Bill Maher Rips Criticism of James Franco Casting as Fidel Castro: Acting *Is* Appropriation (Video)
Bill Maher has had his fill of “the casting police” who continually call out the industry for hiring actors for roles outside of their race or sexual preference, the last being John Leguizamo’s criticism of James Franco as Fidel Castro because the actor isn’t Latino.
“I mentioned this because a lot of people lately are either apologizing for or calling on others to apologize for playing roles. They call it appropriation,” Maher said on Friday night’s “Real Time.” “Appropriating sounds like an unforgivable sin until you remember that’s what acting is. That’s why acting jobs are called roles.”
Maher pointed out that Leguizamo has played a Colombian American, a Venetian, a French little person and an Italian plumber when he’s none of those things. “But he played them too… because he’s an actor! Why the hell do you think people become actors? Because...
“I mentioned this because a lot of people lately are either apologizing for or calling on others to apologize for playing roles. They call it appropriation,” Maher said on Friday night’s “Real Time.” “Appropriating sounds like an unforgivable sin until you remember that’s what acting is. That’s why acting jobs are called roles.”
Maher pointed out that Leguizamo has played a Colombian American, a Venetian, a French little person and an Italian plumber when he’s none of those things. “But he played them too… because he’s an actor! Why the hell do you think people become actors? Because...
- 8/13/2022
- by Rosemary Rossi
- The Wrap
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