I went to his house and hung out with him and his family. But that was a beautiful moment, just to hang out with him there. I am sorry he was being tormented at the end and I didn’t know. I think we have a number of things that were similar in the way we worked, but I just liked the guy. Eddie Izzard” back to me, was quite a moment. That very first moment, to walk up to this guy that you have studied in a stand-up workshop and say, “Mr. Yes! Just to hang out with Robin was such a crazy thing. What do you treasure most about that experience? You made your big-screen debut with Robin Williams in 1996’s The Secret Agent. In Ocean’s Thirteen, we had all these scenes of just me, George and Brad. Hanging out with those guys was a wonderful thing. It was wonderful to do a small cameo in Ocean’s Twelve and Thirteen. What acting experience stands out to you? I am about to perform in Spanish in Central and South America. I am now doing Victoria and Abdul with Judi Dench, and I am also touring as a stand-up comic in France, speaking French, and Germany, speaking in German. My self-belief has helped me get things going in these two careers. You credit much of your success to “self-belief.” How did that lead you to some of your movie and TV gigs? But remember when gay and lesbian characters didn’t even exist, they couldn’t kiss? We have come a long way, so let’s keep forging our way forward. It would be driven to make a profit first because it is show business. But the trouble with Hollywood is they have to see money, or some financial incentive in doing it. It would be great if more transgender actors can play more transgender characters. I will play hopefully more transgender roles in the future, but there are a lot of boy genetics in me so I am happy to play boy roles. I do feel I have boy genetics and girl genetics. I am trying to have my cake and eat it, because I am essentially transgender. Hollywood will be that way until money is made. How would you like to see the transgender community accepted more in and out of Hollywood? What is your take on cisgender actors playing transgender roles? You have years of experience in the opposite position: a transgender actor playing cisgender roles. We do what we can, we soldier on, and we try to find positives in the negatives. What she had to go through has been very tough. One of the greatest activists is an African-American woman who is on Orange Is the New Black, Laverne Cox. She’s very slow on getting onto gay marriage - but still, a lot of people in America can now talk about it because it’s further out there in the public domain, so that has to be a good thing. Like Caitlyn Jenner. Now, her politics are not so good. But fame can also help some young kid, because he can say, “I am like that person there.” As a positive role model, that’s where I see fame helping. But then again, I am quite well known in America, but I can find you a lot of places where they wouldn’t know me and I am just some transgender guy going into the loo or shops. What role do you think fame plays in the acceptance of transgender people?įame does make it easier for me. You write of people possibly being more accepting of you because of your charitable marathons and acting career. It gets rid of so many things in one fell swoop. If you just take out urinals, then everyone can use them. What do you find most difficult about using a women’s restroom today and where do you stand on the gender-neutral bathroom debate? The humiliation period, the initial period, is so tough. Hide about it.” I just thought they were all wrong. It assaults your senses because, back in ‘85, everyone said, “No, no. If you are coming out as transgender or gay or lesbian, it’s such a tough rite of passage and quest. How did coming out years ago help you with other challenges in your career and personal life? Leslie Jones, Eddie Izzard, Mae Martin to Host Galas at Just For Laughs Festival
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