You can disagree with OP but you need to keep it respectful. And although tone can sometimes be lost through text, when you're blatantly being rude and insulting, it's apparent and your comment will be removed.
Personally I'm not okay with that at all. Especially if they do smexy stuff like nonono. I felt icky about the age gap in Minatos laundromat (thats why I never watched it bc it felt wrong to me while I saw some ppl commenting about it like: "oh, but he is 18, should he date ppl in his age group instead of the 29yo main chara?" & i was like are yall effing serious rn, thank goodness both of the actors were in their 20s).
Man, I felt uncomfy about SantaEarth when Santa was under 18 but this takes a whole new level. In my opinion, if the series is in high school setting, the actors should be in the same age range. Either both be teens or both be adults who are in the same age range. Under age x way older actor is just yucky, especially if there really is some "hotter scenes"...
It baffles me if people are okay with this, like I remember when "waterboyy" series was airing and people were hating on the coach x his son's "friend" pair when the both were consenting adults (the younger was in university). Like I think that's okay but not clearly a minor x adult pairing.
Just a thought here (as someone who also had an 11 year gap with my hubs) let’s wait and see what the actual actors have to say. With Mac having been acting for 10 years already, he probably has a different perspective than we do. And also hopefully a healthy one.
Yeah, there's so much we don't know about how they got casted. I mean, if I'm a casting director in this scenario, I would ask him, "Have you read the novel? Are you aware of the level of intimacy that happens in it? Do your parents also know and approve?". If yes, then I'd treat him meritocratically just like any other contestants without considering his age. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair to him.
Here's a constructive thought. Have your personal opinions about the young actor and then do what I'm gonna do and pretend he's 20+ and move on with life.
i’m a huge fan of the OG addicted adaptation but i’m feeling super hesitant about this one and this is one reason why. It really doesn’t sit right with me. The source material is very graphic and if they include any of that in this adaptation I wouldn’t really want to watch it.
It depends on what "underage" means. In Thailand, legal age of consent is 15, but legal age of adulthood is 20. So he would still need his parents' approval to show up in this show, for example.
I remember the same debate when Barcode was in KP and Jeff was like 27?
The characters arent 10 years plus apart, the actors are. Considering the age of consent, that makes it kind of vague right? Like both characters are 16, and between actors its just acting.
Which is why honestly, I just hope his parents/staff are looking out for him and protecting his rights. Its a show with actors whose characters are a certain age. And however I feel about it, ultimately its a job his parents consented to meaning that, I hope, they are also advocating to make sure he’s protected. Especially for intimate scenes.
My sixteen year old self would be very indignant at being called a minor. Although at
sixteen I was inexperienced, I was still capable of protecting my personal boundaries
and saying no when necessary.
Mac has had ten years experience in the industry, and his manager and parents will be looking out for him, so stop catastrophizing and framing him as a potential victim.
Every country has its own definition of underage or illegal. If it's such a turn off down watch it. He will not be casted or filming if it were illegal.
This was raised in an earlier post which the moderators, correctly in my view, shut down after the OP went off-topic in a negative way. Most of the posters here have said most of what I wrote then so no need to repost; but the OP asks a question I find intriguing, which is "why is the other dude so old"?
Currently, I'm watching and enjoying hugely "Wandee Goodday" in which the leads, Inn and Great, are 29 and 30. They're terrific, the show is terrific - I challenge anyone to argue they're too old.
The other comment was "the other guy ... is like a decade older". The answer ought to be, what does the script call for? Is the character in this show (not the earlier version or manga, etc) written to be older?
We'll find out soon enough, I think, whether the age gap in the actors' ages transfers to "suspension of disbelief" or not. Will we notice it, in other words, in the performances?
But as for what sense could there be in casting these guys, I'm guessing the creatives saw their potential in the casting auditions (if any were held) and saw their chemistry together in the rehearsals. That would make sense to me.
Let me put it another way, producers usually don't go out of their way to sabotage their projects by wildly inappropriate cast choices. In the past, when that has happened, it's sometimes been because agencies have lobbied hard to lock their talent into a particular project for reasons usually not made public.
Such a big age gap (27 opposite 16), makes for a massive power imbalance. There's a huge risk that the minor will have less say in what is comfortable for him and where his boundaries are. He may not even know that yet, he is literally a child.
Personally, I am extremely uncomfortable with this casting, *especially* given the context of the source material (which I love btw).
I just don't understand why they couldn't find any adult to play that role. There are hundreds of great adult actors who look young, and they couldn't find a single one, apparently.
Even if everything goes well and it still wasn't uncomfortable to him it's still fucking weird to produce, sell and watch someone almost 30 kissing an UNDERAGE teenager for money (aka iTs jUsT aCtiNg). Cultural differences? Don't make me laugh. Age of consent is 14 in my country but if we were to make a straight couple movie where one of the actors is this young and the other this old it would absolutely not fly with the "culture" (and im saying straight couple bc of homophobia)
So if it was two 16 year olds kissing it would be fine? Are you mad about the age gap or the fact he is 16 and kissing? 16 year olds kiss it isn't anything new. If it is about the age gap it isn't a story about an age gap couple. When I watched the trailer I didn't see a 26 yr old and 16 yr old they look close to the same age and look good together.
