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Cape Town - Scarlett Johansson is embroiled in yet another casting controversy.
According to The Hollywood Reporter the Avengers actress is reuniting with Ghost in the Shell director, Rupert Sanders for the new film Rub & Tug.
The movie is based on the real-life story of Dante “Tex” Gill a transgender massage parlour owner.
Gill became infamous in the 1970s for operating massage parlours that served as fronts for prostitution services, reports IndieWire.
Gill identified as male, so cisgender female actress Scarlett’s casting is problematic for the trans community according to Jamie Clayton. Jamie, an actress who is also transgender, played the role of Nomi, on the Netflix show Sense 8.
In a tweet linking to the story, Jamie said:
"Actors who are trans never even get to audition FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN ROLES OF TRANS CHARACTERS. THATS THE REAL ISSUE. WE CANT EVEN GET IN THE ROOM. Cast actors WHO ARE TRANS as NON TRANS CHARACTERS. I DARE YOU #RupertSanders @NewRegency #ScarlettJohansson"
SEE THAT TWEET HERE:
Jamie isn't the only one voicing her feelings regarding this controversial casting on social media.
SEE SOME OTHER TWEETS HERE:
Scarlett Johansson is playing a trans man in her next movie because her ultimate career goal is to take an acting job from a member of each and every marginalized group.
— Faith Choyce (@faithchoyce) July 3, 2018
First the Japanese, and now Scarlett Johansson is taking on the trans community with her new film Rub and Tug. I can't wait until her Rosa Parks film comes out. https://t.co/nbmoMkoNlN
— Valerie Vza Complex (@ValerieComplex) July 3, 2018
We have to stop hiring non-trans actors to play trans characters. In my opinion, it's equally as traumatic & offensive as black-face. It also shows how lazy, unwoke, and complicit in transphobia you are. #CASTAUTHENTICALLY! https://t.co/3WW1cOzrEE
— Steven Canals (@StevenCanals) July 3, 2018
Scarlett Johansson received considerable backlash for Ghost in the Shell, when she played a whitewashed Asian character. The movie tanked.
— April (@ReignOfApril) July 3, 2018
Undeterred, she has teamed up WITH THE SAME DIRECTOR to play a trans male character in Rub & Tug. When asked to comment, she said: pic.twitter.com/ftgGREncHa
The Lucy actress issued a statement to Bustle to address the backlash.
“Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment.”
Tambor, Leto and Huffman have played the roles of transwomen.
In 2016 her casting in Ghost in the Shell also received backlash following the decision to cast Scarlett instead of an Asian actress in the movie. (Read more here)
The 2017 comedy film Rough Night in which she starred was also called out for trivialising the murder of a sex worker.
