Justice Smith credits his trans siblings for helping him accept non-cis role in I Saw the TV Glow
While the question of who should play queer and trans roles remains divisive, Smith said his own understanding of the topic came from those close to him
By Callum Wells
Justice Smith has credited his trans siblings for helping him accept his role in I Saw the TV Glow, revealing he questioned whether he was the right person to play a transgender character.
The psychological horror sees Smith play Owen, a teenager in the 1990s who becomes fixated on a mysterious late-night series called The Pink Opaque. When the show abruptly ends, Owen’s growing unease turns into something darker, with the film using horror to explore dysphoria, identity and the power of media to mirror hidden parts of the self.
Speaking on Thursday’s (October 30) episode of The Zach Sang Show, the queer actor said he raised concerns early on about taking the part.
“It wouldn’t necessarily make sense if I was a trans actor” – Justice Smith on understanding his casting in I Saw The TV Glow
“I was curious as to why [director Jane Schoenbrun] didn’t cast a trans actor to play that role,” he said. “But they made me understand how me, as a cis person… I’m being used as kind of a device for the structure of the movie. Because, spoiler alert, my character lives in this nightmare realm, and I am actually the girl from the other realm.”
Smith said that explanation helped him see the symbolism behind the choice. “It wouldn’t necessarily make sense if I was a trans actor, because the metaphor can’t really exist [otherwise].”
While the question of who should play queer and trans roles remains divisive, Smith said his own understanding of the topic came from those close to him. The actor grew up with trans siblings and classmates, which, he said, shaped how he approached the conversation and the character.
“I’m really passionate about those kinds of politics and trans people being allowed to play trans characters” – Smith on inclusivity in Hollywood
“I was fortunate,” he told Sang. “It was really beautiful, because there’s a lot of trans people on set [of I Saw The TV Glow], in the cast and in the crew. And that was kind of a queer haven.”
Smith added that his conversation with Schoenbrun – who is trans – was key to his decision to take part. “I’m really passionate about those kinds of politics and trans people being allowed to play trans characters,” he said. “But I am also passionate about trans people telling their stories the way they want to tell them, you know. So that was a bigger priority for me.”