An anonymous individual came to me with the concern about playing a character that could be the source of some controversy. The character in question is from a series which takes an alternate- and obviously fictional- look at real events and people. There is a big difference between the real version of this character and their fictional portrayal, which is where the controversy arises from, as some of these differences may be seen as insensitive. This character has little in common with the real person other than the name, and if the name was changed to something else then there would be minimal issue with playing the character.

So what do you do?

Most importantly, remember this: any character you play has the potential to offend someone. There is absolutely no kind of character you can write that will not offend anyone. Even a character without conflict or problems is likely to offend someone because they aren't contributing anything to the story.

Now, there are two reasons why a person could get offended by your character: 1) you are not representing where that character comes from accurately or with grace, or 2) they are incapable of handling their own emotions.

Know that the most important part of playing any character is making sure that you are representing their nationality, race, religion, sexuality- and every other part of them- with respect and empathy. Do what research you need to, read articles, be informed. If someone approaches you and says that something about your character is incorrect, be open to constructive criticism (but as with all things, take it with a grain of salt). That person may know more than you on the subject, and can help you in accurately portraying the different cultural/etc. facets of your character. So long as you do this, then you have reason 1 covered.

However, that means that no matter how much work you put into presenting your character with care, they might still offend someone. In that case, that falls under reason 2. At that point, I wouldn't worry about it. You are not responsible for how another person reacts to the way that they feel. That doesn't mean that it still can't be uncomfortable to deal with, however.

This leaves you with a question to answer! Is your desire to play the character greater than your apprehension over possibly offending someone, and the effort you will have to go through to deal with any offended individuals? If the answer is yes- then take up the character! If the answer is no- then don't!

Good luck, Anon!

If you would like to ask me for advice, you can comment on an article or send me a private message! Be sure to include if you would like to remain anonymous.