One of the most highly-anticipated films being released this spring is the Elton John biopic Rocketman.
The movie’s lead, Taron Egerton, has had to deal with some backlash from the LGBTQ community for playing a homosexual man. Taron, 29, is straight in real life, and is reportedly back with his longtime girlfriend Emily Thomas according to the UK-based publication Express.
The England-based performer chatted about his backlash with The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, May 6, where he defended his decision to take on the roll while understanding multiple angles on how the LGBTQ community feels about it.
“I have spoken to gay people for whom it’s not a problem, and I’ve spoken to gay people for whom it is a problem,” he told THR. “I completely understand. But for my part, I’m an actor, and I did not get into acting to just play people like me.”
“You have to draw the line somewhere, and I don’t want to live in a world where straight people play straight people and gay people play gay people.”
Taron isn’t the first heterosexual actor to be criticized for playing gay and he certainly won’t be the last. The LGBTQ community has also blasted its own in recent years, notably openly gay Matt Bomer who came under attack over him being cast as a transsexual sex worker in the 2018 film Anything.
Rocketman, which costars Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard, is being released domestically on Friday, May 31.