Eric McCormack is a heterosexual actor famous for playing the role of gay lawyer Will Truman in NBC’s Will & Grace. He said that irrespective of the sexuality of an individual, one should get the part if he is the “best person for the role.”
McCormack said this on Monday’s episode of ITV’s Good Morning Britain when he was asked his opinions on the subject.
When asked whether he thinks he would be cast for the role in today’s scenario, McCormack said,
I would like to think, in general, that the best person for the role, the one that comes in and knocks it out of the park, is the one that gets the part.
There’s no part I’ve ever played where I wasn’t playing something I’m not,
McCormack continued.
It’s part of the gig. And I’ve always said, if gay actors weren’t allowed to play straight actors, Broadway would be over.
NBC’s sitcom Will & Grace ran from 1998 to 2006 for eight seasons overall. Later, it returned in 2017 and ended in 2020. Apart from McCormack, Will & Grace featured Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, and Sean Hayes in key roles.
Max Mutchnick and David Kohan created the popular show. Despite its initial criticism for showing gay characters in a quite stereotypical manner, it went on to receive critical acclaim.
The storyline follows a gay lawyer, Will Truman, and his best friend, Grace, who is an interior designer, played by Debra Messing. The friends share an apartment in New York, while the show focuses on depicting various aspects of dating, marriage, and divorce.
At a time when queer characters were not shown in sitcoms a lot, Will & Grace came as an innovative show with its captivating and comical LGBTQ+ storyline.
