Scarlett Johansson Hits Back at Critics Who Criticized Her for Taking up a Transgender Role

Actress Scarlett Johansson is being criticized for taking up a transgender role for her upcoming movie ‘Rub and Tug.’ The movie is based on the true-life story of Dante Tex Gill, a woman who took up the identity of a man and ran a string of massage parlors in Pittsburgh which were considered illicit.

Critics have already taken to social media criticizing Scarlett Johannson’s choice for taking up the transgender role. Users suggested that transgender actors should be given the first opportunity to play out transgender roles in movies that are created specifically on their gender identity. Reportedly Scarlett has got back to her critics saying “Tell them they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment.” Johansson said this in reference to the same actors who played transgender roles, have bagged awards for portraying a transgender character and got into controversies for their choices. These actors were not transgenders.

Huffman was Oscar-nominated for playing a transgender woman in 2005’s ‘Transamerica’. Jared Leto won a supporting actor in the Oscars for playing a transgender woman dying of AIDS in 2013’s ‘Dallas Buyers Club’. Jeffrey Tambor was awarded two Emmys for playing a transgender woman in the series ‘Transparent’; however, he is no more part of the show after he was accused of sexual harassment. Hillary Swank won the Oscar in 2000 for ‘Boys Don’t Cry’. Though Scarlett responded to her critics, this is not the first time she’s become an easy victim of the flak.

She got into controversies earlier when she portrayed Asianian character for her role in the film ‘Ghost in the shell’ that was based on the Japanese Manga series. She was accused of whitewashing the character. Johansson’s critics raised this issue and expressed that she has to do better while choosing roles. Fans of Manga however supported her and began a petition to recast her in 2015. In 2017 while speaking to Marie Claire, Johansson explained that she “certainly would never presume to play another race of a person. “Diversity is important in Hollywood, and I would never want to feel like I was playing a character that was offensive,” she said.

Story of Dante Tex Gill played by Scarlett Johansson

The upcoming flick ‘Rub and Tug’ is based on the true life story of Jean Marie Gill who was a female at birth. She later assumed the identity of a man ‘Dante Tex Gill’ to run her business. She appeared masculine and it is believed that she may have undergone initial stages of a sex change which made her look masculine. During his life, ‘Dante Tex Gill’ ran a series of massage parlours that authorities claim ran on shady lines. The parlour was later closed down and Gill was arrested for tax evasion. Gill had to spend seven years in prison. Apparently, Gill started this business to take care of his mother Agnes who died of cancer in 1973.

Gill’s former lawyer told the Post Gazette “He was very tough. A lot of fun. He drank a lot. He partied a lot. He could recite poetry endlessly. Irish poetry,” His cousin said, “He was personally gentle and nonviolent, and he made a nice corrupt life for himself in a nice corrupt American society.” Gill married a woman from Hawai whom he later divorced. Till the movie is released we are not sure whether the relationship between Gill (previously a woman) and his wife would be depicted in the movie. Johansson fans will be enthusiastic to watch her portray a transgender role for the first time ever. It remains to be seen how beautifully Johansson can unwrap Dante Tex Gill’s character and his controversial life on the big screen.