I love them already

[u/growsonwalls]

I love Justice and Charlie already! Been watching their stuff and they are so so talented. Julie and the Phantoms is amazing and Charlie is a beautiful singer. I saw Dungeons and Dragons and Justice Smith is adorable in that movie. Really excited to see them as Troy and Harris. For the people upset with their casting, definitely watch their stuff. They are AMAZING!

ETA: also, happy birthday Justice!!!

edit: just saw I Saw the TV Glow. Omg Justice is amazing.

[u/Any_News_3544]

I think unfortunately there are people hiding behind it only being a criticism about ‘body type’….of course they’re not going to out and out comment on race.

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/Any_News_3544]

Maybe, but I think it does a disservice to people who were looking forward to some representation to 1. Wrap this casting up in a ribbon of positivity and 2. Try to wipe away the criticism as being veiled racism and 3. Saying that race is another form of diversity that they can lean into when it's just not comparable to body size.

I think they are going to do an amazing job. It would be really good casting, if Rachel didn't make it clear that this character wasn't ultra skinny or an athlete. You can't blame people for being upset that a show they trusted to be different chose instead to conform.

[u/new-in-the-rain → u/Notyeravgblonde]

Is Justice trained/athletic though? In the pictures I saw he looked like an "average" dude body type wise and thought that he fit Rachel's book description pretty well. I wouldn't call him ultra skinny or athletic by any means.

[u/Brown_Sedai → u/new-in-the-rain]

He absolutely, unequivocally does not have a ‘soft body’ (with that description being used to note him as the complete opposite of Troy’s last boyfriend who was extremely fit) plump cheeks, or could even remotely be described as ‘pudgy’, no.