Hadestown Quickly Fires Lead Actor Geno Segers Over Transphobic Comments Mere Days After Casting

Following backlash over the announcement that actor Geno Segers had been cast in Broadway’s hit musical Hadestown, producers quickly shared an update that his casting had been rescinded."The producers of Hadestown and Geno Segers have mutually agreed that Mr. Segers will no longer join the Broadway production,” producers said in an August 2 statement, per Broadway World. “Additional casting will be announced shortly.” Segers’ casting had initially been announced as Hades on July 29, just days prior. That news was quickly met with strong reactions online, with many on social media saying that Segers has maintained an “openly vitriolic” social media presence, which included statements against trans people, the wider LGBTQ+ community, and women.One viral TikTok compilation from user @gregfromvideo1 included clips that appear to have been lifted from Segers’ TikTok account in which the actor seemingly questions journalist Don Lemon’s Christianity because of his queer identity, and another video in which he is shown joking that he should get an airline discount if he were to “identify as a canine” service animal. @gregfromvideo1 Gross #hadestown #broadway #musicaltheater #lgbt #transrights ♬ original sound - Greg “The airline don’t wanna be on the wrong side of political correctness,” Segers can be heard joking in the clip. “I’ll probably get a good discount on the ticket if I say that I’m canine and I’m somebody’s service animal.” He continues, “I’m not against anyone living out their lives the way they want, but I am against their rights superseding the rights of other people. That’s a little bit foul.” In the clip, Segers then pokes fun at people who say trans people are “tired on being oppressed and persecuted.” “I’m sorry, I don’t see that,” he says. “I don’t see transgender people becoming oppressed or being oppressed.” Widespread research shows transgender people are indeed subject to higher rates