Friday, July 06, 2007

John Travolta Fires Back at Gay Rights Activists

You may be used to seeing him in tough gangster roles in such films as Pulp Fiction, Swordfish, and Face/Off, but John Travolta is gender bending with the best of them in the silver screen revival of Hairspray. But some gay rights activists have a problem with it.

Originally, a transvestite cult actor named Divine played Edna Turnblad in John Waters’ 1988 film. And now that Travolta has reprised the role, prominent gay voices are speaking out, saying he has “no business playing an iconic gay role.”

Their beef? His Scientology background. This isn’t the first time Scientology has caused strife for actors. Tom Cruise is experiencing resistance from a German family for his role in a new WWII movie about a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

For Hairspray, representatives of the gay community are saying that Scientology is homophobic, and therefore they’re boycotting the film because of Travolta’s involvement playing a traditionally gay actor’s part.

And Travolta is fighting back. He’s told press, “There is nothing gay in this movie. I’m not playing a gay man. Scientology is not homophobic in any way. In fact, it’s one of the more tolerant faiths. Anyone’s accepted.”

We’ll just have to wait and see if the uproar ends up hurting the film in the end.

Enjoy the photos of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr, and Amanda Bynes attending the London premiere of Hairspray (July 5).