Halle Berry pulls out of transgender movie role after fierce backlash
7 July 2020, 10:53
Actress Halle Berry has issued an apology after discussing her interest in the role of a transgender man in an upcoming movie.
Halle Berry has apologised for her comments on an upcoming transgender movie role she was interested in portraying after intense online backlash.
Paris Jackson to portray Jesus "as a lesbian" in controversial new film
During an Instagram Live last week, the 'Catwoman' actress, 53, said she "might" be playing the role of a transgender man but repeatedly referred the character as a woman.
Berry she that she wanted to "deep dive" into "that world" - a likely reference to the transgender community - because "who this woman was is so interesting to [her]" and "will probably be [her] next project".
However, Berry's comments were met with intense backlash online from people who believe a transgender character should be played by a transgender actor. She was also called out for misgendering the character.
On Monday evening (6 Jul), Berry issued an apology on Twitter where she admitted that she should never have considered the role and apologised for her remarks.
— Halle Berry (@halleberry) July 7, 2020
She said: "Over the weekend I had the opportunity to discuss my consideration of an upcoming role as a transgender man and I'd like to apologise for those remarks.
"As a cisgender woman, I now understand that I should not have considered this role and that the transgender community should undeniably have the opportunity to tell their own stories.
"I am grateful for the guidance and critical conversation over the past few days and I will continue to listen, educate and learn from this mistake. I vow to be an ally in using my voice to promote better representation on-screen, both in front of and behind the camera."
Cisgender actors have faced backlash over portraying transgender characters in the past. Back in 2018, Scarlett Johansson pulled out of her role as a transgender character in the film Rub and Tug following criticism from trans rights activists.
