Priscilla Star Guy Pearce Apologises Over Trans Actor Comments

Australian actor and star of the iconic film The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Guy Pearce has apologised for his post on Twitter about cis actors taking on trans roles in films. 

Pearce, 55,  along with Hugo Weaving, and Terence Stamp had first achieved international acclaim for their role as drag queens in The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert released in 1994.

In a tweet on Monday, Pearce asked whether only trans actors take on trans roles. “If trans actors are the only ones allowed to play trans roles then are we also suggesting trans actors are therefore only allowed to play trans characters?” Pearce said in a now-deleted Tweet. 

Complex and Sensitive Issue

I posted a tweet yesterday that I shouldn’t have, which to prevent upsetting anyone else I have now deleted. A fuller apology and explanation of the point I was raising is attached xx Guy pic.twitter.com/bu1vLQcPFm

— Guy Pearce (@TheGuyPearce) March 28, 2023

In a lengthy note on Twitter, the Emmy award-winning actor apologised for starting a fire and admitted that it was probably not a good idea to start a discussion on the issue on the social media platform. The actor said he was sorry for “crassly focussing on just one already harassed minority in my original tweet.”

The actor acknowledged that the issue of gender identity within the casting process was a “complex and sensitive” one.

“For that, I apologise, enormously. I acknowledge it has only stirred up and inflamed attitudes and made us all dig our heels in. I take responsibility for that and again, apologise for starting a fire,” said Pearce. 

“This is a subject that needs to be discussed face to face, person to person and over a good amount of time where we are all heard and understood. I want to take this opportunity to say it is very clear to me that in many areas of life discrimination, which should have no place in a modern society, unfortunately still thrives.”

Underrepresented Minorities

Pearce said that while he only wanted to defend the definition of acting, targeting the trans community was probably not the way to do it. 

“Throwing the subject onto one minority group, in particular, was unnecessary, especially from a man like me, with a “Full House” of privilege. I’m in no position to complain about fairness, at least not on my own behalf,” said Pearce. 

Pearce said that over the last three decades since Priscilla…, he has been asked whether it wouldn’t have been better that gay actors should have played the roles of the three drag queens on a cross-country trip across Australia. 

“Our industry is already a cesspool of politics, bums on seats funding, nepotism, and favouritism. It’s clear a great many minority communities are underrepresented on screen and that so too are actors from those communities.”

Coming Out To Get Work

Pearce said he did not believe that “artists should have to announce their personal identity, sexual preference, political stance, disability, religious beliefs etc to attain work.”

“I believe that to suggest ‘acting’ can only come from our own lived experience annihilates our imagination. I wouldn’t want that restriction placed on a minority actor or any actor for that matter, myself included.”

Pearce said he believed that “the artistic community must discuss and develop this within itself, yes, even if that involves a little shouting. God forbid politicians or the press barons tell us what is acceptable.”

This issue of LGBTQI actors for queer roles has been raised before. In 2021, non-binary actor Hugh Sheridan faced backlash after they were cast in the lead role in the Sydney production of Hedwig And The Angry Inch.

In a 2021 interview with Stellar magazine in 2021, Pearce’s Priscilla… co-star Weaving had revealed that writer and director Stephan Elliott had  “approached a number of gay actors –  not that you have to be gay to play a drag queen – but they didn’t want to be playing those roles.”