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Hooper: Cast transgender actors in leading roles

DIRECTOR Tom Hooper has called for the film industry to cast more transgender actors in leading roles.

Mr Hooper spoke after the premiere of The Danish Girl at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday night, saying that there was “a lot more the industry could do.”

The film stars Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe, who was born Einar Wegener and achieved success as a painter under that name before becoming one of the first people to receive gender reassignment surgery in the 1930s.

Mr Hooper, who directed Les Miserables and The King’s Speech, said: “I think the industry has a long way to go in making sure trans actors have the same opportunities as cisgender actors and in making sure trans film-makers have the same quality of opportunity.”

Film-makers should give trans people “the chance to play both trans and cisgender roles,” he said.

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