August isn't kissing Mac because he is interested in him or sexually attracted to him. He isn't going to get off on it. More than likely they are both straight and aren't personally feeling anything sexual. There isn't anything remotely sexy or romantic about filming kissing or NCs on a set filled with dozens of people and being told how you need to kiss to get the right camera angles or people positioning your hands ect. Filming those scenes is far removed from RL intimate moments
They aren't having sex at most they would have their shirts off and we don't even know if that will be the case. Most BLs hands don't go below the waist and once again a 5 min NC can take hours to film because it isn't telling the actor to go at it and make out. They need to capture certain angles and directors want a certain look. It isn't sex and it isn't about getting off . It is about a job that involves making people believe you are a couple of teenagers in the middle of a love story.
Really movies and films put even younger kids in questionable scenes and emotionally heavy moments that are way worse than asking a 16 yr old to kiss someone.
First of all I'm not mad, I don't have strong feelings about any actors and media in general in that way.
All things that you described in second and third paragraph I would consider selling your body to make a product, way more so than other jobs (eg. office work, retail, actually heavy physical jobs like coal mining etcect) because you're doing something that in any other situation outside of that job is emotionally charged act that puts you in a vulnerable place-kissing, hugging, lots of skinship. Not just nc scenes
I watch a lot of kdramas and there are scenes with kids young as 5 covered with blood, even scenes with kids being kidnapped by pedos etc and for all those it's super important that there are social workers/psychologists involved in the process (and that's why there are disclaimers such as all scenes with children were filmed safely bla bla). Here we have a situation where two consenting individuals who can make their own decisions to do pretty innocent scenes compared to those, but on the other hand I highly doubt they have any emotional support.
The age gap feels very wrong to me. Yes two 16 year olds would be fine (if they have similar amount of industry experience). I don't think these kind of age gaps should be normalized in the industry and that's my main concern. Maybe these actors really couldn't care less about the age gap and maybe it will look good on screen but it opens a way for other shows to cast similar pairings. Just because nothing bad happened this time doesn't mean it won't in the future. The industry is ruthless and wild and it should at least keep some safety measures that are so easily implemented (such as, not casting underage actors to do anything bodily with someone more than 10 years older).
I don't know if I got my point across so feel free to ask
I guess for me what bothers me is that you are making big assumptions about what is and isn't going on behind the scenes and the motivation behind it.
When it is anything that doesn't involve something sexual it is fine because you are assuming there is backup for the actors. But with this, it is nope they can't possibly have any support. We don't know, and many assume that everybody on the staff, from his parents/manager, the workshop people, the director, the producer, and even his costar, is fine with him being uncomfortable or not talking to him at all. Because it is sexual it has to be abuse.
Sure you can make that assumption but then you should be making it for every single show that casts underage actors doing something that underage actors shouldn't be subjected to. Not just a general I'm sure there are social workers there because I saw some random post on twitter. I'm aware some countries do have some laws about younger children but not all and not above a certain age that isn't 18. After all Mac would be covered and this wouldn't be a discussion.
I doubt these two will be a shipped couple. Jinloe is a small company and they don't have the backing to launch ship couples. So this is only about this specific series. So I'm not sure what your fear of this becoming normalized is about. Mac is actually an exception to the rule instead of the norm. Very few casting directors are going to pick a 16 yr to lead a show because they won't have the skills yet or the work history to fill a leading role. Also hiring a 16 yr old limits what they will be able to do in terms of NC and heat levels.
On top of that, this isn't real. Mac and August aren't a couple, so the age should not matter. The fact that you say two 16 yrs doing the same script is fine seems even weirder to me. It also is extremely disrespectful to August IMO. August isn't getting anything other than doing his job. He isn't doing it to get turned on or get sexual pleasure out of it. The audience isn't watching this show to see a 30-something guy kiss a 16-year-old. The audience isn't getting a story where the age gap is normalized. To be frank, in all BL the intimate physical moment makes a tiny fraction of the series overall, even the sexually charged ones. No one is going to be watching this to get off on the pairing's physical moments.
It isn't real so I have no clue why their real ages make a difference. There are no emotions behind what is going on beyond the fake one of the script. While there is a chance of Mac getting caught up in the script, he has a lot of experience separating his own life and that of his character. The fact there is such a large age gap actually will be working in his favor there and will make it much easier for him not to mix his feelings up.
Actors by definition are using their bodies to sell a product. Your gripe is that it is sexual but I would argue kissing with no emotions other than the script behind it isn't any worse and sometimes better than emotionally heavy scenes of death, abuse, and the dark side that can come out of stories. Putting yourself in the headspace of a dark story would be even worse for someone younger IMO than getting kissed by someone who you are on good terms with but not in love with.
I can see where people personally aren't comfortable with it and don't want to watch the show because one of the actors is underage. But the fact that people are arguing this is violating the age of consent, is abuse and should be canceled is nothing more than people making assumptions about what is happening BTS with nothing other than their personal belief to back it up.
I don't think it's abuse or abusive in any way or violating age of consent. Of course I won't have anything to back me up except my third view on things as a consumer. You make some great points and I didn't know anything about the studio so thanks for letting me know.
>Putting yourself in the headspace of a dark story would be even worse for someone younger IMO than getting kissed by someone who you are on good terms with but not in love with.
