Where are the disabled actors?

Maybe I don’t understand how TV and movies work, but is it really so hard to find disabled people to play disabled characters?

There are so many little examples of disabled characters thrown onto shows or movies for diversity’s sake or for the main plot line and they are always played by non-disabled actors. Some shows hire consultants to make sure they are getting things right, but why hire two people? Why go that extra mile? Why not just hire someone who already knows what that disability is like?

This might be a bit or a chicken and egg issue. I imagine there are few disabled actors because there are few roles they are accepted for. To me, the best solution would be for Hollywood to be okay with casting disabled actors for non-disabled roles. That would create a bigger market for disabled actors, which would mean more people who dream of acting would have that chance.

Why not put people with disabilities into roles that are typically played by able-bodied actors? The script doesn’t need to be changed, it doesn’t need to be called out and made into a plot point.

I dream of a world where we could see Hamlet played by an amputee, or Dorothy played by a girl with cerebral palsy, or the typical sitcom husband played by an actor in a wheelchair. Why not?

*****
Check out this article for another take on disability in media.

• Tweet
• Pin It