Yahoo News Scarlett Johansson praised for quitting trans role
Following Scarlett Johansson's swift exit from a role in Rub & Tug the actress has now received a flurry of praise regarding her decision.
She would have played real-life transgender massage parlour owner, Dante 'Tex' Gill in the film, but her casting caused an eruption controversy in the trans community and beyond.
The criticism was especially pronounced as the film would have seen her reunite with Rupert Sanders, whose casting of Scarlett in 2017 remake Ghost in the Shell was criticised for "whitewashing" a Japanese role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, many industry figures have now spoken warmly about the actress as she steps aside for a trans actor to take over.
Rhys Ernst, an Emmy-nominated producer and director, said: "Scarlett deciding to pull out was a good example of listening to the community and that was the right thing to do."
Rain Valdez, an actress known for her work on Transparent, added: "It says a lot about Scarlett Johansson.
"That actually makes me a little emotional because it's not an easy industry for trans women. It's not an easy industry for trans men"
Another Transparent actres Alexandra Grey shared a powerful message: "We're broken. It hurts us sometimes when we see cis actors portraying our stories and winning Oscars and winning Emmys."
After initially appearing to dismiss the concerns of the trans community about her casting, the Under the Skin actress Scarlett made a second statement about her controversial situation.
"In light of recent ethical questions raised surrounding my casting as Dante Tex Gill, I have decided to respectfully withdraw my participation in the project," she said.
"Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I've learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realise it was insensitive."
She added: "While I would have loved the opportunity to bring Dante's story and transition to life, I understand why many feel he should be portrayed by a transgender person.
"And I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film."
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