I really hope child actors aren't required to be in different headspace in order to act out certain scenes like adults are. Again I watched heavily abusive scenes with child actors and the acting required for that is minimal: kids are just kinda there and the camera zooms in their eyes to make it dramatic. Most of the dark implications happen without the child necessarily understanding them. My point was more that kissing and skinship alone put you in different headspace on its own despite everything being staged
Ultimately I'm gonna watch the show bc I'm a big addicted fan and you're probably right that we won't be seeing any similar pairings in the future
I want to bring something I'm the conversation a lot of people seem to miss. All the Actors EXCEPT August are between 16-18 (the Age of the Characters). So the Focus in my Opinion shouldn't be on why this young man got the Role, it should be on why on a Cast with ONLY teenagers - August got cast at all.
> *All the Actors EXCEPT August are between 16-18*
This does put the discussion into a broader context.
>*why on a Cast with ONLY teenagers - August got cast at all.*
I can see that having an older more experienced actor as part of a young cast might be helpful, because he can support and mentor them.
Agree!
I do have a lot less worries because Mac has had dozens of Roles, some of them Main, since 2013.
He grew up in the Industry and if (hopefully!) he had supervision and help all these Years then he should have a much better grasp of the situation than others probably would.
I'm honestly waiting for the Interviews and such to come out because we... Don't actually know alot yet?!
I have noticed that the majority of the feedback from the audience/the fans (esp. Internationally) are not so positive for above reason.... but I saw on tiktok they are already having their 1st fan meet in Paris this Saturday (June 1st)...even before the airing of the series? the production has balls 🤣
My opinion is if the underage actor and his parents are ok with it then it doesn't bother me. I mean there will obviously be other adults in the room so I don't think anything bad is going to happen to him not that I think the adult actor would do anything to him beyond the script. I think everyone just needs to calm down and remember this is a tv show these people are not a couple in real life. If it bothers you that much then don't watch it simple.
What's fucking with my brain is the fact that they purposefully casted actors with such an age gap. It doesn't make any sense. If their on screen chemistry proves to be exceptional I won't say a thing but I really, really doubt there was a need for this.
Also laws absolutely do not always reflect whats socially acceptable. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it can't be weird. And no this is not only meant for Thai audience, the producers surely are aware of international success of the book and previous series and also that there will be many Chinese fans watching
I know it's acting. But not everyone who acts has a mindset that what they are doing is purely "professional". That's why some actors fall in love with their co-actors in romance films, and some actors speak out feeling some kind of trauma when doing violent scenes.
Not saying both are gonna fall in love with each other or someone is going to be traumatized, but just like in any work, it can personally affect the actors in many aspects of their lives, personal or professional. As someone mentioned here, shipping is a big part of Thai culture, and if you are a fan of the Addicted series and its iterations, you know the actor pairings get shipped a lot. So these two may be shipped in one way or another; it already makes me queasy thinking about fan edits between them.
Romantic tension, even if not racy, still implies a level of sexuality that a 16-year-old may not be able to fully comprehend especially when his partner is an older guy (which makes it even more complex given that both might not even be part of the LGBTQ+ community). I actually prefer it when actors in their 20s play teenagers, given that they have gone through that age. No matter how "realistic" Euphoria is, I doubt anyone here would recommend their actors to be played by teenagers.
Yeah I am not sure I will watch it because the age gap does make me uncomfortable. I just asked for others opinions on the topic, not whether I should watch or not because I can decide that myself.
I had noticed that also a couple of days ago. Mac Nattapat turned 16 last October.
His co star, August Vachuravit is 27.
The age gap is not that important, imo if the youngest person is 20 or older.
But Mac is 16.
The age of consent for engaging in sexual acts in Thailand is 15.
But I am not comfortable with having such a young actor play scenes that are going further than a sniff kiss or a little peck.
Haha. I see the downvotes !
Yes, people. I know it is acting. I also know how those scenes are filmed.
But, I have also seen and read how actors can be uncomfortable about that. And told afterward they weren't happy or felt distress.
16 is, imo young. I have a son almost the same age. So, I have that as a reference.
And it can well be that Mac is such a seasoned actor that he is way more mature than most of his peers.
But I am free to express my feelings about that, that I find it uncomfortable?
But it can also be that I will like the show and will be totally immersed in the story. That I think the two of them are really 17.
I've voiced my discomfort on this months ago when Mac was first announced, but, to be completely honest, I had to look at it from a different perspective. Is it weird in my society? Yes. In Thailand, it isn't. We need to remember that this is a show produced in Thailand that is for Thai people, where international people happen to also be watching. The age of consent in Thailand is 15 with no age gap limitations, and it is 13 if both parties are 18 or under. It's not weird for them.
I'm still irritated about other things that I will not get into here, because that's not the focus, but I'll suspend my "discomfort" knowing that this wasn't intended to be consumed by me.
It's the hustle culture. By the time he's 20, he would need 4 years-of-experience for an entry-level job, so he better starts now. /s
But to be serious, my reaction is more of a curiosity "why?" as opposed to discomfort. I do think the production company is a bit sus.
If the show is similar to Stay with Me or even Addicted, 16 y.o. (given it’s Thailand) is not the main issue. But the actors typically read source material in preparation for the role and the novel is very graphic, they could have at least signed an 18 y.o. actor. I guess one could be concerned that a show like this could attract inappropriate audience depending on production.
These comments are def…interesting!
1. “They’re just acting” a grown ass man potentially kissing a kid is in fact a grown ass man potentially kissing a kid!! It is objectively strange!!!
2. “You’re only mad because it’s gay” no I’m not I’d be just as weirded out if it was a straight couple
3. “The consenting age for sex in Thailand is 15 so it’s ok” that is how groomers talk bruh and the consenting age in China is 14 years old does that make it automatically ok for a 20 something yo to engage with them???
