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A Talent Agency Declined to Represent a Gay Actor Because They 'Already Have One'
"We already have a gay actor on our books and also an actor/musician of the same age. So we feel there would be a clash..."
Joseph Segal is an aspiring, London-based actor and musician who was seeking to be represented by a talent agency. A rejection letter he received has since gone viral for a bad reason: they already have a gay actor, and as such, don’t need another one.
The agency said, "We already have a gay actor on our books and also an actor/musician of the same age. So we feel there would be a clash. I’m unable to consider you at the moment."
Segal was hurt by the rejection, tweeting the rejection letter with the question, "Are all #gayactors the same?"
As usualy, Twitter users were swift in their condemnation.
\u201c@JosephPCSegal @EquityUK Joseph, it is a disgrace that this agent has brought your sexuality in to the equation as a reason not to take you on. I\u2019ve worked with many gay actors and they very often are playing a straight character and vice versa. So your sexuality is irrelevant to your casting eligibility\u201d— Tom Hopper (@Tom Hopper) 1520718857
\u201c@JosephPCSegal @AnoushkaLucas @EquityUK This is mental. Do you wear a sign? Who gives a shit! How many straight actors they got? Any clashes? I heard Schwarzenegger wasn\u2019t actually a cyborg from the future but they gave him the part anyway. Christ, it\u2019s literally pretending to be somebody you\u2019re not. Sorry pal.\u201d— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6Matthew Lewis\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6Matthew Lewis\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1520712297
\u201c@GemmaLowyHamil @JosephPCSegal @EquityUK I just can't believe it. I'm in shock \ud83d\ude33\u201d— ASHLEY VALLANCE (@ASHLEY VALLANCE) 1520714458
After Segal’s tweet went viral, the agency apologized in a letter to the actor.
Apparently, the agency has also been shut down in light of the event, as they were inexperienced and not members of the necessary associations.
...but seriously though? Don't talent agencies know that all the best actors are gay?
Zachary Zane is a writer, YouTube influencer, and activist whose work focuses on (bi)sexuality, gender, dating, relationships, and identity politics. Check out his YouTube channel here.
Zachary Zane is a writer, YouTube influencer, and activist whose work focuses on (bi)sexuality, gender, dating, relationships, and identity politics. Check out his YouTube channel here.
