Above: Maddie Ziegler (left) plays a non-verbal teen on the Autism spectrum in the movie Music.
Last week, I talked about movies and TV shows that featured at least one physically disabled actor or actress and how there aren’t nearly enough people with disabilities being used in productions.
This week, I’ll be looking at some of the backlash Hollywood has faced (and continues to face) regarding not casting people with disabilities and how some in Hollywood view PWD.
One recent example of this would be a movie called Me Before You, which came out in 2016.
Me Before You
A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she's taking care of.
Before I go on about the movie, I should warn you that this movie deals heavily with assisted suicide. If this topic is sensitive for you, I encourage you to skip a few lines or stop reading this particular page.
The topic of assisted suicide is a difficult topic for many people for pretty clear reasons. When it comes to Hollywood portraying it, I think it sends the wrong message. I would personally rather see a documentary about the subject instead of a big-budget movie that romanticizes it.
Documentaries tend to be more serious and often take a more respectable approach to discussing their topic. Big Hollywood movies can often be quite the opposite.
When Me Before You came out in 2016, it caused a significant uproar among people with disabilities. Many were upset that the movie seemed to glamourize assisted suicide, particularly those with disabilities. Some even viewed it as a message saying if you’re physically disabled, your life is miserable and not worth living.
Let’s get away from that topic.
Another reason why many in the PWD community were upset was because the lead actor wasn’t physically disabled. I wholeheartedly agree that if the story involves a person with any type of disability, an actor or actress who has a disability should be used. Even better if the actor/actress has the same form of disability that the movie or show is about.
Before we move on from Me Before You, I should point out that I have seen it. I didn’t like it, but not just because of the reasons stated above.
There’s another movie that I quickly need to talk about.
The movie that I’m referring to is called Music.
Music
Zu is newly sober when she receives news that she is to become the sole guardian of her half-sister named Music, a young girl on the autism spectrum. The film explores two of Sia's favourite themes: finding your voice and creating family.
The movie hasn’t been released yet, but is already causing controversy, with some even demanding for it to be cancelled.
The issue has to do with that many in the Autism community feel that the movie’s portrayal of a person living on the Autism spectrum is extremely offensive.
In recent Twitter posts, Pop singer, Sia who wrote and directed the movie, defended her decision by saying that she felt the use of a non-disabled actor was more compassionate.
Later Sia went on to say, "I actually tried working with a beautiful young girl non-verbal on the spectrum, and she found it unpleasant and stressful. So that's why I cast Maddie,"
I’m no expert, but I’m guessing that there’s more than one actress on the spectrum that could fill the role nicely and more realistic.
The issue of Hollywood not casting people with disabilities has been around forever.
Two movies that stand out for me are Rain Man and I Am Sam. Both are great movies. Dustin Hoffman and Sean Penn were outstanding in their roles.
But here’s the thing, they’re both actors playing a character on the Autism spectrum.
After filming, those actors can return to their way of life.
If an able bodied actor is portraying someone in a wheelchair, the actor can easily stand up and walk around between takes.
We can’t do that.
As long as Hollywood keeps using non-disabled actors, our stories will never truly be told.