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The network discusses: Can non-Jewish Helen Mirren play the Israeli icon Golda Meir? The Swiss casting director Corinna Glaus gives insights into how such decisions are made.
Helen Mirren is celebrated around the world and has won awards as an actress – but she is not Jewish. Can she now play a woman who holds an important place in Israel’s history in the biopic about Golda Meir, Israel’s first female prime minister? This sparked a debate in the media last week.
Which story should be told?
Corinna Glaus knows how an agency makes casting decisions. She is the owner and founder of the Glaus Casting agency. In the end, she says, it always depends on how the directors want to tell the story.
For example in a film about young people on the streets: Here the question arises as to whether “young people who live on the streets should be cast. Or whether high school students can also learn and play this,” says Glaus.
Legend:
Cast authentically or with good actors? For Corinna Glaus, head of a casting agency, this question has to be reconsidered for every film project.
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Amateurs or professionals?
The question is not new. The discussion of how authentic roles should be cast has been going on for a long time. “It’s either naturalistic and authentic – right down to amateurs who are biographically close to the characters. Or you cast great actresses.”
Through research, rehearsal and immersion, actors are able to slip into the role, even though it may be far removed from their own personalities.
Shaped by Jewish culture
Glaus’ conclusion: There are two different approaches, and neither automatically leads to a better result. So when it comes to casting Jewish people, certain factors can be advantageous: “A Jewish personality is characterized in play and expression by culture, history, language, rhythm, gestures and facial expressions. Someone who grows up in this environment can draw from it. But I don’t think it’s mandatory.”
In addition, Golda Meir is about a historical personality. The topic is different than with fictional characters: “I understand if certain people are bothered by it, since Meir really lived and many knew her.”
But the directors decided that they could do justice to the historical personality Meir with the actress Helen Mirren.
Serve on marginalized groups?
Casting decisions are also discussed from a moral point of view: are non-Jews allowed to portray Jews? straight gays? Or is that “serving” the stories of marginalized groups without having them on board themselves?
Corinna Glaus thinks: “You can do it, but you have to be aware of what you are doing. You can’t be superficial about it.” By definition, acting is an interpretation. “I interpret a mother role or a murderess, although I’m not a murderer.”
Casting is about authenticity, questions of representation and the art of acting. A field of tension that gives people something to talk about. And there are no clear, simple answers.