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>> I THINK THAT I WAS THE FIRST
ONE IN TELEVISION TO HAVE
A VISIBLE DISABILITY
IN A PRIMETIME SERIES.
AND I WAS ALSO THE FIRST
TO BRING COMEDY TO DISABILITY.
>> THE BIGGEST THINGS ABOUT
BEING AN ACTOR WITH A DISABILITY
IS SEEING THAT THE WORLD'S OPEN
UP TO YOU AND JUST WANTING
HOLLYWOOD TO START TAKING NOTICE
OF THIS HUGE WELL OF
CAPABILITIES OF THESE ACTORS
AND STORIES.
>> YOU HAVE TO GET AUDITIONS
TO GET WORK.
AND THERE ARE FEWER AUDITIONS
FOR PERFORMERS WITH
DISABILITIES.
THIS IS A FACT.
>> OFTEN TIMES CASTING DIRECTORS
WHO CHOOSE ACTORS, DON'T EVEN
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW
WHERE THE RESOURCES LIE TO GET
DEAF ACTORS.
I MEAN, THEY TEND TO RELY
ON THE SAME ACTORS OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.
AND THEN THEY BRING THEM IN
FOR THE AUDITIONS.
WELL, HOW ARE THEY GONNA EVER
MAKE A CHANGE?
>> WE'VE ALWAYS, IN THE PAST,
BEEN OVERLOOKED AND PUSHED
ASIDE, BUT BECAUSE NOW WITH
THE- THE GROWING CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT AMONG PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES BECAUSE PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES HAVE A VOICE AND
BECAUSE THEIR VOICES ARE VERY
LOUD, THEY'RE NO LONGER GOING TO
ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THESE ROLES
ARE BEING TAKEN BY NON-DISABLED
ACTORS.
>> PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE
NOW WORKING MORE AND MORE BOTH
BEHIND THE CAMERA, IN TERMS OF
PRODUCING, DIRECTING, WRITING
THE MATERIAL THAT WE'RE SEEING,
AND BEING IN FRONT OF THE
CAMERA, IN TERMS OF BEING
THE ACTORS THAT WE SEE.
>> WE'RE STILL... STILL TRYING
TO MAKE INROADS
INTO THE BUSINESS.
AND IT'S NOT EASY, NOT ONLY
FOR THOSE WHO ARE--
WHO HOLLYWOOD VIEWS
AS "NOT NORMAL."
>> I THINK FROM NON-TRADITIONAL
CASTING AND ALLOWING SOMEONE
WITH A DISABILITY TO BE CAST FOR
AND CONSIDERED FOR ALL ROLES
WHETHER THEY HAVE A DISABILITY
OR NOT.
AND IF WE CAN KEEP LOOKING AT IT
THAT WAY, BECAUSE IF MY AGENT OR
CASTING DIRECTOR ONLY CONSIDERS
ME FOR CEREBAL PALSY ROLES,
I'M GONNA WORK ONCE EVERY
20 YEARS.
>> IT'S SLOWLY SHIFTING.
AND IT'LL BE A FEW BREAKOUT
ROLES THAT MAKE THE BIG
DIFFERENCE AND MAKE THE JUMP,
AND THEN CASTING WILL HAVE
THE GREEN LIGHT TO BRING IN
TRULY DIVERSE CHARACTERS.
>> THE PROJECTED IMAGE -
A HISTORY OF DISABILITY IN FILM.
TUESDAYS IN OCTOBER,
BEGINNING AT 8:00PM.
FOR A COMPLETE SCHEDULE
AND EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, VISIT...