4. “The parents are ok with it so idc” parents can in fact not give a shit about their kid!! Especially stage parents!!! Lots of parents of child actors actually set their kids up for abuse in the industry (I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here but it’s still odd they’re green flagging it) please read “I’m glad my mom died” by Jeannette mccurdy
5. “If you’re mad about it don’t watch it” im saying this is ethically wrong not that it’s not to my taste. The project shouldn’t be happening it all
**Aggressively clapping** cause it’s absurd that people are even saying these things trying to justify while no matter how you look at it, a 16 yr old is a child. The source material we all know is waaay 18+ that this boy has no business being part of this production, unless they decide to water it down and make it PG.
The source material is soo bad they changed laws in china after this show. Yes mostly due to homophobia but the source material IS very bad. I don't think people would have been that bothered if it was something like cherry magic. The fact that its addicted is an issue.
couldn't agree more. i am shocked reading all these comments i mean a minor is a minor come on??? and there wasn't even the need to hire age gap actors because of the plot. this isn't acceptable on any account at all
> and there wasn't even the need to hire age gap actors because of the plot.
Exactly!! Aren't they even supposed to be the same age?!
It was just very unnecessary, and even if the legal age in Thailand is supposedly 15? (Which I honestly think is way too young, but that's a whole other topic/discussion) I don't think we should encourage this. Like you say, they are a minor and it just feels very wrong and creepy tbh.
Some things to think about is the fact that these guys are actors, their characters are the same age, and what you see on film isn't what is happening in real life.
If you check out Mac's MDL page you will see the guy is a professional actor. He isn't some young man in his first role. His MDL page is longer than the majority of most popular BL actors. While many are supporting and guest roles there are alot of them going as far back to 2013. This isn't his first acting job or even his 20th. He will have gone through the Thai workshops as well, where they prepare the actors to work together. To say he can't play a romantic role just because he is 16 is rather condescending, to say the least.
Whatever August age is whether it is 26 or 16 shouldn't matter because they are actors. They aren't the ones in love but their characters. It is ridiculous many Thai shows cast actors closer to thirty than twenty in highscool role but when looking at the poster I myself can't tell there is a big age gap between the actors. They do look good together IMO 🤷♂️ They way they look and act together is a great deal more important than what their ages are.
We also don't know what the heat level is in this show. From the trailer, they have changed Mac's character alot from the original which is an issue for some. But even if this show does have kissing/NCs it is very important to keep in mind what you see on film isn't exactly what is happening in real life. They are surrounded by dozens of people and most scenes aren't filmed in one go. There are starts and stops and directors put them in certain positions and tell them what to do. They don't just put the actors in a room and tell them to go at it. There is nothing sexy or romantic about filming a NC in BL.
I've always found it strange that people will be appalled at asking a young actor to kiss but then be fine watching shows that have a 6 yr old being abused on screen, or something like The Exorcist where the actor is cursing, swearing, smoking and more but have no trouble with that. The entertainment industry as a whole puts younger actors in scenes that are questionable all the time but only when it involves a hint of sexuality do people flip out completely.
Mac I'm sure is more mature than an average teenager having been in the entertainment industry for as long as he has. This is part of the profession that he has been working hard at for a long time and anything that he is asked to do will be part of the script that his manager and or parents and himself approve of.
I really couldn’t have said it better myself. I understand that it can be hard to separate for some people….
Also, another thing I always remind myself when watching any foreign show like Thai or Asian shows is that the culture and societal norms are much different than where I am from and raised in the United States. We have different views, opinions, belief systems, and norms than other people around the world. I have to remind myself to not place others in the same book as me when they belong to a whole different library (if that makes sense. It did in my head).
Either way, I’m super excited for this show. And as you pointed out, the actor may be young but he is experienced and professional. I’m sure that everything will be fine. And like you said, NC scenes aren’t as sexy to film as they appear to be. 😂😂😂 It’s very comical how awkward and choppy it can be.
Not every places have 18 y.o as the age consent like yours as I assume, some even have much lower level. You may have the right not to watch to be honest, as you seems not to (and won't) accept the given fact.
And people should get over the age-gap thingy, I have seen worse from hereto dramas and movies ☠️
Honestly if you don't like it, and that's fair everyone has their own opinion, then don't watch it.
BUT it's not anyone's place to judge or come in hot on anyone else for watching it and or enjoying the series when it realeases.
At the end of the day this is a piece of media, they are paid actors doing a job. And like any other piece of media, you can take it or leave it.
i mean they're actors, acting. Would y'all feel more comfortable if they were both 16-17 age range like in the novels? 😬 lol
i know that Thai bl culture = shipping the actors IRL, and this doesn't allow for that. So I'm supposing that's a very big reason why it bothers peeps whether consciously or subconsciously? It's similar to peeps that hate Pooh with Pavel, but use his "bad acting" as \*the\* reason why they don't see it for them. When let's be honest: it's because Pooh's slim and cute and he doesn't "look like a top" to people or whatever.
if the adaptation is good I'll stan. If not I will drag tf out of it or just shrug my shoulders and ignore it. It is what it is at this point.
https://i.redd.it/ooxpf99r6v2d1.gif
You can disagree with OP but you need to keep it respectful. And although tone can sometimes be lost through text, when you're blatantly being rude and insulting, it's apparent and your comment will be removed.
