Scarlett Johansson is a talented Hollywood actress who has played many excellent roles. However, she recently faced criticism for playing a traditionally Japanese role in the Film “Ghost in the Shell.” The actress is now under fire yet again, for accepting the role of a transgender person in a film based on a real-life story titled “Rub & Tug.”

Transgender actors and other celebrities are hitting out at Johansson on Twitter, saying a real transgender person should have had a chance at the lead role in the film.

The real-life story of Dante ‘Tex’ Gill

Johansson’s latest project is to star as massage parlour owner, Dante “Tex” Gill. Born Lois Jean Gill, she worked at the massage parlour in Pittsburgh during the late 1970s and early 1980s. While born female, Gill chose to live and dress as a man, even adopting male hairstyles. The Guardian quotes an obituary printed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2003, which suggested that Gill may have also undergone the starting stages of a sex change to a man.

‘Rub & Tug’ directors hire Scarlett Johansson

Little is known of Gill’s life, but Johansson is being heavily criticized for taking the role.

The actress was also highly criticized for taking a traditionally Asian role in the sci-fi film, “Ghost in the Shell,” a film that was under much controversy for what was dubbed “whitewashing.” Her new film project, “Rub & Tug” is set to be directed by Rupert Sanders, who directed “Ghost in the Shell.”

Twitter was alive with criticism over the controversial casting of Scarlett in the new film, with stand-up comic, actor, and writer, Faith Choyce tweeting that Johansson appears to have an ultimate career goal of playing a member of “every marginalized group.”

Transgender actress Jamie Clayton, who recently did get to play a transgender role in the Netflix original series, “Sense8,” also spoke out against Scarlett taking the role.

Clayton said trans actors rarely get to audition for roles as trans characters. She said they can’t even get into the room. She went on to dare directors to cast trans actors in the role of non-trans characters.

Film reviewer, Valerie Complex said she couldn't wait for Scarlett's "Rosa Parks film" to come out.

Meanwhile, a surgeon and scientist, Eugene Gu asked when Scarlett is going to play the role of Barack Obama.

Other tweets were obviously satirical, like the one that said Scarlett was to play Mahatma Gandhi in an upcoming biopic.

Bustle reports that Johansson’s representative has made a statement in response to the criticism.

The statement basically told detractors that they can be directed to the representatives of actors like Jared Leto, Jeffrey Tambor and Felicity Huffman, all of whom have successfully played trans roles in “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Transparent” and “Transamerica” respectively. Possibly not the best response.

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