Academy Award-winning actress Julianne Moore recently reflected on her role as Jules in the 2010 film ‘The Kids Are All Right’ and expressed some regrets about the casting choices. In an interview with Variety, Moore acknowledged the criticism the film received for featuring straight actors in LGBTQ roles and for depicting a lesbian character having an affair with a straight man.
Moore stated that she understands why people took issue with the portrayal and admitted that she doesn’t know if they would make the same casting choices today. She emphasized the importance of giving real representation to LGBTQ actors and characters in the film industry.
The Kids Are All Right: A Groundbreaking Film
‘The Kids Are All Right,’ directed and co-written by Lisa Cholodenko, follows the story of Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Moore), a married same-sex couple raising two children. The film explores the complexities of their family dynamics when their children seek out their biological father, played by Mark Ruffalo.
The film was one of the first mainstream movies to depict a same-sex couple raising teenage children, and it received critical acclaim for its portrayal of a queer family. However, it also faced criticism for its depiction of a lesbian woman having an affair with a straight man and for casting straight actors in LGBTQ roles.
Cholodenko’s Response to the Criticism
Lisa Cholodenko, who is an out lesbian herself, responded to the criticism by stating that she believes sexuality is fluid and that the critique comes from a dated view of sexual identity. She argued that sexuality can be separate from sexual orientation and that people can have sexual responses to both opposite and same genders.