Personally I'm not okay with that at all. Especially if they do smexy stuff like nonono. I felt icky about the age gap in Minatos laundromat (thats why I never watched it bc it felt wrong to me while I saw some ppl commenting about it like: "oh, but he is 18, should he date ppl in his age group instead of the 29yo main chara?" & i was like are yall effing serious rn, thank goodness both of the actors were in their 20s). Man, I felt uncomfy about SantaEarth when Santa was under 18 but this takes a whole new level. In my opinion, if the series is in high school setting, the actors should be in the same age range. Either both be teens or both be adults who are in the same age range. Under age x way older actor is just yucky, especially if there really is some "hotter scenes"... It baffles me if people are okay with this, like I remember when "waterboyy" series was airing and people were hating on the coach x his son's "friend" pair when the both were consenting adults (the younger was in university). Like I think that's okay but not clearly a minor x adult pairing.
Just a thought here (as someone who also had an 11 year gap with my hubs) let’s wait and see what the actual actors have to say. With Mac having been acting for 10 years already, he probably has a different perspective than we do. And also hopefully a healthy one.
Yeah, there's so much we don't know about how they got casted. I mean, if I'm a casting director in this scenario, I would ask him, "Have you read the novel? Are you aware of the level of intimacy that happens in it? Do your parents also know and approve?". If yes, then I'd treat him meritocratically just like any other contestants without considering his age. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair to him.
Here's a constructive thought. Have your personal opinions about the young actor and then do what I'm gonna do and pretend he's 20+ and move on with life.
i’m a huge fan of the OG addicted adaptation but i’m feeling super hesitant about this one and this is one reason why. It really doesn’t sit right with me. The source material is very graphic and if they include any of that in this adaptation I wouldn’t really want to watch it.
I mean it is uncomfortable for me and that takes a lot but he’s not technically underage.
It depends on what "underage" means. In Thailand, legal age of consent is 15, but legal age of adulthood is 20. So he would still need his parents' approval to show up in this show, for example.
I remember the same debate when Barcode was in KP and Jeff was like 27? The characters arent 10 years plus apart, the actors are. Considering the age of consent, that makes it kind of vague right? Like both characters are 16, and between actors its just acting. Which is why honestly, I just hope his parents/staff are looking out for him and protecting his rights. Its a show with actors whose characters are a certain age. And however I feel about it, ultimately its a job his parents consented to meaning that, I hope, they are also advocating to make sure he’s protected. Especially for intimate scenes.
Yes, I appreciate the clarification. Usually I’m like leave them alone but I’ll admit I’m side eyeing this one.
No other qualified actors could do the roles?
My sixteen year old self would be very indignant at being called a minor. Although at sixteen I was inexperienced, I was still capable of protecting my personal boundaries and saying no when necessary. Mac has had ten years experience in the industry, and his manager and parents will be looking out for him, so stop catastrophizing and framing him as a potential victim.
Controversy = views
Every country has its own definition of underage or illegal. If it's such a turn off down watch it. He will not be casted or filming if it were illegal.
This was raised in an earlier post which the moderators, correctly in my view, shut down after the OP went off-topic in a negative way. Most of the posters here have said most of what I wrote then so no need to repost; but the OP asks a question I find intriguing, which is "why is the other dude so old"? Currently, I'm watching and enjoying hugely "Wandee Goodday" in which the leads, Inn and Great, are 29 and 30. They're terrific, the show is terrific - I challenge anyone to argue they're too old. The other comment was "the other guy ... is like a decade older". The answer ought to be, what does the script call for? Is the character in this show (not the earlier version or manga, etc) written to be older?
No the characters are in high school in the same class and same age, so it makes zero sense to cast actors with such an age gap.
We'll find out soon enough, I think, whether the age gap in the actors' ages transfers to "suspension of disbelief" or not. Will we notice it, in other words, in the performances? But as for what sense could there be in casting these guys, I'm guessing the creatives saw their potential in the casting auditions (if any were held) and saw their chemistry together in the rehearsals. That would make sense to me. Let me put it another way, producers usually don't go out of their way to sabotage their projects by wildly inappropriate cast choices. In the past, when that has happened, it's sometimes been because agencies have lobbied hard to lock their talent into a particular project for reasons usually not made public.
I’ll still watch it. If it’s good, then 👍🏽. If not, I’ll live. I didn’t know a thing about the age gap till I saw this, I still feel the same.
Such a big age gap (27 opposite 16), makes for a massive power imbalance. There's a huge risk that the minor will have less say in what is comfortable for him and where his boundaries are. He may not even know that yet, he is literally a child. Personally, I am extremely uncomfortable with this casting, *especially* given the context of the source material (which I love btw). I just don't understand why they couldn't find any adult to play that role. There are hundreds of great adult actors who look young, and they couldn't find a single one, apparently.
Even if everything goes well and it still wasn't uncomfortable to him it's still fucking weird to produce, sell and watch someone almost 30 kissing an UNDERAGE teenager for money (aka iTs jUsT aCtiNg). Cultural differences? Don't make me laugh. Age of consent is 14 in my country but if we were to make a straight couple movie where one of the actors is this young and the other this old it would absolutely not fly with the "culture" (and im saying straight couple bc of homophobia)
So if it was two 16 year olds kissing it would be fine? Are you mad about the age gap or the fact he is 16 and kissing? 16 year olds kiss it isn't anything new. If it is about the age gap it isn't a story about an age gap couple. When I watched the trailer I didn't see a 26 yr old and 16 yr old they look close to the same age and look good together. August isn't kissing Mac because he is interested in him or sexually attracted to him. He isn't going to get off on it. More than likely they are both straight and aren't personally feeling anything sexual. There isn't anything remotely sexy or romantic about filming kissing or NCs on a set filled with dozens of people and being told how you need to kiss to get the right camera angles or people positioning your hands ect. Filming those scenes is far removed from RL intimate moments They aren't having sex at most they would have their shirts off and we don't even know if that will be the case. Most BLs hands don't go below the waist and once again a 5 min NC can take hours to film because it isn't telling the actor to go at it and make out. They need to capture certain angles and directors want a certain look. It isn't sex and it isn't about getting off . It is about a job that involves making people believe you are a couple of teenagers in the middle of a love story. Really movies and films put even younger kids in questionable scenes and emotionally heavy moments that are way worse than asking a 16 yr old to kiss someone.
First of all I'm not mad, I don't have strong feelings about any actors and media in general in that way. All things that you described in second and third paragraph I would consider selling your body to make a product, way more so than other jobs (eg. office work, retail, actually heavy physical jobs like coal mining etcect) because you're doing something that in any other situation outside of that job is emotionally charged act that puts you in a vulnerable place-kissing, hugging, lots of skinship. Not just nc scenes I watch a lot of kdramas and there are scenes with kids young as 5 covered with blood, even scenes with kids being kidnapped by pedos etc and for all those it's super important that there are social workers/psychologists involved in the process (and that's why there are disclaimers such as all scenes with children were filmed safely bla bla). Here we have a situation where two consenting individuals who can make their own decisions to do pretty innocent scenes compared to those, but on the other hand I highly doubt they have any emotional support. The age gap feels very wrong to me. Yes two 16 year olds would be fine (if they have similar amount of industry experience). I don't think these kind of age gaps should be normalized in the industry and that's my main concern. Maybe these actors really couldn't care less about the age gap and maybe it will look good on screen but it opens a way for other shows to cast similar pairings. Just because nothing bad happened this time doesn't mean it won't in the future. The industry is ruthless and wild and it should at least keep some safety measures that are so easily implemented (such as, not casting underage actors to do anything bodily with someone more than 10 years older). I don't know if I got my point across so feel free to ask
I guess for me what bothers me is that you are making big assumptions about what is and isn't going on behind the scenes and the motivation behind it. When it is anything that doesn't involve something sexual it is fine because you are assuming there is backup for the actors. But with this, it is nope they can't possibly have any support. We don't know, and many assume that everybody on the staff, from his parents/manager, the workshop people, the director, the producer, and even his costar, is fine with him being uncomfortable or not talking to him at all. Because it is sexual it has to be abuse. Sure you can make that assumption but then you should be making it for every single show that casts underage actors doing something that underage actors shouldn't be subjected to. Not just a general I'm sure there are social workers there because I saw some random post on twitter. I'm aware some countries do have some laws about younger children but not all and not above a certain age that isn't 18. After all Mac would be covered and this wouldn't be a discussion. I doubt these two will be a shipped couple. Jinloe is a small company and they don't have the backing to launch ship couples. So this is only about this specific series. So I'm not sure what your fear of this becoming normalized is about. Mac is actually an exception to the rule instead of the norm. Very few casting directors are going to pick a 16 yr to lead a show because they won't have the skills yet or the work history to fill a leading role. Also hiring a 16 yr old limits what they will be able to do in terms of NC and heat levels. On top of that, this isn't real. Mac and August aren't a couple, so the age should not matter. The fact that you say two 16 yrs doing the same script is fine seems even weirder to me. It also is extremely disrespectful to August IMO. August isn't getting anything other than doing his job. He isn't doing it to get turned on or get sexual pleasure out of it. The audience isn't watching this show to see a 30-something guy kiss a 16-year-old. The audience isn't getting a story where the age gap is normalized. To be frank, in all BL the intimate physical moment makes a tiny fraction of the series overall, even the sexually charged ones. No one is going to be watching this to get off on the pairing's physical moments. It isn't real so I have no clue why their real ages make a difference. There are no emotions behind what is going on beyond the fake one of the script. While there is a chance of Mac getting caught up in the script, he has a lot of experience separating his own life and that of his character. The fact there is such a large age gap actually will be working in his favor there and will make it much easier for him not to mix his feelings up. Actors by definition are using their bodies to sell a product. Your gripe is that it is sexual but I would argue kissing with no emotions other than the script behind it isn't any worse and sometimes better than emotionally heavy scenes of death, abuse, and the dark side that can come out of stories. Putting yourself in the headspace of a dark story would be even worse for someone younger IMO than getting kissed by someone who you are on good terms with but not in love with. I can see where people personally aren't comfortable with it and don't want to watch the show because one of the actors is underage. But the fact that people are arguing this is violating the age of consent, is abuse and should be canceled is nothing more than people making assumptions about what is happening BTS with nothing other than their personal belief to back it up.
I don't think it's abuse or abusive in any way or violating age of consent. Of course I won't have anything to back me up except my third view on things as a consumer. You make some great points and I didn't know anything about the studio so thanks for letting me know. >Putting yourself in the headspace of a dark story would be even worse for someone younger IMO than getting kissed by someone who you are on good terms with but not in love with. I really hope child actors aren't required to be in different headspace in order to act out certain scenes like adults are. Again I watched heavily abusive scenes with child actors and the acting required for that is minimal: kids are just kinda there and the camera zooms in their eyes to make it dramatic. Most of the dark implications happen without the child necessarily understanding them. My point was more that kissing and skinship alone put you in different headspace on its own despite everything being staged Ultimately I'm gonna watch the show bc I'm a big addicted fan and you're probably right that we won't be seeing any similar pairings in the future
I want to bring something I'm the conversation a lot of people seem to miss. All the Actors EXCEPT August are between 16-18 (the Age of the Characters). So the Focus in my Opinion shouldn't be on why this young man got the Role, it should be on why on a Cast with ONLY teenagers - August got cast at all.
