Neil Patrick Harris Getty
Neil Patrick Harris spoke about whether straight actors should be cast in LGBTQ roles.
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  • Neil Patrick Harris shared his opinion on straight actors playing gay characters in The Times. 
  • Harris, 47, was not opposed to the idea and said he would want to hire the best actor for the role.
  • “They are not there to ‘act gay’ because ‘acting gay’ is a bunch of codes for a performance. It’s about authenticity, the taste of 2020,” he said. 
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Neil Patrick Harris has officially weighed in on whether straight actors should be cast as LGBTQ characters. 

Harris, 47, became candid about the ongoing debate while speaking with The Times about his upcoming Channel 4 series, “It’s a Sin.” 

The series, from showrunner Russell T. Davies, centers around a group of gay men experiencing the Aids epidemic in 1980s London. The series features an all-gay male ensemble. 

“I’m not one to jump on to labeling. As an actor you certainly hope you can be a visible option for all kinds of different roles,” Harris, who shares twins with husband David Burkta, told The Times.

“I played a character [in How I Met Your Mother] for nine years who was nothing like me. I would definitely want to hire the best actor,” Harris added. 

Harris's comments were in response to remarks made by Davies, who in addition to "It's a Sin" has created the TV series "Queer as Folk" and "Years and Years."

How I Met Your Mother Getty
Harris mentioned playing Barney Stinson on "How I Met Your Mother" in his remarks.
CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Davies told Radio Times that he believed only gay actors should pursue gay acting jobs. 

"I'm not being woke about this . . . but I feel strongly that if I cast someone in a story, I am casting them to act as a lover or an enemy or someone on drugs or a criminal or a saint," said Davies. 

"They are not there to 'act gay' because 'acting gay' is a bunch of codes for a performance. It's about authenticity, the taste of 2020," he said. 

Davies added that "You wouldn't cast someone able-bodied and put them in a wheelchair, you wouldn't black someone up. Authenticity is leading us to joyous places."

During Harris' interview, he told The Times that he was a massive fan of Davies' "Queer as Folk" series growing up. The series had straight actors primarily play the main gay characters. 

"It was one of the real true turning points for me as examples of sexy guys behaving as leads in something of import, not as comic sidekicks," said the "How I Met Your Mother" star.

"I think there's something sexy about casting a straight actor to play a gay role, if they're willing to invest a lot into it. There's a nervousness that comes from the newness of it all. To declare that you'd never do that, you might miss opportunities," he said.

According to Harris, he'll continue to play straight characters as well.

"In our world that we live in you can't really as a director demand that [an actor be gay or straight]. Who's to determine how gay someone is?" he said. 

Other celebrities have shared their thoughts on representation in casting

Conversations surrounding the matter have grown in recent years as more and more actors offer their take. 

Last November, Kristen Stewart told Variety there was a "gray area" when it came to straight actors playing gay characters. 

"I would never want to tell a story that really should be told by somebody who's lived that experience," she told the publication. 

"Having said that, it's a slippery-slope conversation because that means I could never play another straight character if I'm going to hold everyone to the letter of this particular law," Stewart added. 

Darren Criss, who played gay men in "Glee" and "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story," said he would no longer play LGBTQ roles in 2018. 

"There are certain [queer] roles that I'll see that are just wonderful," said Criss told Bustle. "But I want to make sure I won't be another straight boy taking a gay man's role."

British actor Richard E. Grant told The Times in 2019 that he believed only gay actors should be cast in such roles.

"The transgender movement and the #MeToo movement means how can you justify heterosexual actors playing gay characters? We are in a historic moment. If you want someone to play a disabled role, that should be a disabled actor," he said.

LGBTQ filmmakers who spoke with Insider's Jacob Sarkisian said it "all boils down to respect."

 

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