Could a trans actress play Eli?

[Pissball]

Anyone who looks like the character described in the book (pretty girl with pale skin and dark hair) can play Eli.
Some people insist on the "androgynous" look, but that's only because he * is supposed to be a boy, looking like a starving (pretty) girl.

I mean, if you have an actress, you really don't need to "boyish" her up physically. Of course, if it is a male actor, then he might need a bit of makeup or whatever, ideally the natural look that makes him pass as a girl at first, second and even third sight. In which case he would be an "androgynous" actor.

If I were a director, I'd cast a girl and rewrite Eli as a "hermaphrodite" (intersex xxy or something) whose willy is still cut by the crazy vampire lord. That would explain his rather effeminate appearance, agressiveness and his fragile health as "human" in the village before he was kidnapped, as well as his depression and inner thoughts about being nothing, boy or girl, all that symbolism. End of the problem.


PS: What I would avoid at all costs is the "trap / tranny" trope (the idea that Eli dress like a girl explicity only to prey his victims) that is indeed offensive to trans and to the character itself, kinda silly / lame. The book does not claim that btw, Eli clothing is random, he use girl clothes just because.

[Wolfchild]

I’ll preface this by saying I’m cisgender so I don’t know if I’m crossing any lines by suggesting this... but could Eli be played by a trans actress (she’d probably be older)?

I realize that in the book Eli is not trans so again not I’m trying to cause offense to trans people.

The issue of gender identity politics aside, I take this to be the same questions as "Could Eli be played by a male trans actor?", or even, "Could Eli be played by a black actor?" After all, JAL urged Tomas to cast a boy as Eli in his film. It could be a tough sell to have us believe that a black Eli could have survive the past 200 years in Sweden. However we have seen that Eli can be portrayed on stage and in film as existing nit only in Sweden, but also in England, in the US, and even in Turkey. So why not a black Eli? When I saw the stage production, I got to see a Latina Eli.

But I think that all the preceding still misses the point. I would say that an actor's ability to play Eli would not depend upon any intrinsic characteristic of the actor (other than perhaps a youthful appearance). It would only depend upon the actor's skill at their craft. Can they make me believe that this child is also a monster? Can they make me believe that this boy Oskar could fall in love with this little monster? Can they make me believe that Eli yearns for Oskar's acceptance not for cynical reasons but for emotional ones? For me this thread of acceptance through love is the bedrock upon which all else in this story is built. Eli must be portrayed with some innocence and be a mix of feral cunning and naivete. I see no reason why a trans actor, or a black actor, or an Asian actor, or even a blind actor could not be a good Eli. So long as they have the skill to project these critical story aspects through their performance and make me believe, I'm good.

BTW: I am curious: Why do people feel compelled to give disclaimers about their gender before commenting on this topic?

[CyberGhostface]

BTW: I am curious: Why do people feel compelled to give disclaimers about their gender before commenting on this topic?

Because as someone who isn’t transgender I didn’t know whether or not someone who was would be bothered by the suggestion.

[JToede]

I would say that an actor's ability to play Eli would not depend upon any intrinsic characteristic of the actor (other than perhaps a youthful appearance). It would only depend upon the actor's skill at their craft. Can they make me believe that this child is also a monster? Can they make me believe that this boy Oskar could fall in love with this little monster? Can they make me believe that Eli yearns for Oskar's acceptance not for cynical reasons but for emotional ones? For me this thread of acceptance through love is the bedrock upon which all else in this story is built. Eli must be portrayed with some innocence and be a mix of feral cunning and naivete. I see no reason why a trans actor, or a black actor, or an Asian actor, or even a blind actor could not be a good Eli. So long as they have the skill to project these critical story aspects through their performance and make me believe, I'm good.

Just to piggy back on Wolfchild post, the play I saw in Provo had a 6 ft guy playing Eli and a little 5 ft blond girl playing Oskar, I liked the play, and Scout Smith, who played Oskar, did an wonderful job.
So to reiterate my previous response on this tread- Yes.

[Jameron]

BTW: I am curious: Why do people feel compelled to give disclaimers about their gender before commenting on this topic?

Context? No-one wants their words to be taken out of context, deliberately or mistakenly, and used as a basis to alter the perception of their character. I didn't announce my gender, but I did announce my relative ignorance of the trans community and its issues for exactly that reason.

.

[dongregg]

I'll take my stand: Every iteration of the story must stand on its own feet. Novel, film, play, short story, fan fiction. Knowing nothing about the film, I thought Oskar was a girl at first. The story is the thing.

[NigelNinja]

Personally, I can't picture anyone but Lina Leandersson playing the role of Eli. To me she IS Eli. But to answer your question, absolutely a trans actor could play the role if she had the acting chops to pull it off.

[dongregg]

Well put. A trained and experienced actor could inhabit many roles and personalities. Rookies Lena and Kore (sp) got lucky by having the right director.

[NigelNinja]

Well put. A trained and experienced actor could inhabit many roles and personalities. Rookies Lena and Kore (sp) got lucky by having the right director.

Lina and Kare are simply amazing. Their genuine expression of emotion makes me feel what they're feeling in that moment. You could mute the sound and completely understand what is going simply by inferring what they convey in their body language and facial expressions. Simply put, in my humble opinion, its the greatest acting performance ever.

[dongregg]

Hi NigelNinja. Funny you should say that. I got the idea somewhere that TA pitched it as a silent movie, but the idea didn't get green-lighted. However, I encourage everyone to watch it all the way through with the sound off. You'll be amazed of all that you see. Then (go with me here) listen all the way through with the screen minimized. You'll hear dogs barking, birds chirping, traffic....It's really an enriching experience.