On the topic of able-bodied and nondisabled actors playing physically disabled folks:
The other day I learned of the movie "Unstoppable" starring Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez. (This post is spoiler-free because I haven't seen the movie.)
The movie is about Anthony Robles who is a wrestler with one leg. Jharrel plays Anthony. Jharrel has two legs.
First of all, when Jharrel was asked about this in an interview, he said (quote) "I understand the sensitivity of it. You know, I am able-bodied. I do have both my legs and there are actors I know that have one leg. And so, if it was going to be me, I knew that I didn't want to go halfway with it. I got on the mat for seven months, five days a week, three hours a day. And then right after I got off the mat, I got on crutches and I walked everywhere. I ran everywhere with them. And I became in control of them because I knew that if I didn't look like I was confident on the crutches or if I didn't look like I was confident balancing myself, then I wouldn't be Anthony Robles. And I also wouldn't pay respect to those who do go through what Anthony goes through." (end quote) He doesn't understand the sensitivity of it. He literally can't. He has 2 legs. He can't understand what it's like to have just one. And even if he did (quote unquote) "understand the sensitivity of it", he wouldn't have taken this role.
Second of all, the real Anthony was Jharrel's stunt double. They'll hire Anthony for the stunt double but won't hire an actor with one leg to play him (Jharrel himself said there are actors with one leg). Yeah, that makes sense. (Sarcasm)
Third of all, even some actual family members of Anthony's were in the movie.
They'll really do anything to not hire a physically disabled person, won't they? (Rhetorical question)
@this-is-deformimisia
