn, who (spoiler alert) turned out to BE Gossip Girl at the end of that series and wasn’t that edgy of them, knows that actors are traditionally supposed to be able to play everyone from a Southern belle to a box of kitty litter. But feels that representation in media is also hugely important.
“Yes, I think theoretically the idea that anybody should be able to play anybody is true. That’s only in theory.
“In reality, we have basically, like, privileged ass white people playing everybody, and so we need to stop that.”
He’s over pretty heterosexual white people getting to play all the roles. (This dude should get a polite golf clap for his extreme bravery in aceing himself out of potential roles seeing as he’s a pretty heterosexual white person.)
“But that’s not the world we live in. We live in a world that does not recognise virtually anyone outside of the white male or the beautiful white woman who has to be an object of desire and affection.”
Ok, I haven’t watched You but I did do a little research (I read a recap) and the show is about a crazy handsome white guy who stalks a beautiful blond white girl. Maybe he got the guilts? However, I am with him about being sick of beautiful people being shoved in our faces everywhere. We need to flip the script and start a movement where ugly is represented and celebrated in places other than the White House.
Pic: Wenn.com
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