May be flameworthy--should a straight male actor

gracendantho26

be contractually forced to kiss another male actor (this is on a soap opera)?  I think it's bullsh!t! I mean if he signed on when he started the show knowing he was playing a gay character and knpwing he'd have to be intimate with another dude that's one thing but to just all the sudden have to start kissing dudes? I don't think that's right and I don't think it makes him homophobic at all.

The story is the first one on Perez www.perezhilton.com

ToledoDeux

I don't see the problem.  It's called acting.

KrisBriMcBunny

ummm yeah its called acting....he knew this when he signed on for the role of a gay character.  If hes uncomfortable kissing another guy then he shouldnt have signed on for that role.

Not flaming the guy for being uncomfortable though.

gracendantho26

Really? You don't why he would be bothered at all. To me that is taking PC'ness waaay too far.

gracendantho26

Did he sign on knowing the character was gay? I didn't see that but I did read through it fast.

luckyluvr

But it's not a big deal for women? They're being paid to play make-believe. I'm sure thousands of straight actors would love to have the job, kissing guys or not!

ToledoDeux

gracendantho26:

Really? You don't why he would be bothered at all. To me that is taking PC'ness waaay too far.

How is this PC?  Actors are at the mercy of the writers, period.  If the guy doesn't like it, he should negotiate out of his contract.

Hard for me to feel sympathy for someone willingly working on a soap opera, anyway.  They should be offended by the majority of stupidass storylines on there, not this one.

femmegem

ToledoDeux:

I don't see the problem.  It's called acting.

Ditto. To say otherwise would mean that all actors have to be sexually attracted to the people they make out with (or more) on set, which I'm sure is NOT the case whether you're a straight man kissing women or men. From everything I've read, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey couldn't stand each other, but they sucked it up and made Dirty Dancing, right?

gracendantho26

eh, I am as liberal as a girl can get and I can completely 100% see why a straight man would not want to kiss another man..acting or not. I personally would not kiss another woman. And I am not offended by the gay storyline, that would be absolutely ridiculous to say if you actually knew me, I can just see why he would not want to make out with a guy.

femmegem

Regardless of whether he WANTED to do it or not, it was his job. That's what actors get paid to do. Pretend to be other people who do things that they might not do themselves.

breezee_bean

https://www.soapcentral.com/yr/news/2009/0525-engen.php

 Although Engen is well-known for keeping his personal life separate from his career, some are wondering if his personal beliefs may conflict with his character's storyline. The 29-year-old Engen is a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School, a Catholic school in his hometown of Torrance, California. The school's mission statement reads, in part, "We serve the needs of the Church and the larger community by providing intellectually mature persons who have learned to integrate world knowledge with Catholic beliefs and values."

 

belle204

Pay me enough and I'll kiss anyone you want me to. My standards are sinking.

gracendantho26

Well he is certainly enititled to his own beliefs and values.

breezee_bean

gracendantho26:

Well he is certainly enititled to his own beliefs and values.

oh, most def!  I am 100% card carrying liberal.  I don't see a problem with him walking out.  If it was 100% clear in his contract that there would be a gay storyline, then he's in the wrong and Y&R should pursue legal action. 

ETA: by this I mean, he walks out and should suffer the consequences. 

summerbrideDC

Why did he sign on to play a gay character if he wasn't willing to kiss a man??

When actors audition, I believe they know the role they're going in for. ?How else do they prepare in such a way that the casting director would feel they were right for the part? ?Their agents tell them what the part is before they go in.?

Sounds like someone's jumping on the Miss California bandwagon and is going to cry "I am persecuted for my religious beliefs" when he's in a position he damn well knows what was expected of him.

No sympathy.?

CubbyMama

I didn't read the link, but my take is that if he knew he was going to play a gay character, that's a no-brainer...but I'm getting the impression that wasn't the case?  If not, then I think it's similar to asking someone to do a nude scene: if they refuse to do it, it should be in their contract to begin with.  Otherwise, they have every right to still refuse, but the show has every right, in turn, to recast the character and find someone who will.

Halo79RN

summerbrideDC:

Why did he sign on to play a gay character if he wasn't willing to kiss a man? 

 

I don't think he did. I read somewhere that his character was very straight and they just did a wacko story line change.  which, hey, that's a soap.  IDK though. I don't watch it.  

 

I think it's the same as getting naked in a movie when it wasn't in the contract or in the plans when you took the role.  if you're not comfy, then they should either change it or let you go.  let him go, out of his contract. don't sue him. he's the one out of a job already. 

the whole thing is dumb.   

Halo79RN

awww. cubby... great minds think alike... and apparently at the same moment.

breezee_bean

CubbyMama:

I didn't read the link, but my take is that if he knew he was going to play a gay character, that's a no-brainer...but I'm getting the impression that wasn't the case?  If not, then I think it's similar to asking someone to do a nude scene: if they refuse to do it, it should be in their contract to begin with.  Otherwise, they have every right to still refuse, but the show has every right, in turn, to recast the character and find someone who will.

Engen is said to have picked up the latest show script and learned through reviewing his lines that his character was going to be getting intimate with attorney Rafe Torres (Yani Gellman). Months of frustration over the direction of his storyline and lack of airtime exploded in a confrontation between Engen and the show's production team. According to sources, Engen has long felt that the writing for Adam was going in the wrong direction.

It sounds like that he didn't know until recently. 

veloelle

Ditto Cubby. I think just because he went to a Catholic HS does not mean anything. I did. There were a LOT of kids at my school that were not Catholic. I went to school w/ a muslim that had an arriagned marriage for crying out loud. His parents could have sent him there thinking it was the best education and have nothing to do w/ religous beliefs.

I can see how he wouldn't want to kiss a dude. I watch the show, and if he is gay, that is quite a departure from him sleeping w/ women on the show. I guess if he doesn't want to kiss a guy, that's his decision.  I don't think it makes him a homophobe.  If it were me I think I'd just suck it up and do it. It's all pretend.

Littlejen22

I don't think it's cool to force him, I am totally not homophobic but would not kiss another woman.

tanzer13

I don't see a problem.  He is acting.  Just like how a married woman and married man make out on screen, but it is not considered cheating.  Just because he kisses another man while acting does not make him gay.

Zenya

Sounds like the gay thing was a surprise to him.  I think he's entitled to quit.  I don't think they should sue him though. 

 I can understand not wanting to get typcast as a gay soap star.