I hate how wheelchairs are portrayed as a trap. For lots of us they are our freedom. They are what give us the ability to go out into the world. Of course I wish I could walk without pain but just a few weeks ago I got a new electric wheelchair and I was so ecstatic. My wheelchair is my lifeline. It is not a trap it's what gives me a reason to live.
This right here is the best comment I've seen so far in this video's comment section. As a fellow wheelchair user I agree entirely. Wheelchairs are great.
I'm not sure what I can say besides I agree wholeheartedly. I have a manual wheelchair that I use for long distances or places like the grocery store or the mall because I just don't have the energy to do those things in my walker(on most days) Without my walker or wheelchair I would not be able to do the things I do today.
Same here! I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user and use a cane full time, and sometimes my walker. Getting my chair was LIFE CHANGING! I remember going to my local fair and staying for TWELVE HOURS...it was like magic. I saw everything I wanted to see, even two or three times. I was really really tired by the end, but my pain wasn’t out of control, and I could actually function the following week, even the next day. Wheelchairs are freaking awesome! Now if we could just get ableds to see that...
My pet peeve is "Confined to a wheelchair." Hello? It's a mobility device! That's the opposite of confinement! You might as well say somebody is "blinded by eyeglasses" or "deafended by hearing aids" or "lamed by a prosthetic leg." Aaron Fotheringham's comment on his chair? "It's like I've got wheels stuck to my butt. How could that not be fun?"
they didnt include how when artie hated himself for being in the wheelchair, and then wished he wasnt, but then he saw how different life would be if he wasnt, and he does reach self acceptance and loves his chair
Exactly this! “I hate that his arc isn’t self acceptance, it’s that he hates being in a wheelchair” No! The arc IS the self acceptance, his hating the wheelchair is the beginning of the arc
Arnie from “Whats Eating Gilbert Grape” was brilliantly done by DiCaprio. He represented a child who has a bad family and not just a disability. DiCaprio’s performance made me cry, it was real and it was genuine.
@@scoutheiser2258 while his performance was well done imo, I don’t have a disability, but I’d really like to know your pov. While I know a genuinely disabled person could have been cast for the role, I felt that Leo really embodied and respected the role rather than mocked it or did anything disrespectful. But I’d really like to know how u see it.
@Rene Ramirez thank you! I agree 100%. I spent many years working with people with developmental disabilities and when I saw this movie I was convinced they somehow found a boy with a developmental disability that could perform. Leonard's performance is stunning!
Honestly, Tyrion Lannister is someone everyone can relate to; whether it is a physical disability or a mental disability or a disability that is invisible. Anyone who has been scrutinized because of something that is not seen as "normal" is seen as a curse in the eyes of society. I have an invisible illness. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and POTS and I often keep my disability to myself because people often label me as fine when I am not. Tyrion is that voice for all suffering from being judged because they are different and are not normal in the eyes of the public.
I'm not sure if everyone agrees, but I wish they'd have put an autistic person. We rarely get representation, and when we do get it, it's not usually very good. Shaun from The Good Doctor is probably the best portrayal we have, but even that isn't always totally correct. We're usually either portrayed as oblivious, arrogant jerks, or nonverbal young white boys who know everything about trains.
Ye-jin TK Thanks so much! I have admit as you age with my disability it does get harder but I do what I have to do to deal with it physically and emotionally and I'm getting by.
I was born with spins bifida also they told my mom that I’d never be able to live on my own or take care of myself but I’m 18 I have a daughter live with my boyfriend take care of myself life is good rn got my leg amputated last July made things slightly more difficult but I’m working through it! My mom was told I’d never walk but I stared walking when I turned 2 so even with a prosthetic I’m just happy I can walk😀
Rayna Bowen I've been on my own for 25 years and been able to walk my entire life, it's getting harder the older I get but as long as I take my supplements and exercise my legs I should be able to keep walking. I will never give up no matter how painful it is everyday of my life.
They commented on the fact that Leonardo Dicaprio shouldn’t have played that character because he portrayed it wrong (even though he ‘studied’ people with the disability) but didn’t comment on the fact that the actor from Wonder didn’t have that disability either. They only called Leonardo out which I think is unfair since he did such an amazing job
Nah because the thing is about Wonder, the book made it *explicitly clear* that August was not considered "special needs" around the middle, during the Jack Will chapter when Mr. Tushman emails Julian's mom. He had a facial deformity, sure, but he could do pretty much anything anyone else can do. His only *disability* is his hearing aids. Also, people with treacher-collins' syndrome are typically very... frail. The character himself had over 20 surgeries and real life kids with that condition are similar. It'd be hard to cast a child actor who's constantly in and out of the hospital, they'd constantly be growing and shrinking between scenes depending on when it was shot. Like how in the 90s version of Lord of The Flies, Jack Merridew's voice just gets higher and higher as it goes on because some scenes were done later than others and puberty works fast.
