Dustin Lance Black Says Talented Transgender Actors Are Easy To Find

Writer-director Dustin Lance Black said last week that finding talented transgender actors is easy.

Black used transgender actors to play transgender roles in the upcoming LGBT rights drama When We Rise.

Several Hollywood productions have been criticized for not casting transgender actors in such roles.

(Related: Mark Ruffalo responds to uproar over casting Matt Bomer to play transgender woman.)

“The big surprise is, it was not hard to find amazing trans actors and actresses to play these parts,” Black told Michigan gay weekly PrideSource.

“What was difficult was deciding who to cast because so many great tapes came in. So, I call bullshit on Hollywood if they say it’s difficult. And if they think it’s difficult, then they should call our casting directors because they found unbelievable trans actors and actresses, and it was actually tough to decide who to cast,” he added.

When We Rise premieres Monday, February 27 on ABC.