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#Disabled actor
tuttle-did-it · 8 months
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struggles for disabled people during the WGA/SAF-AFTRA strike
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thestars-in-her-eyes · 4 months
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teen girl sees 50yr old English man ONCE and becomes obsessed
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autistinedaae · 2 months
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I just posted an article on Medium :)
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whoops-im-obsessed · 1 year
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UK'sies Crutchie (and why I love him)
In comparison to previous productions, London Newsies took some positive steps in diverse casting. One of these steps was casting a disabled actor to play Crutchie! I love seeing how different people interpret characters and I know a lot of fansies won't be able to see UK'sies so I thought I'd chat a bit about Matthew Duckett's wonderful job of playing Crutchie. *spoilers under the cut*
In 92'sies, Broadway and even tour casts, Crutchie has always been a bit of a lighter character. A brother figure to Jack, his role is to show Jack's caring side as well as to show the consequences of his actions. Pretty well liked, sometimes portrayed as childish (is it only me that remembers #letcrutchiesayfuck?).
In 92'sies he comes across as bumbling comic relief, AKB builds a more sunny, easily lovable, almost cartoonish character, and Andy Richardson's Crutchie is innocent and youthful.
In contrast, Matthew Duckett brings a realness to the character that I'm not sure we've seen before. Duckett has cerebal palsy - and while its none of our business how his disability affects him offstage - on stage its my opinion that his lived experience, combined with the fact that he's on the taller side and seems to be a little older than some of the ensemble (please forgive me if I'm wrong about that 😅) give us this slightly more matured, starker Crutchie.
He isn't a poor cinnamon roll who needs to be helped all the time, he's a valued member of the team who they help when he wants it.
One of the choices I love is when the newsies first find out about the new price. Crutchie's reaction ('we got the right to starve, let's just get our papes and hit the streets while we still can!') Isn't a scared knee-jerk reaction, it's a thought out, sensible response to the situation and lots of newsies agree with him. He's taken more seriously than before, with a depth to his character we were missing.
Duckett also adds some fun backstory to Crutchie; on the rooftop when Jack mentions Santa Fe Crutchie visibly slumps at the realisation of 'you got folks there', before brightening and grinning privately to himself when Jack denies it. He has a rosary around his neck which he takes out on several occasions, when captured, after yelling for Jack he sobs and mumbles 'oh God please help!'
Finally, the physicality of Crutchie is on point and held until the final bows, even though he hops around occasionally, Crutchie carries himself confidently, and Duckett was so smooth in his movement. A lot of work was obviously put into Crutchie's physicality and it pays off.
Only seen it once so far but I'm planning to go back so this may get updated! Happy to answer any questions about the production to best of my ability x
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Phillip J. Fry from Futurama has ADD*
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I’m ecstatic to announce that I’ve gotten my very first role in a stage musical; I’ve just been cast as Jerusha Abbott in a local-ish community theater production of Daddy Long Legs! It’s astounding, really; I auditioned on a whim, having been a fan of this musical and already knowing the part by heart. As a techie, I’ve never cared particularly whether or not I act in my lifetime. I do like acting, and was in a play once. I like singing, but I only sing in private and I’m almost completely self-taught — I was only given a few lessons as a kid by my mother’s friend — who taught herself to sing (I forgot everything she taught me, really). I didn’t realize people would value my singing and acting, and it’s made me feel overjoyed. But it’s also scary!
This musical (adapted from the 1912 Jean Webster novel) only has two characters — mine, and her love interest/the deuteragonist. There’s really no dancing, simple blocking, but a high demand in singing and a lot of spotlight. And, the kiss at the end will literally be my first.
My costar, who I met for a chemistry reading, is 28. Oh my goodness, he is talented and funny and polite, but he’s ten years my senior. And he has so much experience! He’s taken vocal lessons since he was 8… He’s had twenty years of voice lessons! Years of acting experience! He complimented me plenty, and I to him, but I can’t help but feel rather sheepish and greatly intimidated. It’s awkward for sure but surely we’ll end up friends, and we managed to have great chemistry.
I feel proud. Excited. I also feel like an imposter. Of all the other actresses I went up against for the role, I was the youngest and least experienced. Oh, what a tiny, pitiful resume. And… I brought my wheelchair to the audition. I briefly dislcosed I was an ambulatory chair user, and while I don’t let my condition inhibit my talents, I do allow it to shape the heart and strength of my characters. I pulled this out of my ass, as I am not an actor. But in a way it’s the truth. I also mentioned that I auditioned because this role is one that I believe can be made extra charming if from the perspective of a young woman in a wheelchair, especially in a historical period where this fact would greatly limit her opportunities.
At this point, I was over-sharing, but the director ended up liking it: I aced my audition, got called back and went up against two other actresses, and lastly had a chemistry reading and was selected for Jerusha. I just wonder deep down if it’s not because of my ability… and more because of my disability. No matter, this will be such a lovely representation of wheelchair users made casual and normalized as it won’t be brought up in the show (no need). So I think it’s a major win and I’m happy.
Give this show a listen! It’s a cute, PG romance and I enjoy it even as someone that doesn’t care for romance, reads almost zero romance novels and only ever watched cheesy romcoms because my mom loves them. The songs are catchy, the show is light, simple, and unique, and the plot fun to follow. Rehearsals start next week, luckily I’m on winter break soon. The show is in February, Valentine’s Day week!
