It reminded me of the time I booked something ENTIRELY different from the role for which I auditioned. A while back, I attended this huge cattle call casting for a comedy. I auditioned for the role of a wife in a dramatic scene in front of a table full of people. Similar to the set up of "American Idol" auditions. I felt so legitimate, y'all.
A couple of days later, I received a call from production informing me that I didn't book the role of the wife because they thought there was another part that was perfect for me. The role was called Beautiful Woman.
Awww. That's flattering, I thought. The producer would send me sides later, and she asked if I wanted the job. I was super pumped! I wasn't going on regular auditions, and here was a producer offering me this job. YES! Send those sides right on over!
The sides came. I read the script.
I soon realized that I am not just Beautiful Woman. I am "Beautiful Woman" in quotations because spoiler alert: I am really a man. And a prostitute.
That was completely unexpected. And hilarious. Come on. I totally envisioned that I was going to play some classy and glamorous dolled up beautiful woman like Audrey Hepburn. So the contrasting reality of the situation was funny.
I asked people for advice about the role and went back and forth about it in my head. It's not that a transgender/transvestite prostitute is a "bad" character. But is the role right for me? How did I feel about scenes that are sexual in nature? How would it impact my acting career? But then I reminded myself that I didn't have an acting career. That would be "career" in quotations.
I decided that the role wouldn't dictate my future in acting. It seemed highly doubtful that I would be typecast.
Cut to casting office: "Heeeeey, aren't you that girl who always plays cross dressing male prostitutes?"
So I accepted the part and got excited to film the movie. I had so much fun with the cast and crew. You guys, the makeup artist gave me a 5 o'clock shadow.
Yes, the job offer made me wonder if I gave off a transvestite or transgender woman vibe. I think I certainly can.
In this picture on set during another project...hellooo. I absolutely pull off the transgender woman look.
Hey, if I had the opportunity to do a role as juicy as Jared Leto's part in "Dallas Buyers Club", I'm taking it!
