In honor of Liev Schreiber’s turn in Taking Woodstock, The Huffington Post has its readers scoring various actors’ and actresses’ believability in roles of the opposite sex.
As I’m typing this, Patrick Swayze, who gives my favorite drag performance in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, is averaging 7.4 out of 10, which ranks him sixth among the group of 24. The most successful stars: Cillian Murphy in 2005’s Breakfast on Pluto (9.2), followed by Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry (8.7), Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously, (8.6), Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game (8.6), and Cate Blanchett in I’m Not There (7.7). Schreiber’s averaging a 2.5, placing him behind Eddie Murphy in Norbit (4.0), John Travolta in Hairspray (3.8), Shawn and Marlon Wayans in White Chicks (3.5), and Martin Lawrence in Big Momma’s House (2.7).
I have not seen Taking Woodstock yet, but I’m guessing if Schreiber scored that low, he was not supposed to pass as a woman. Whose performance tops your list?
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Patrick is good, John L. was great in Too Wong Foo as Chi Chi Larue
He played Chi Chi Rodriguez. Chi Chi Larue is a gay porn director… but I’m sure you knew that already.
Thank you for mentionning Cillian Murphy. He was more then amazing in Breakfast on pluto.
Tim Curry as Frank N. Furter gets a 10 out of principle.
Exactly! It’s all in the strut and the confidence.
I agree 100%!!
I’s say Nathan Lane get a 10 on principle as well for the birdcage.
Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria.
Julie Andrews was fantastic!! I can’t believe that one isn’t even mentioned. Great movie and she did an outstanding job.
Felicity Huffman playing a man transitioning into a woman in Transamerica was great. The movie was ok, but she was very believable
would have to be hilary swank in boys dont cry. that movie and performance was just amazing.
I totally agree!! She was amazing and that story broke my heart!
What about Lee Pace in Soldier’s Girl ? He is brilliant in that moovie, should’ve won the oscar for it.
Soldier’s Girl was a made for tv movie, not eligible for Oscar consideration. Pace was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role.
You’re leaving out the most obviously brilliant choice: Joyce Hyser in Just One of the Guys.
THIS
Terence Stamp in “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”. I couldn’t believe it was him-going from General Zod in “Superman” to a transexual. Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce are great in this movie too, but Terence is fantastic.
Definitely! An absolutely brilliant performance. Terence Stamp’s Bernadette was such a beautiful, sympathetic, multi-dimensional character.
Terence Stamp was fabulous as Bernadette. My favorite.
Yes! I can’t believe not a single character from Priscilla was mentioned! Terrence I agree was the best as Bernadette but they were all fantastic
I think Guy Pearce is all kinds of wonderful in that too.
Liev Schreiber also went tranny in Mixed Nuts — and he looked good!!!! At least an 8!
Thank you!!! Everyone is making such a big deal about Liev Schreiber being dressed in drag for Taking Woodstock, but he was so good in Mixed Nuts.
Here-here for Mixed Nuts!
“I don’t know whether your name stars with a C orwith a K…”
Liev was absolutely one of the best parts of Taking Woodstock. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to pass as female.
No mention for John Lithgow in “World According to Garp”?
Has to be one of my all time favorites!
When I saw the topic, Roberta was the first character I thought of.
I think we’re going for “most believable” not “most likely to play fullback.”
Hahahahahahaha
Wow! Eyelashes of Snipes are rather interesting)). Never seen Taking Woodstock. Thanks for video!
What about John Lithgow in “The World According to Garp”?? He was GREAT as Roberta.
No mention of John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig in Hedwig & The Angry Inch?
JA! HEDWIG HEDWIG HEDWIG!
A brillllllliant performance.