Critics Are Uncomfortable with James Corden’s Performance in “The Prom”

The movie The Prom will be officially released on December 11th on Netflix. The movie is based on a Tony nominated Broadway musical of the same name, and the plot of the musical was actually inspired by real life events.

The plot of The Prom follows a lesbian girl named Emma who goes to high school in a small conservative town in Indiana. When Emma is forbidden from taken her girlfriend Alyssa to her school’s prom, four eccentric Broadway stars from New York come to her town to protest on her behalf. Of course hijinks ensue.

Unfortunately many critics are upset with James Corden’s performance as the character Barry Glick, who is an openly gay veteran Broadway actor. The issue of heterosexual people being cast in the roles of LGBTQI characters has become a major topic recently. Some people argue that the sexuality of the actor should not matter, because after all actors who are not straight often play characters who are. On the other hand many people argue that since there are fewer LGBTQI roles casting a straight actor takes away an opportunity from a queer one.

Based on the reviews so far it seems like critics do not have a problem with the fact that Corden is a straight actor in a gay role, but that his performance is terribly stereotypical. Screen Rant reports that critics are calling Corden’s performance overly flamboyant and playing into over used gay stereotypes. Indiewire also claims that critics are calling his performance “Gay-Face.” Many critics lament how miscast Corden is in the role, and wish that a gay actor was cast instead.