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The sci-fi action movie "Ghost in the Shell" leaves no one to be concerned about the whitening of the pulpit in the film industry.
United States TODAY

Scarlett Johansson faced controversy last year after starring in "Ghost in a Shell" As the Japanese character Major Motoko Kusanagi, the head of a film based on Scarlett Johansson is again at the center of a casting controversy, this time for accepting a role to play a transgender man. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images)

She joins director Rupert Sanders to play in "Rub & Tug", a film based on the true story of the transgender massage salon owner Dante "Tex Gill, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety reported. Sanders previously led Johansson in 2017 "Ghost in a Shell", another controversial role, in which she played the role of Japanese manga character Major Motoko Kusanagi.

Johansson issued a statement to Bustle through an unnamed representative: "Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman's representatives to comment. . "

For reference, these three cisgender actors played transgender characters in "Transparent", "Dallas Buyers Club" and "Transamerica", respectively.

USA TODAY reached out to Johansson and Sanders representatives to comment

For more information: Scarlett Johansson denies having auditioned to date Tom Cruise, calls the rumor "if humiliating " [19659008] Earlier: Will the anger of the launderers haunt the live action" Ghost in the Shell "?

Related: Ed Skrein Leaves Hellboy's Stage in the Middle of the Teeth Whitening Reaction

Many on Twitter responded angrily, both for the initial casting and the declaration to Bustle. The crushing consensus: Transgender characters should be played by transgender actors

"In rejecting concerns about this new role, says a lot about his views on transgender people," wrote Charlotte Clymer, communications officer for the campaign for human rights.

"Basically, ScarJo was cast to play Murray Hill," tweeted journalist Mary Emily O. Hara . "I am so confused."

"You are making a movie about a fat trans man who was a Boss crime and Scarlett Johansson is the name that comes to mind? @ red3blog wrote:

Jamie Clayton ("Sense8") recalled what it's like to be a transgender actress in Hollywood: "The actors who trans can never audition for anything other than trans characters roles," she wrote .

" I hope that this new film will be rewarded in the same way as ("Ghost in the Shell") – mediocre reviews and a box office failure, " wrote the writer Hanna Ines Flint .

In a March 2017 interview with Marie Claire, Johansson recognized the controversy surrounding her casting "Ghost in the Shell"

"Diversity is important in Hollywood, and I would never want to have the impression of playing an offensive character, "she said. ] Automatic Reading

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