Readers write IN -- Nobody loves a good read more than we do

While I’m glad to see Wilson Cruz and Jason Stuart in a new movie, I was kind of annoyed to read the following statement in Karen Ocamb’s article on the new movie Coffee Date about actress and producer Sally Kirkland (issue 9.19):

“She fought to ensure that the two actors who played her sons were not gay.”

I really hate to read, in a gay magazine no less, about a producer fighting to ensure that she not only didn’t cast gay actors in these roles she fought to ensure that gay actors were not cast. It happens over and over, but you rarely hear it stated so explicitly. Whether you think her actions were justified or not, I hate to read a statement like that. If a producer announced that they had fought to ensure that no member of another group of people be cast in a role, I don’t think they would state it so proudly.

Sincerely,

Daniel McVey
via Internet

Sally Kirkland responds:

As a resident of West Hollywood for more than 30 years, I have proudly been an activist for the preservation of the city and its landmarks, and will always passionately support the gay community and its culture.

In addition to currently portraying the mother of two sexually misperceived sons in Coffee Date; over the years I have portrayed lesbians in Private Benjamin and Brian To's Audit; the mothers of lesbians in Sasha Rice's Mango Kiss and Anthony Calderella's What's Up Scarlet?; and performed marriage ceremonies in Adam & Steve and Henry Jaglom's Hollywood Dreams.

For the past three years, I have hosted a local West Hollywood public access TV show to support the community and provide an additional forum to discuss the issues it faces, and as a Reverend at the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, I have blessed numerous spiritual unions between gay couples. Also, I have openly discussed my own bisexuality.

As a producer, I strongly enforce that whomever walks through the door and nails the part during the audition process is the actor ultimately cast in that role. Moreover as an acting teacher for more than 35 years, it always has and always will be about the craft.

Thank you for your concern.

Sally Kirkland