Guy Pearce apologizes for 'insensitive' tweets about trans casting: 'I take responsibility'

Guy Pearce issued an apology on Tuesday after he tweeted a question about transgender actors that sparked backlash.

In a since-deleted tweet, the actor asked, "A question — if the only people allowed to play trans characters are trans folk, then are we also suggesting the only people trans folk can play are trans characters? Surely that will limit your career as an actor? Isn't the point of an actor to be able play anyone outside your own world?"

Now, he's acknowledging that his tweet touched on a complex and sensitive subject. "I see that raising the question of gender identity within the casting process on a platform like Twitter was not a good idea. For that, I apologize, enormously," Pearce wrote. "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, apologize for starting a fire."

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images Guy 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," he added, clarifying, "The point I wanted to raise was one about defending the definition of acting and nothing more. Throwing the subject onto one minority group in particular was unnecessary, especially from a man like me, with a 'Full House' of privilege."

Pearce recognized that he was in "no position to complain about fairness," noting that the industry is "already a cesspool of politics, bums on seats funding, nepotism, and favoritism." He added, "It's clear a great many minority communities are underrepresented on screen and that so too are actors from those communities. But I don't believe artists should have to announce their personal identity, sexual preference, political stance, disability, religious beliefs etc to attain work."

The Mare of Easttown actor noted he raised the question since many have approached him about his drag queen role in 1994's The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, centered on two drag performers and a trans woman as they travel across the desert to perform cabaret. "Now many similar discussions are occurring about trans actors and trans roles," Pearce wrote. "It has led me to reflect even more about acting as an art form and it's place in the world."

He continued, "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. While "none of this is straightforward," Pearce believes "the artistic community must discuss and develop this within itself, yes, even if that involves a little shouting."

Pearce previously made headlines in 2018 when he said he thought it was "dangerous" that actors couldn't play certain roles based on sexuality, expressing uncertainty over whether the casting of Adventures of Priscilla would still fly today. "We copped a bit of flak at the time: 'Why are there three straight actors playing three gay roles?'" he told The Guardian. " It's a difficult subject to get into."

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