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don-lichterman · 2 years
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Maysoon Zayid ,Disabled comedian and actress, celebrates her differences
Maysoon Zayid ,Disabled comedian and actress, celebrates her differences
New Jersey — Comedian Maysoon Zayid is many things. Funny is just one of them. “In the oppression Olympics, I would win the gold medal. I’m Palestinian, I’m Muslim, I’m disabled, divorced, a woman of color and I live in New Jersey,” Zayid said. Born with cerebral palsy, Zayid is kicking down barriers in entertainment. The comedian, actress, and disability advocate has taken her career from the…
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bigbeanbear · 10 months
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Nimona is also a milestone in western queer animation history because Ballister (South Asian) and Ambrosius (East Asian) are both of Asian descent in the movie, the same as their voice actors. They are a canon gay Asian couple.
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bodhrancomedy · 1 year
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This is happening way more than is comfortable in my comments right now and I kinda need neurodivergent people (and obviously other disabled communities including my own) to be aware of lateral ableism.
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yourdailyqueer · 2 months
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Billie Eilish
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Bisexual
DOB: 18 December 2001 
Ethnicity: White - American
Occupation: Singer, songwriter, musician, actress
Note: Has Tourette's
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I definitely think there's Something (TM) to say about the portrayal of "off-human" characters in modern media adaptations as having (particularly facial) deformities and/or learning disabilities.
Robert Louis Stevenson was fully like "this is my OC, Hyde, who represents the impact of a complete apathy toward your fellow man. There is nothing extraordinary about him except that his rancid vibes make people uncomfortable which adds to the core theme of the role of morality in humanity, so its really important that he's physically normal so the audience can recognise that it's what's inside that's most important," and every film adaptation was like "mmkay. Yeah, no, I've got it. We can show that he's evil by using prosthetics and making him non/semi-verbal, which, as we all know, are the True Measures of Evil."
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pxppet · 10 months
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I LOVE YOU CANONICALLY DISABLED EGOS!!!!!
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autistinedaae · 1 month
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whoops-im-obsessed · 1 year
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Matthew Duckett in conversation with Jack Hunter discussing disability and performance in the documentary 'You've Got to be Ballsy: Stories from the Front Line of Cerebral Palsy'
I couldn't fit the whole clip here but he goes on to talk about his view on disability politics and the work of Birds of Paradise (a Scottish disabled-led theatre company) on 'My Left/Right Foot'. It's a great documentary in general and is definitely worth a watch!
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newhologram · 2 years
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My blurry BG shots in Niki Zefanya's High School in Jakarta
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I put my whole pussy into the schoolgirl look but was told by the AD that I "stood out too much" so I got put in the back of the class. So I committed to my role as a "bored TA" 😎 This was a really fun but PAINFUL day for me. It was the most I had stood up and walked around in over 2 years. I was putting my backbrace back on between shots and finding a clean spot to lie down flat on my back during breaks. My body was screaming, my legs were numb, I felt dizzy/nauseous on and off but could only medicate a little bit. It took about a month to fully recover from just this one "easy" shoot. I'm really happy to report that this production was supportive. They helped me find a spot to hide my backbrace on set, and I had some nice conversations with some of the empathetic crew who were curious about my situation and what I do to juggle my many conditions while still doing what I love. I'm really thankful because in the past I've almost been sent home for throwing up on set during a bad flare day (I did it in secret but another BG told crew--she didn't mean to tell on me, but was just concerned bc she walked in on me puking). Being a disabled actor/model means keeping it secret most of the time. But because my "invisible" disabilities are much more visible now, people notice more. Ironically and annoyingly, I often see casting calls for disabled people, and my agent submits me to them... only for them to respond that they only want "physically disabled" talent. Meaning they want a certain type of look, like someone who lost their legs, or someone paralyzed from the neck down. Chronic illnesses affect our organs, our systems, and whole bodies, and often eventually require mobility aids, therefore they ARE physical disabilities as well. Even before I had a backbrace, a cane, and got to the point where I need a wheelchair for a day at the zoo... I was already physically disabled. I'm tired of this divide because it doesn't exist. It's frustrating to be "too disabled" for Hollywood but at the same time "not disabled enough" for commercials supposedly wanting to represent the disabled community. I'm so grateful for all the opportunities I've had, even these small BG gigs, but damn, Hollywood. Ableism isn't cute. Stop sleeping on disabled talent.
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bookshelfdreams · 6 months
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never ceases to amaze me how ppl are obsessed with assigning other characters's traits and story arcs to Izzy to pretend that He's The Only One Who-- (no, he isn't)
'cause yk there IS a character who has a casual disability/body difference that doesn't just exist when it's relevant to the plot (and is, in fact, not relevant to the plot at all, because it's not a narrative device). A character who starts out with hypermasculine posturing and tbh kinda femmephobic, and is then quite literally cured by gay love. Who's kinda weird and goofy, but depicted as hot and desirable, because that's what he is! Who goes through a traumatic event and finds catharsis and healing, and sure, lots of that happens off-screen and could be addressed in more detail, but when has that ever stopped fandom from writing novel-length metas and fanfics. Who has a beautiful, canon love story.
And on top of that he's a hilarious, sarcastic little shit, and just great fun to watch!
(It's Pete. I'm talking about my buddy, my best friend, my specialest boy Black Pete.)
But for some reason he tends to fall to the wayside in fandom. If he's talked about at all, there's a fandom-wide tendency to make him into the shitty, one-dimensional, disney-esque clown and comic relief character he notably is not in canon - and assign his actual arc and characteristics to a more palatable angry asshole.
Hmm.
Wonder why that is.
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