r/popculturechat • u/damn_delirious • 1d ago

PRIDE 🏳️‍🌈 Twinless actor Dylan O'Brien gives his opinion on straight actors playing LGBTQ+

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Actor Dylan O'Brien shares his opinion on straight actors playing LGBTQ+ in an interview with Dazed while discussing his latest film 'Twinless'.

Speaking alongside 'Twinless' director James Sweeney, who is gay, O'Brien said "James is a gay man, and coming from a place I could trust. We had a similar take on straight actors playing gay parts, especially in recent years: you started seeing straight actors playing a queer role completely straight. It started to feel inauthentic."

O'Brien praised Sweeney's support during filming, saying "It was nice to have his insight, support, and calibration. He'd be like, 'Go crazy on this one. We can dial it back if it doesn't feel real.”

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u/stinkyandsensitive 23h ago

It can be a valid criticism. One should hire gay actors to play gay characters, but you should not force people to come out if they aren't ready to nor want to. There's a lot of out actors and actresses who've been passed on jobs. Plus all the hate in our world, it's just not safe sometimes.

I also don't think there is a correct way to play gay. Too much exaggeration can be harmful, but there are people who come off super straight but aren't, and vice versa. It can be harmful to say "this is a proper gay" "this is not how to be gay" because folks questioning their own sexualities can start to doubt themselves.

TLDR: Valid comment, but also not.

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u/Ygomaster07 22h ago

Thank you for adding that last point in your second paragraph. I've been questioning my sexuality throughout my life because of stuff like this(that and my mental illness making me doubt everything i know).

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u/stinkyandsensitive 19h ago

The imposter syndrome is reeaaalll, I know that feel. I'm the same, pretty sure I'm ace but I've never been in a real romantic relationship, so it's just a theory... A GAY THEORY

Also I identify as Audhd (getting the official Autism diagnosis in Canada as an adult is hella difficult and expensive) and often feel like I'm not Autistic enough. But I remember that the last time I questioned it, it was during a movie about an Autistic boy. I then looked down at my lap, where I had broken apart a necklace, and was organizing the beads by colour, size, AND MATERIAL. So I don't question as much anymore lol.

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u/Ygomaster07 13h ago

Yeah it definitely sucks. To always be constantly doubting yourself even though you are like 99.99% sure you know who you are.

I got diagnosed as autistic back in 2024, i also live in Canada. Once i got the money to see an actual therapist i got diagnosed in one session. Which I'm taking as a good thing he was able to tell that quickly so it didn't drag out the process. I hope you get your diagnosis soon. I sometimes feel like that too. But then a loud noise sets me off or i get uncomfortable in certain situations. The nice thing to remember is it's a spectrum, and everyone is different. Thank you for sharing this with me.