OPINION: Netflix show Atypical isn't breaking down barriers, it's masking the real problem on screen
Why does it matter? For people not living with a disability or who don't have a close connection with someone who is, the consequences may be hard to see. But for me and those within the disability community, it leaves us feeling we are invisible.
If a disabled actor is cast, they are often relegated to supporting roles, yet these characters have the potential to create powerful stories that can remove some of the stigma around people living with a disability.When TV shows feature a character with a disability played by an able-bodied actor rather than an actor with a disability we can tell the difference, just as it jars when you see an American actor struggling to carry off an Australian accent.
According to data compiled by Screen Australia, while we make up 18 per cent of the Australian population, we make up just 4 per cent of characters in TV dramas. A great example of an inclusive drama is the UK soap opera Hollyoaks, which in 2018 placed an open casting call for an autistic actress to play the role of a character named Brooke Hathaway. The role went to a British disabled actress named Talia Grant.The production company worked with UK charity The National Autistic Society and theatre company Access All Areas during the creation and casting processes, as well as Grant herself when developing the character.
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