The Huffington Post confirms that Scarlett Johansson has pulled out of the upcoming film, "Rub and Tug."
The actress was set to play the lead role of Dante ?Tex? Gil, a transgender man and massage parlor owner in the Rupert Sanders directed film.
Scarlett's Friday announcement comes after swift backlash from the transgender community on social media.
Scarlett explained in a statement, "While I would have loved the opportunity to bring Dante?s story and transition to life, I understand why many feel he should be portrayed by a transgender person, and I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film."
Scarlett also admitted that she made a mistake and says that she believes that all artists should be "considered equally and fairly."
She added, "?Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I?ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive.?
There's no word yet on who will replace the actress.
