Gender flipping in H'wd and how Jodie Foster got that part in Elysium

[KarenShoe]

Re: Gender flipping in H'wd and how Jodie Foster got that part in Elysium

As I recall, and according to wikipedia, the writers had focused on the Alien character, and had written all of the roles as generic males with a note in the script explicitly stating: "The crew is unisex and all parts are interchangeable for men or women."

I believe the Ripley character launched Sigourney Weaver's career with a shot that most actresses don't get. Heck, most actors don't get a shot at such a ballsy part either.

Karen

[kpowers]

Re: Gender flipping in H'wd and how Jodie Foster got that part in Elysium

If there's a verified story to back this up, I'll change my tune, but I believe Ronaldinho is correct -- Identity Thief switched genders, but Heat was written for two ladies; I read a REALLY early (still untitled, before-it-sold) draft, and both characters are women.

[Ronaldinho]

Re: Gender flipping in H'wd and how Jodie Foster got that part in Elysium

The Heat was written for male leads and the concept tested very badly;

I believe this is not true. It sold as a spec and at that time it was specifically already about doing the buddy cop thing with women rather than men.

[Manchester]

Re: Gender flipping in H'wd and how Jodie Foster got that part in Elysium

The Heat was written for male leads and the concept tested very badly; then the numbers went up 90% when the concept was tested again with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, and the movie made $200 mil.

Did they test it first with 2 guy characters (w/o any actors' names), and then with those 2 specific woman? Even so, my hunch is that it would have tested badly with all sorts of other women paired in those roles.

I am not saying that scripts with 2 males leads shouldn't be considered for a change to 2 female leads, but ultimately you still need the right 2 actors to make it work.

[LauriD]

Re: Gender flipping in H'wd and how Jodie Foster got that part in Elysium

There are several other examples I know about. Identity Thief was written for a male lead. The Heat was written for male leads and the concept tested very badly; then the numbers went up 90% when the concept was tested again with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, and the movie made $200 mil.

[coffeywriter]

Re: Gender flipping in H'wd and how Jodie Foster got that part in Elysium

I think the best recent example of gender flipping is when Tom Cruise backed out of the spy thriller, EDWIN A. SALT and Angelina Jolie took the part and the movie was named just SALT. The movie is better for it, in my opinion. That's one of my fave films -- and the kick-ass female lead has a lot to do with it!

[LauriD]

From A Mighty Girl and Ms Magazine:

"This summer has been abysmal in terms of women playing leading roles in Hollywood blockbusters but, as Holly Derr writes in Ms. Magazine, "Jodi Foster has a leading role in the new action movie Elysium. How'd she score it? Foster makes a point of having her agent specifically seek out leading-man scripts that can be flipped. Her role in Elysium was originally written for a man."

Role gender-swapping is rare, Derr maintains, due to the fact that "American storytelling is still driven by the assumption that is at the heart of the Western canon: The male experience is the universal human experience, whereas the female experience is specialized, driven by biological factors, the absence of which prevents men from being able to see themselves in female characters."

Ultimately, Derr asserts "Gender-flipping introduces the possibility that women can represent the human experience, leading eventually to more parts written for women that do that. As more creators include women characters who are complex and universal, more people will realize that this makes entertainment better, not worse. Eventually, we won't even be surprised by it." - Ms. Magazine

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/08/1...-in-hollywood/