Why is it we need middle class actors to play working class characters?

Wanderer2010

A trend I have noticed in Irish drama of late is the fact that great Irish films about primarily working class characters are almost always played by posh middle class or wealthy actors, whats that about? You look at Love Hate where almost all the actors have posh upbringings, Adam and Paul where both actors are very well to do and also Between the Canals, where the main characters from the flats are, surprise surprise, played by well heeled Howth lads.

It doesnt give a great impression that we need a "higher" class of actor to play a genuine, salt of the earth working class person, there are tonnes of great working class actors out there but so many of them are trapped in theatre and never get their chance to shine on the screen. Any opinions as to why the very people who are being depicted are just not getting piced for roles. Look at Colin Farrell hes far from working class and hes lighting up the screen. Discrimination much?

donvito99

There are no working class actors.

Why is it we need working class people to be joiners....

kneemos

Colin Farrel wouldn't light up a wardrobe.

Unregistered.

Why do we have working class brick-layers building middle class houses?

Phoebas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Edhllo_YDo

MagicMarker

Because poor people are ugly, and cameras don't like ugly people.

Teyla Emmagan

It's both the poor people are ugly and working class people aren't actors answer. Someone was asking on a Love/Hate thread why he never saw birds like that in the criminal courts. Because that's not what girls in the criminal courts look like, and they're not going to sell TV shows.

bnt

Because we need our actors to e-nun-ci-ate their lines for the microphones, not slur them out in some incomprehensible brogue. When I pass some "working class" type on a Dublin street, what comes out of its mouth sounds barely human.

Wanderer2010

bnt wrote: »

Because we need our actors to e-nun-ci-ate their lines for the microphones, not slur them out in some incomprehensible brogue. When I pass some "working class" type on a Dublin street, what comes out of its mouth sounds barely human.

Wow, for a short reply you are just full of discrimination, what a statement to suggest that working class people cant speak right. If by "Dublin Street" you mean a junkie thats a different thing. Most working class people can speak perfectly ok and your reply proves most people who discriminate against working class people are a$$holes.

StewartGriffin

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

A trend I have noticed in Irish drama of late is the fact that great Irish films about primarily working class characters are almost always played by posh middle class or wealthy actors, whats that about? You look at Love Hate where almost all the actors have posh upbringings, Adam and Paul where both actors are very well to do and also Between the Canals, where the main characters from the flats are, surprise surprise, played by well heeled Howth lads.

It doesnt give a great impression that we need a "higher" class of actor to play a genuine, salt of the earth working class person, there are tonnes of great working class actors out there but so many of them are trapped in theatre and never get their chance to shine on the screen. Any opinions as to why the very people who are being depicted are just not getting piced for roles. Look at Colin Farrell hes far from working class and hes lighting up the screen. Discrimination much?

of late?? Listen to any radio drama from the past four decades, who the feck do those Irish people think they are pretending to be? How about that "Halcyon days" ad? They try to be posh upper class English, like an episode of "the good life".

Sulla Felix

Theyre actors, isn't that kind of the point?

orestes

"To be or not to be,
that's the question.
If it's nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?"

"Eh, what da fukk are you talking about Hamo ya queer bastard?"

starviewadams

Maybe working class folk can't afford/don't have familys that can financially support them to be out of work for long periods of time like most actors are.

Pity,good portion of the supporting cast of The Wire we're just locals from the ghettos of Baltimore and gave the show a very authentic feel,even if it was hard to understand their dialogue sometimes.

One of the reasons I can't stand shows like Love/Hate or most crime shows these days is that they tend to be filled with folk who aren't convincing looking.Never saw people that resemble Robert Sheehan or Aoibhinn McGinnity smoking heroin down the back of the old 78a!

crockholm

Sulla Felix wrote: »

Theyre actors, isn't that kind of the point?

I remember being in an audience with Stephen Berkoff,and he said along the same lines, people asked why should Anthony Hopkins portray Othello,get a black actor!

It is about being able to convince the audience.

Iirc Cate Blanchette recently played the part of Bob Dylan in a movie.

Or just have really loud sound in the movie,because without loud noises,I might get to thinking,and if I start thinking,I might think" what da fock am I doing watching a film about a spider-man":mad:

Surely the actor is cast for their acting ability, not their background?

After all they're going to be portraying a character, and that characters background is only one aspect of them.

purplepanda

Tony Devlin is from a working class Belfast background :eek: