#disabled actors for disabled roles

[carnivorous-toothache]

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."

#non-human #jekyll and hyde #doctor jekyll #mr hyde #jekyll and hyde weekly #also frankenstein #the creature is classically beautiful and exceptionally well spoken #the horror comes from the idea of the role of humanity in an act of creation #projecting their idea of the perfect self onto a model #aha yes #this means he should be physically grotesque and have an obvious learning disability #this is where the horror comes from #having never met mary shelly #i can be 100% sure she did not shag on her mothers grave for her work to be used to promote ableism in the media #i would like to clarify that there should be more disabled actors and characters on screen #but this is not it

[londonclubofsherwood]

The casting of Hephaestus was inspired.

10/10 can't wait to see him again.

#Not to mention that they actually got a disabled actor to play a disabled role #Percy jackson #percy jackson and the olympians #Percy Jackson tv show #pjo #pjo tv show #hephaestus #Timothy Omundson

[tuttle-did-it]

I haven't seen this, and I probably won't, but I'm really tired of the 'let's show disabled people as psychopaths and murderers and people who constantly destroy stuff.'

I'm also tired of abled actors playing disabled actors when there are disabled actors out there. If you're going to make movies about us being pyschopaths and murders, I can't stop you. But at least hire someone who has the condition the main character has. There are Deaf/HoH actors out there who could have played this role if they really wanted to make the movie.

Abled actors can play disabled or abled roles. Disabled actors can really only play disabled roles. So until that changes, at least cast a Deaf actor in the role.

#deaf #disabled #actors #disabled actors #tired of disabled characters constantly being shown as dangerous psychopaths #stop casting abled actors in disabled roles #there are deaf actors who could have played this role #but seriously stop making psychopath characters disabled #films

[artsybi]

y'know despite the murder, i am jealous of the criminal minds universe, in which young cane users are not questioned, stared at, invalidated, or even overly acknowledged

like i understand that it was just an extension of the fact that the actor was ACTUALLY injured and ACTUALLY using a cane and probably would not have enjoyed added acted scrutiny because he probably dealt enough with it in his personal life (based on personal experience he probably dealt with a fair bit bc people irl are garbage about young cane users existing) but still, the fact that not a SINGLE PERSON ever questions spencer, ever questions the legitimacy of his need for an aid, ever questions why he's using it, god i'm so jealous

no one ever raises an eyebrow when he enters a room, no local detective ever makes a mean joke, no medical examiner ever stares at him for just a second too long, even when he does interviews, no family member or event planner EVER gives him a second look, they all just seamless accept that this member of the fbi is using a cane and never treat him any differently for it

no one mocks him! no one makes any snide remarks, no one side-eyes him when he enters a room, no one ever presses into his space and offers (read: demands) they do something for him since he's "not capable", no one questions his credentials, or his ability to do his job. everyone just accepts it as normal and continues as such. the literal ONLY DIFFERENCE in ANYONE'S treatment of him is that he doesn't go with the team when they head to the final location to grab the unsub with their guns out, which is a perfectly reasonable accommodation! and no one mocks him for that either! no one ever implies he's "missing out" and everyone keeps him in the loop during the investigation when they're doing things of that nature, so he can help put the last pieces together

just, as a young cane user myself, not only is spencer the literal first time i've ever seen someone on tv using a cane correctly (not an exaggeration, actors seem incapable of using canes correctly), and thus the first person i've ever TRULY seen that part of me in, but i just LOVE the way the show and narrative treat him in general, mostly because the way they treat him straight up DOESN'T CHANGE!! dude i fucking WISH that was my reality!!! i WISH people straight up DIDN'T CHANGE the way they treated me after i started using a cane, i fucking WISH everyone just accepted at face value the fact that i use one and then moved on and didn't mention it again

#original #i ramble #criminal minds #spencer reid #criminal minds season 5 #cane user #disability #and i do understand that the actor was legit injured btw. i know that. and i know that's why spencer uses his cane correctly #because his actor was legit using it. but like. i fucking love that and wish more tv shows would hire disabled actors for disabled roles #feels like there's some stuff that could be learned from this ngl. season 5 spencer means SO MUCH to me #and i see myself so clearly in him #just. yeah. cane user spencer reid lives in my mind rent free #i dont care if this is coherent i dont care if my thoughts make sense im just fucking jealous

[ihavea-natural-curiosity]

me looking at the fact that the only disabled characters in the atla la were cast with abled actors (as far as i know):

it just really hurts to think about how actors who are in wheelchairs, and even actors who are like me (not in wheelchair but still are actually disabled and have trouble walking) feel about this.

like how many disabled actors auditioned and were so excited to finally have a chance and have a roll but some abled guy got cast instead, i don’t even have a wheelchair yet and im upset, i can’t imagine how they feel. (i’m not upset at the actors for this, im upset at the directors and other people in charge of casting people)

i probably shouldn’t have put so much faith in netflix to cast things like this well, but still. i don’t even have the energy to be upset about things like this anymore, im just. tired.

(also if either of these actors are actually physically disabled, please tell me, i really hope i’m wrong)

#as a young disabled actor #(i act in physical theaters so it’s different but still) #if there was a role casting for a disabled character and some abled kid got cast #i can’t even describe how upset i would feel #let alone on a big name show like this #i’m personally against the idea behind (most) live action remakes #but if they’re gonna do it i wish they’d do it right #i’m just so fucking tired of young physically disabled people being so ignored #fucking sigh #natla #avatar the last airbender #atla #teo atla #toph

[augyarson]

my favorite part of being disabled and in uni for theatre is when classmates and professors go "we can't actually make this accessible bc xyz reasons" and then i immediately rapidfire at least 5 different ways you actually can. and then just go "do better <3"

#augy thots #theatre major #theatre #disabled #we were talking about how it apparently wasn't possible to cast a blind actor in the role of a blind person #and i got so pissed off #as a scenic designer i pride myself on being able to adapt to the needs of the cast. and immediately started thinking of things that could #be done to make a role that was written in a way that was inaccessible be actually accessible #obv it depends on the person but fucking hell #people need to stop making generealizations and giving up on making things accessible before even trying #also the presentation im watching on this play is literally blocks of text on a white background so im already irritated bc all the words #are blurring together #anyways

[dlnqnt]

baby this is the worst example of career inspiration i have ever read

#ok so im gonna admit smth here #i did watch i am sam as part of a yms livestreamed watch along #idk how to explain this other than i think the choices for this film to be made and completed are alien to me #sean penn plays an intellectually disabled man who gains custody of a daughter he fathered w a homeless woman he offered to let stay w him #i am sam is in the realm of movies like riding the bus w my sister and tiptoes #i rly dont know how to explain bcus idk how these movies get made #like ig everyone involved thinks theyre being altruistic in making a big budget film abt smth like a disability #but it always feels off probably bcus of the casting and overall acting choices #like for tiptoes it stars gary oldman in and i quote 'his most daring role yet' and #he plays a little person but u and i know he isnt so how does he do that? he walked on his knees #the film is packed to the brim w actual little people who are actors so. why gary oldman on his knees ??? #peter dinklage is fucking in it in a prominent role #like. how do i explain i am sam. it's so fucking weird how did it get made how did they get big name actors #dakoto fanning michelle pfeiffer and laura dern are in this how does this happen #the movie tries to be so heartwarming but i'm lost w sean penn's performance i'm lost w his characterization #so i find this in wikipedia im not gonna explain rn and i'm just like. I AM SAM ???????????????? babygirl u gotta be kidding #i will elaborate if asked specific questions but rn i cant even fathom this sentence so pls give me a moment

[painroulette]

Ok, so if you’re like me and very into psychological or thriller type horror, then I would highly recommend Run. But I just watched it and was honestly ready to have it mildly ruined by finding out the lead was abled the whole time, only to be pleasantly surprised to find her to be a wheelchair user irl!

It’s such a low bar, and the fact that the bare minimum is so exciting is awful, but if that’s your sort of thing I’d highly suggest watching and supporting it!

#i have so much beef with films that cast abled actors in disabled roles if y’all want to hear about that too #disability #cripple punk #cpunk #disabled #spoonie #chronic illness #physical disability #actually disabled

[fatespalm]

solemn vow to never be complacent or meek around things i feel strongly about again — to at least start the conversation even if i don’t have the words to talk back exactly to a poisonous idea — in kind, to pick up the thread if someone else does the same — tired of letting evil shit unfold —

#honestly this mostly only happens because of my disability which. i've been dreaming/reading about navigating that in ways feel better #or else because im scared of violence as a trans woman but i’m sick of fear of violence making me passive #rarely because i got scared in the crosshairs of financial insecurity and feared losing work #but that is what im parsing this time and very determined not to let that happen ever again #cuz like. having the supposed 'non-action' of passivity even available to you is a privilege of whiteness #in this case it was taking a creative-side gig on a play that felt very clear the playwright had given very little if any consideration #to nonwhite perspectives like clearly by a white person thinking about a white audience kinda liberal politics #and i took it bc my friend's mentor was directing and she put us in touch and spoke highly of him #and she's indigenous and very willing to call out white bullshit so i had some hope/trust that he would push it more #and he........ did at least cast a latino actor in the one role that would have made the play horrifically racist #if it had been cast as a white person but that felt like doing the absolute least to me #im still very much figuring this world out #understanding the ethics of theater work and im glad i did this in that regard #cuz like. i didn't fully realize that my only real chance to make a creative + ethical statement was right out the gate in accepting the gi #as an SM like... there's really no other chance to have an opinion so i should not take work if the script doesn't align w my ethics #and use that rejection as a chance to make it clear what's fucked up #...if i even ever SM again that was the most stressful gig i've ever done and i didn't even get paid for it. fuck #sorry for writing half the post in the tags. if ur reading this ur too close >O< jk haaiiii thx for reading my diary #very much a 'i am thinking through these concepts still and ur welcome to share ur thoughts on them' kinda post

[thelordofshrimp]

having so much self-control right now (did not start a fight over someone else's garbage take)

#roommates and i just watched Spirited (good movie everyone should watch very fun) #and at the end of it their main complaint (spoiler free) was that the Will Ferrell character should have been played by an “actual singer” #they had no issue with the rest of the cast being actors who can sing instead of singers who can act #just Will Ferrell because apparently he was bad #(fwiw he was fine. he's not gonna win awards for his singing but he can hold a tune) #and they compared casting non-singers in musical roles to WHITEWASHING #I AM DEADASS #with a straight face said it was like casting non disabled actors for disabled roles or like ghost in the shell #i did not say anything because I did not want to start a fight so close to bedtime but HOLY SHIT #let me make myself clear: i think casting actors who are good at singing should be a consideration when working on a musical movie #because the performance is important #but singing is a SKILL it is not an IDENTITY #ANYONE CAN SING #god. anyway go watch spirited and also jingle jangle #shrimp monologuing

[rattusn0rvegicus]

Okay hot take but

I think any actor should be able to play LGBT characters regardless of whether or not they're part of the community or out or not. Otherwise you force actors to out themselves which is just horrible. And like. It's acting. Obvs a LGBT actor might have a better chance at performing the role realistically but the whole point of acting is to become someone you're not and the current culture of gatekeeping who can or can't play a role is kind of toxic IMO

#don't feel like you have to agree with me on this but this is just my onion 🤷‍♂️ #'but LGBT actors barely get any roles as it is!' okay... Maybe that's a problem with the industry being discriminatory? #Like #The industry needs to stop discriminating. It's not on random actors who take the roles and people should stop attacking them for it #This goes for neurodivergent/disabled/etc actors too. No one should have to disclose their PHI to get a role #The one thing this doesnt apply to IMO is race because you can't have people blackfacing lol #but obvs there's grey areas with ethnicity too bc it's not cut and dry

[apollo-cackling]

so the whole kit connor thing. folks really have learned nothing from what happened with jameela jamil and becky albertalli (which I assume these folks should goddamn know of bc love simon and heartstopper's demographic is roughly the same) huh.

#my rambles #who goddamn cares what the identities of the people who make queer stuff is #if it's good it's good #and the claims that you can always tell imply that #1) queerness is a monolith instead of a rich range of experiences #and 2) that queer experiences are entirely unique and different from everything else #and no non queers can ever relate to it #which both are expressly untrue! #1) is just obvious so many trans folks have diff experiences of transness #as for 2) see: that post a bit ago about interracial couples sharing experiences w/ queer folks #as well as disabled folks #like #hey guys did you know discouraging empathy with marginalised groups is Bad，Actually #so what if a cishet author writes queer stories if they do research and talk to queer folks? #so what if a cishet actor actsa queer character? #(men acting in trans women roles is a diff issue I'm not going to get into that) #the issue here is the publishing/film industry/etc prioritising nonqueer writers and actors #(and side note saying only queer folks should play queer roles pigeonholes them into queer roles and likely doesn't help queer actors any)

[mokiibun]

love the west end newsies casting 🫶🏽🫶🏽

#ari.txt #poc jack kelly agenda fulfilled #but fr tho i’m so glad to see poc in theatre get main roles #and a disabled character played by a disabled actor?? 🤯 #love it!!! #newsies

[seffjatur]

im not blind but i hope no one clowns on last twilight

#b roll #just watched a video of molly burke and frankly if u didnt know she was blind u couldnt even tell #PLEASE do not act like the stories of blind person are universal #its just as ableist to lump every blind person together and say things are like that for ALL of then #i do hope last twilight does good research and workshopping for the show #and it would be great if the actor for the role was actually blind or visually impaired #but please dont clown pls pls pls #stop asking for rep and then NITPICKING every single fucking thing about it #if its flat out inaccurate then yeah ofc it should be fixed and we shd all throw metaphorical eggs #but so far the trailer is legit and i rly hope fandom feedback doesnt cause production teams to think that its just too much bs #to make shows with disabled characters TnT

[ursie]

Are there any blind actors you think would be a good fit to play Matt?

Truthfully no but I honestly would like to see more unknowns used in the mcu so it’s sorta moot

#it’s so hard for disabled actors to get known I know a few but they aren’t exactly right for the role shdgdgdf #asks #anon

[madonna-wh0-re]

An addition to why I like the new pjo show- they had a disabled actor - a stroke survivor- play Hephaestus. Hephaestus who is disabled due to parental abuse, and uses technology and machinery as mobility aids, was played by a disabled actor.

Even for such a small role in the expansive pjo universe, the show took notice and made sure to cast a disabled actor to play a disabled character.

#pjo tlt #pjo #pjo fandom #pjo tv show #pjo series #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #chronically ill #disabled #disability