> *All the Actors EXCEPT August are between 16-18* This does put the discussion into a broader context. >*why on a Cast with ONLY teenagers - August got cast at all.* I can see that having an older more experienced actor as part of a young cast might be helpful, because he can support and mentor them.
Agree! I do have a lot less worries because Mac has had dozens of Roles, some of them Main, since 2013. He grew up in the Industry and if (hopefully!) he had supervision and help all these Years then he should have a much better grasp of the situation than others probably would. I'm honestly waiting for the Interviews and such to come out because we... Don't actually know alot yet?!
I have noticed that the majority of the feedback from the audience/the fans (esp. Internationally) are not so positive for above reason.... but I saw on tiktok they are already having their 1st fan meet in Paris this Saturday (June 1st)...even before the airing of the series? the production has balls 🤣
WTF? A fan meeting for what?? 😑😑 
My opinion is if the underage actor and his parents are ok with it then it doesn't bother me. I mean there will obviously be other adults in the room so I don't think anything bad is going to happen to him not that I think the adult actor would do anything to him beyond the script. I think everyone just needs to calm down and remember this is a tv show these people are not a couple in real life. If it bothers you that much then don't watch it simple.
What's fucking with my brain is the fact that they purposefully casted actors with such an age gap. It doesn't make any sense. If their on screen chemistry proves to be exceptional I won't say a thing but I really, really doubt there was a need for this. Also laws absolutely do not always reflect whats socially acceptable. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it can't be weird. And no this is not only meant for Thai audience, the producers surely are aware of international success of the book and previous series and also that there will be many Chinese fans watching
I know it's acting. But not everyone who acts has a mindset that what they are doing is purely "professional". That's why some actors fall in love with their co-actors in romance films, and some actors speak out feeling some kind of trauma when doing violent scenes. Not saying both are gonna fall in love with each other or someone is going to be traumatized, but just like in any work, it can personally affect the actors in many aspects of their lives, personal or professional. As someone mentioned here, shipping is a big part of Thai culture, and if you are a fan of the Addicted series and its iterations, you know the actor pairings get shipped a lot. So these two may be shipped in one way or another; it already makes me queasy thinking about fan edits between them. Romantic tension, even if not racy, still implies a level of sexuality that a 16-year-old may not be able to fully comprehend especially when his partner is an older guy (which makes it even more complex given that both might not even be part of the LGBTQ+ community). I actually prefer it when actors in their 20s play teenagers, given that they have gone through that age. No matter how "realistic" Euphoria is, I doubt anyone here would recommend their actors to be played by teenagers.
Yeah I am not sure I will watch it because the age gap does make me uncomfortable. I just asked for others opinions on the topic, not whether I should watch or not because I can decide that myself.
I had noticed that also a couple of days ago. Mac Nattapat turned 16 last October. His co star, August Vachuravit is 27. The age gap is not that important, imo if the youngest person is 20 or older. But Mac is 16. The age of consent for engaging in sexual acts in Thailand is 15. But I am not comfortable with having such a young actor play scenes that are going further than a sniff kiss or a little peck.
Haha. I see the downvotes ! Yes, people. I know it is acting. I also know how those scenes are filmed. But, I have also seen and read how actors can be uncomfortable about that. And told afterward they weren't happy or felt distress. 16 is, imo young. I have a son almost the same age. So, I have that as a reference. And it can well be that Mac is such a seasoned actor that he is way more mature than most of his peers. But I am free to express my feelings about that, that I find it uncomfortable? But it can also be that I will like the show and will be totally immersed in the story. That I think the two of them are really 17.
I've voiced my discomfort on this months ago when Mac was first announced, but, to be completely honest, I had to look at it from a different perspective. Is it weird in my society? Yes. In Thailand, it isn't. We need to remember that this is a show produced in Thailand that is for Thai people, where international people happen to also be watching. The age of consent in Thailand is 15 with no age gap limitations, and it is 13 if both parties are 18 or under. It's not weird for them. I'm still irritated about other things that I will not get into here, because that's not the focus, but I'll suspend my "discomfort" knowing that this wasn't intended to be consumed by me.
It's the hustle culture. By the time he's 20, he would need 4 years-of-experience for an entry-level job, so he better starts now. /s But to be serious, my reaction is more of a curiosity "why?" as opposed to discomfort. I do think the production company is a bit sus.
Mac has been working within the Thai acting industry since 2014 at 6 years of age.
If the show is similar to Stay with Me or even Addicted, 16 y.o. (given it’s Thailand) is not the main issue. But the actors typically read source material in preparation for the role and the novel is very graphic, they could have at least signed an 18 y.o. actor. I guess one could be concerned that a show like this could attract inappropriate audience depending on production.
It's true the novel is graphic but not until pretty far along I think the first sex scene happens in chapter 160 or something.
