‘Call Me By Your Name’ director explains not casting gay actors
The director of ‘Call Me By Your Name’ has explained not casting gay actors in the film .
Luis Guadagnino speaks to the Hollywood Reporter to explain his casting choices for the film which explores a 1983 romance between a 24-year-old American and a 17-year-old teen.
Actors Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet were cast in the film over any out gay talent.
The director says: “This film is about the blossoming of love and desire, no matter where it comes from and toward what. So I couldn’t have ever thought of casting with any sort of gender agenda. I think people are so beautiful and complex as creatures that as much as I am fascinated with gender theory — I’ve studied [American gender theorist] Judith Butler for so long — I prefer much more never to investigate or label my performers in any way.
“I only cast the actors and actresses I fall in love with — truly having an emotion for them, an anticipation and enthusiasm when seeing them — and I believe that my emotional confidence in them blends into chemistry. It’s always been like that, and I hope I won’t be wrong in the future.”
Guadagnino also answered questions about why there are no explicit gay sex scenes in the film.
He adds: “I wasn’t interested at all. The tone would’ve been very different from what I was looking for. I wanted the audience to completely rely on the emotional travel of these people and feel first love. I didn’t want the audience to find any difference or discrimination toward these characters.
“It was important to me to create this powerful universality, because the whole idea of the movie is that the other person makes you beautiful — enlightens you, elevates you. The other is often confronted with rejection, fear or a sense of dread, but the welcoming of the other is a fantastic thing to do, particularly in this historical moment.”
The film, has been a hit with critics at the Sundance Film Festival, as was his previous film ‘I Am Love’.
He almost didn’t direct the film, which was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics.
Also at Sundance this year, is Gigi Gorgeous’s autobiographical documentary about her early life and transition.
