On July 2nd, it was announced that Scarlett Johansson would play the lead role in the upcoming movie, Rub & Tug, which tells the true story of a transgender man that ran prostitution fronts.
While some people supported her decision to take on the role, others were upset that the role was not offered to a transgender actor. After receiving a TON of hate on social media, Scarlett has announced her decision to give up the role stating,
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.
The actress seemed upset to have to give up the role has she was ready for the challenge of taking on a new character. However, she continued on to say,
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.
Scarlett had initially defended her decision to accept the role referencing the fact that several famous actors had won awards for similar performances.
While I was excited to see Scarlett take on such a challenging role, I'm even more excited that an opportunity is now available for a transgender actor to play such a powerful role!