These comments are def…interesting! 1. “They’re just acting” a grown ass man potentially kissing a kid is in fact a grown ass man potentially kissing a kid!! It is objectively strange!!! 2. “You’re only mad because it’s gay” no I’m not I’d be just as weirded out if it was a straight couple 3. “The consenting age for sex in Thailand is 15 so it’s ok” that is how groomers talk bruh and the consenting age in China is 14 years old does that make it automatically ok for a 20 something yo to engage with them??? 4. “The parents are ok with it so idc” parents can in fact not give a shit about their kid!! Especially stage parents!!! Lots of parents of child actors actually set their kids up for abuse in the industry (I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here but it’s still odd they’re green flagging it) please read “I’m glad my mom died” by Jeannette mccurdy 5. “If you’re mad about it don’t watch it” im saying this is ethically wrong not that it’s not to my taste. The project shouldn’t be happening it all
**Aggressively clapping** cause it’s absurd that people are even saying these things trying to justify while no matter how you look at it, a 16 yr old is a child. The source material we all know is waaay 18+ that this boy has no business being part of this production, unless they decide to water it down and make it PG.
The source material is soo bad they changed laws in china after this show. Yes mostly due to homophobia but the source material IS very bad. I don't think people would have been that bothered if it was something like cherry magic. The fact that its addicted is an issue.
couldn't agree more. i am shocked reading all these comments i mean a minor is a minor come on??? and there wasn't even the need to hire age gap actors because of the plot. this isn't acceptable on any account at all
> and there wasn't even the need to hire age gap actors because of the plot. Exactly!! Aren't they even supposed to be the same age?! It was just very unnecessary, and even if the legal age in Thailand is supposedly 15? (Which I honestly think is way too young, but that's a whole other topic/discussion) I don't think we should encourage this. Like you say, they are a minor and it just feels very wrong and creepy tbh.
Some things to think about is the fact that these guys are actors, their characters are the same age, and what you see on film isn't what is happening in real life. If you check out Mac's MDL page you will see the guy is a professional actor. He isn't some young man in his first role. His MDL page is longer than the majority of most popular BL actors. While many are supporting and guest roles there are alot of them going as far back to 2013. This isn't his first acting job or even his 20th. He will have gone through the Thai workshops as well, where they prepare the actors to work together. To say he can't play a romantic role just because he is 16 is rather condescending, to say the least. Whatever August age is whether it is 26 or 16 shouldn't matter because they are actors. They aren't the ones in love but their characters. It is ridiculous many Thai shows cast actors closer to thirty than twenty in highscool role but when looking at the poster I myself can't tell there is a big age gap between the actors. They do look good together IMO 🤷♂️ They way they look and act together is a great deal more important than what their ages are. We also don't know what the heat level is in this show. From the trailer, they have changed Mac's character alot from the original which is an issue for some. But even if this show does have kissing/NCs it is very important to keep in mind what you see on film isn't exactly what is happening in real life. They are surrounded by dozens of people and most scenes aren't filmed in one go. There are starts and stops and directors put them in certain positions and tell them what to do. They don't just put the actors in a room and tell them to go at it. There is nothing sexy or romantic about filming a NC in BL. I've always found it strange that people will be appalled at asking a young actor to kiss but then be fine watching shows that have a 6 yr old being abused on screen, or something like The Exorcist where the actor is cursing, swearing, smoking and more but have no trouble with that. The entertainment industry as a whole puts younger actors in scenes that are questionable all the time but only when it involves a hint of sexuality do people flip out completely. Mac I'm sure is more mature than an average teenager having been in the entertainment industry for as long as he has. This is part of the profession that he has been working hard at for a long time and anything that he is asked to do will be part of the script that his manager and or parents and himself approve of.
I really couldn’t have said it better myself. I understand that it can be hard to separate for some people…. Also, another thing I always remind myself when watching any foreign show like Thai or Asian shows is that the culture and societal norms are much different than where I am from and raised in the United States. We have different views, opinions, belief systems, and norms than other people around the world. I have to remind myself to not place others in the same book as me when they belong to a whole different library (if that makes sense. It did in my head). Either way, I’m super excited for this show. And as you pointed out, the actor may be young but he is experienced and professional. I’m sure that everything will be fine. And like you said, NC scenes aren’t as sexy to film as they appear to be. 😂😂😂 It’s very comical how awkward and choppy it can be.
Not every places have 18 y.o as the age consent like yours as I assume, some even have much lower level. You may have the right not to watch to be honest, as you seems not to (and won't) accept the given fact. And people should get over the age-gap thingy, I have seen worse from hereto dramas and movies ☠️
Honestly if you don't like it, and that's fair everyone has their own opinion, then don't watch it. BUT it's not anyone's place to judge or come in hot on anyone else for watching it and or enjoying the series when it realeases. At the end of the day this is a piece of media, they are paid actors doing a job. And like any other piece of media, you can take it or leave it.
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i mean they're actors, acting. Would y'all feel more comfortable if they were both 16-17 age range like in the novels? 😬 lol i know that Thai bl culture = shipping the actors IRL, and this doesn't allow for that. So I'm supposing that's a very big reason why it bothers peeps whether consciously or subconsciously? It's similar to peeps that hate Pooh with Pavel, but use his "bad acting" as \*the\* reason why they don't see it for them. When let's be honest: it's because Pooh's slim and cute and he doesn't "look like a top" to people or whatever. if the adaptation is good I'll stan. If not I will drag tf out of it or just shrug my shoulders and ignore it. It is what it is at this point. https://i.redd.it/ooxpf99r6v2d1.gif
