Dwarf actor claims people shouldn't be offended over Shrek musical casting

Dwarf actor James Lusted has argued that people shouldn’t be offended that a six-foot man has been cast in the the role of a dwarf for Shrek The Musical.

Lusted appeared on This Morning today (November 21) and told hosts Phillip Schofield and Rochelle Humes that a dwarf couldn’t physically achieve the things six-foot actor Samuel Holmes can in the role of Lord Farquaad – the show features various visual gags in which the character’s fake legs dangle from the air to create the impression of him jumping.

“The physical choreography that he had to use in the show, I don’t think that we as dwarves would be able to do what he does on the platform,” said Lusted. “Now, we have to be realistic with all these sorts of things.

“Yes, I’m 3ft 7, I wanted to be a jumbo jet pilot, I can’t reach all the buttons in a cockpit, I wanted to be the next Liverpool football club captain.

“With this sort of thing, I think we just have to look at it and say, I understand why he’s in this role, he’s swinging on his swords, he lifts people.”

Lusted added that people get “a little too PC in today’s society”, and dismissed the idea that the show’s casting was an example of discrimination.

“If they’re not a dwarf, they can’t really have much to say about that, have they lived in that way? No. So I understand both sides of the argument, but I just think we just get too caught up on silly little things – pardon the pun. Life is too short, pardon the pun.

“I think discrimination is a very strong word. I think we get a little bit too PC in today’s society. I’m probably one of the least offended people you’ll ever meet.

“We just get too offended, we’ve got bigger problems that are going on in the world – that ‘B thing’ that’s going on at the moment in the political world.”

Schofield argued that the role could be adapted to make it physically achievable for a dwarf.

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