Today's topic of discussion.

[hackthis_archive]

In today's Variety there's an article on Brokeback Mountain, one of many that have come out over the last few months and which will doubtlessly be followed by many more. I mention this because in reading it this comment caught my eye,


I don't believe they would have ever allowed an openly queer director to make this movie, nor do I believe that actors of this calibre would have signed on. In a long line of ironic outcomes, it took these guys [Jake Gyllenhaal & Heath Ledger] with impeccable heterosexual credentials to make this kind of breakthrough.
-Critic and author B. Ruby Rich

Do you lot agree with that?

Discuss.

Comments

[sangerin.livejournal.com]

(wandering in via Friendsfriends)

The only bit I'm surprised by is the feeling that Ang Lee has "impeccable heterosexual credentials" (I know that's not in the quote, but it seems implied); or that Lee has strictly het "cred", so to speak. Do people (in general) not remember The Wedding Banquet? That was the first Lee film I encountered, and it's still one of my favourites... the main couple are two men - cross-cultural to boot - and the ending is an odd sort of of almost-approaching-poly relationship. Although perhaps it doesn't count because it was partially not in English (which makes one wonder whether Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon doesn't count because it's entirely in Mandarin...)

[green-queen.livejournal.com]

Mmm, and Heath Ledger played a gay character on an Australian TV show called Sweat. And then there was Roar. *runs from Roar*

I'm mostly amazed that Heath's all "ew, icky, had to do sex scenes with Jake FOR MY ART, woe is me." Has he SEEN the shows and movies he's been in?