Scarlett Johansson’s casting as a transgender man in the upcoming movie Rub & Tug was followed with a lot of backlash. Members of the trans community slammed her choice, but the Marvel star listened to their voices and decided to exit the project.
After her casting was announced, many people felt the role should have gone to a trans performer instead. Johansson’s initial reaction to the backlash wasn’t so well-received. In a statement provided by her representative, the actress reportedly said all the naysayers should reach Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto and Felicity Huffman for a comment. All of these cisgender actors previously received critical acclaim for playing transgender characters. Johansson eventually realized her heart wasn’t in the right place and decided to “respectfully withdraw” from Rub & Tug.
“Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive. I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues.” said the actress.
Several notable members of the trans community praised Johansson for making the right choice. LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD also welcomed her decision and thanked her for starting an important conversation.
“Scarlett Johansson’s announcement, together with the transgender voices who spoke out about this film, are game changers for the future of transgender images in Hollywood. Hollywood changed how Americans understand gay and lesbian lives, and TV is starting to do the same for transgender people… The film industry has a real opportunity to do the same,” stated Sarah Kate Ellis of GLAAD.
