'Jungle Cruise' Under Fire for Reportedly Casting Straight Actor in Gay Role

It’s not that it’s a problem to cast a fantastic straight ally to play a gay role, it’s that there are so many gay actors that are under represented in all sorts of roles across the board... and so I think that this is, fantastic, but also a bit sad ? #JungleCruise

I'm not saying straight people shouldn't be allowed to play gay people, but Disney should have known there would be backlash to Jack Whitehall in Jungle Cruise. The first openly gay character in a Disney film? Wasted opportunity to be truly historic.

ISNT IT FANTASTIC how white people cant fathom Idris Elba, a black man, playing James Bond, a ‘white character’ but then a straight man is to play a gay character and apparently that’s how movies work, playing someone they’re not. LMAO sit down #jackwhitehall #JungleCruise

person responding to the jungle cruise actor controversy: *states all the straight men who have acted in famous gay roles and gay men who have acted in famous straight roles*

me: ok but can you name gay men who have played famous gay roles

You’re 100% right. My point: For a company and brand that speaks primarily to youth, Disney had an opportunity to give queer kids an authentic reflection of themselves to see on TV and role model to look up to in real life. Not the self-professed stereotyping we’re told to expect

I don’t care about the actor’s sexuality. A “very effete, very camp, and very funny” gay character doesn’t help LGBT representation. It perpetuates a stereotype, which is a problematic if this will be the first mayor gay Disney character. #JackWhitehall #JungleCruise

Jack Whitehall playing gay for laughs is NOT the progress we need