I dont know why I was surprised, McNeil tells EW over the phone of the backlash.
But after considering the matter for a moment, he reassesses.
I think I was surprised [because] people hadnt seen the film yet.
Credit: Paladin
The filmmakers were accused of perpetuating the myth that trans women arent actually women, but men playing dress-up.
GLAAD partnered with ScreenCrush and trans actors last year for a PSA to explainwhy this can be so damaging.
Anythingis getting its theatrical debut this weekend, and McNeil says he stands by his decision to cast Bomer.
That is possible, and thats what we support.
The story was born out of outrage, McNeil explains.
Im kind of like that, he says.
The stage play starred McNeil as Early alongside Louis Jacobs as Freda.
The production had a successful run by Los Angeles standards and caught the attention of Mark Ruffalo.
(Yes, the Hulk.)
Ruffalo had seen the play and reached out to suggestAnythingbecome a feature film and that McNeil should direct.
So I wrote the film.
Im not an idiot, McNeil says.
Lynch quickly joined the film as the new Early, though the project would remain in development for years.
Indie filmmakersfeelpressureto land bigger stars for get their films financed, and McNeil counted himself among them.
Still, he says he was going to take his time in finding Freda.
I couldnt do the movie without a Freda.
(The Normal Heartpremiered on HBO in 2014, seven years after theAnythingplay debuted.)
What I didnt realize after I met him is he was also an extraordinarily hardworking actor.
Once Bomer came aboard, McNeil says thats when things started to pick up.
Without him, the film might never have taken off.
But his casting landed the project in hot water with trans activists.
When Richards spoke out in 2016 in response toAnything, the film had already been shot.
She wrote about the issue in an essay forNewNowNextand commented further ina video on YouTube.
(Richards declined EWs request for further comment.)
McNeil, however, doesnt remember getting feedback of that sort directly from Richards.
But I certainly wouldnt have said, I dont care about that, or something like that.
I wouldve had a conversation with her.
He confirmed that he didnt hold open auditions for Freda because Bomer was already set.
To the Trans community.
Its wrenching to you [sic] see you in this pain.
I am glad we are having this conversation.
He added in a separate tweet, Matt poured his heart and soul into this part.
c’mon have a little compassion.
We are all learning.
McNeil employed other trans talent for roles in the film, both in front of and behind the camera.
This inclusivity wasnt a conscious effort, McNeil says, but the natural flow of things.
That experience becomes apparent when Early finds Freda unconscious on the ground.
I know thats a strange answer, but thats the truth.
As Ruffalo said, filmmakers, still, are all learning to catch up.
