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Rebel Wilson: Let Straight Actors Play Gay Characters!

The actress, who is queer, gave her Pride Month hot take on a BBC radio appearance.

Rebel Wilson sounded off against the idea that only gay actors should play gay characters, saying she thinks the idea of sexuality-restrictive casting is “total nonsense” in a recent radio show appearance. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs program, Wilson reflected on some of the more provocative jokes she’s told in the past. The comedian, who came out in 2022, said she thinks she could get away with some of those jokes because she’s queer — but then hit a hard 180 when she slammed the idea of gatekeeping gay roles for gay actors. “I think that’s hard,” Wilson said of actors who only play roles that align with their sexuality. “It’s going into this territory of like saying, ‘Well, only straight actors can play straight roles and gay actors can play gay roles’, which I think is total nonsense.” She added that she thinks actors should be able to play whatever role they want, regardless of the actor or character’s orientation.