I don't believe in terminologies like 'lead role' or 'supporting role' or 'cameo role,' etc.
I am an actor. It's very unfair when people categorise and term me as a television actor or film actor.
If you are the kind of guy who draws in 100 million people to see his film, you've got every right to be paid accordingly, but I qualify as a character actor. I don't put a bum on a seat.
What we really have to do is stop the adjective before the job title - whether it's 'black actor,' a 'gay actor' or anything actor.
I guess I think of myself as an actor before I think of myself as a gay actor.
Sure, it can happen that the director sees you in a particular genre, and they like your work in that genre; they tend to think that you can only do well in that genre.
It wasn't until 'Hamilton' that I began to be considered an actor of color, and I really don't know what to make of it.
I have no issue with being a character actor. If you've been around enough that people are able to segregate you into that category, it means you're working. So that's good!
As you know, Hollywood loves to pigeonhole all the actors and actresses, and suddenly I got 're-pigeonholed' as an action actor.
I'm not a method actor because it refers to a certain kind or technique of acting that I have studied about, and I know I'm not one of them.
That is the next step for out trans actors - to just be treated as actors and not 'trans actors.'
You can't tag me as a regional actress.
It harms me when people say I am 'non-mainstream' or 'non-commercial' actor. I try to fight off such labels.
I prefer people to say to me, 'You're one of my favorite actors,' rather than 'You're one of my favorite character actors.' It sounds like a slam. At least it sounds that way to me.