What’s eating Gilbert grape is such a beautiful well done movie, I have a sister who is mentally disabled and I take no offence to Leo’s character what so ever. I truly believe Leo deserves an oscar for it, he really researched he spent time with people with disabilities, he made sure he got it right. If you’re offended by his role then you might as well me offended by Forrest Gump.
I want to see "invisible disabilities" talked about. I was diagnosed with bipolar, depression, and ODD when I was 10. Now I have anxiety disorders, PTSD, and a few others added into the mix. I feel like I don't have a voice at times because people don't see what I'm going through or understand and just call me over-emotional. We have a voice too and it should be talked about more.
Corbin Brier YES!!! I have struggled with Crohn’s Disease since I was very young, and people don’t realize how much of an effect something can have, even when it can’t be seen.
Exactly, when that girl said that "Everyone gets to see themselves on screen" I just laughed because every bipolar person is so badly represented, in my opinion, except for Sherlock Holmes, when we are rarely represented. Gilbert Grape makes me cry and should not be so shitted on by these pc people.
I think another well representing disabled character is Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender. I know it’s animated, but the fact that her disability is not the focus of her character while also still being a big part of it (again - without being the only character trait she has) seemed amazing to me
There are disability with short life spans though. Or maybe according to movie of Gilbert Grape, the time it is, the atmosphere (low-income family), they could not reach better doctor on consulting. I just think the movie and the character Leo played sent very good messages to my heart. Also the disable character in that movie also includes their mother.
As someone who is in wheelchair, I watched Glee for the sole purpose of seeing Artie, because before then, I never saw a character in a wheelchair that was part of the main cast (besides Jimmy from Degrassi). I actually liked what they did with his character for the most part. They gave him more than a handicap story line, and gave him a personality. I personally ended up not liking Artie as a character because of his personality, but I think that's great that they didn't make him overly sympathetic or anything. My main issue with TV shows and Movies with people with disabilities is that for the most part, if a character gets paralyzed, they miraculously end up walking within a few episodes. They recently did it on NCIS-Los Angeles and Arrow. Jimmy on Degrassi ended up being able to start to walk too, but at least it showed him gradually getting his feeling back (which took a few seasons) and going to physical therapy.
If you want to see a character that becomes paralysed and stays paralysed, you should watch the100. One of the characters ends up with a paralysed leg due to a spinal injury and you get to see her learn to live with it throughout the show. Also she is a complex character, along with the other characters, and her main storyline is basically just her being a genius.
The Artie scene was so out of context. Artie would dance in his wheelchair all the time and Glee had multiple episodes about him accepting his disability and teaching others to understand, respect and accept his disability. Glee also layer cast another character briefly who really was in a wheelchair.
As someone who studies neuropsychology I think Leonardo Dicaprio's character wasn't that bad. Having a disability doesn't suddenly gives you knowledge on all the syndromes in the world
EmmaInsua you study neuropsychology?? That's so cool! I've been looking into it, but it's shocking how scarce the info online can be. Soz if this is random, but what are some modules/concepts that you cover in neuropsychology??
EmmaInsua so true! I was sitting here thinking how does an amputee or someone with cerebral palsy more validly speak on behalf of someone with downs or a profound ID. Especially when they were like “doesn’t mean you have a shorter lifespan” when a condition is never stated how is anyone disabled or not meant to determine the cause of a disability.
I agree. I've worked as a music therapist for people who act a lot like Artie, and who also have health issues, that may in some cases affect their life span. It was a very believable character as far as I could tell.
FuturePants why do you keep coming to Buzzfeed videos if you think everyone on it is SJWs and you apparently hate them? But yeah about the episode they missed the point. It wasn't solely Artie wishing he could walk. There was related context. Will, Rachel, and Artie all had different dreams. Will to be on broadway, Rachel find her birth mother, and Artie when he was younger wanted to be a dancer. The episode showed all their dreams (I can't remember if Rachel met her mother but I remember they did reveal who she was Idina Menzel. So it wasn't an episode about a guy with a disability wallowing in self pity but an episode about the dreams people have. Two of those people being able-bodied.
I think everyone views their disability differently. Some don't even want to be labelled 'disabled' while some brace the word for what it is( they accept that they cannot do certain things and it's okay). And, you may disagree here but some do thrive on the pity they receive while some can't stand the patronising attitude of people. Some can easily joke about their disability and some are really sensitive. I don't think there is a right way, per se, media can approach disability. Each person's experiences are different, perspective is different. In my personal experience, my uncle had his leg amputated much later in his life and he accepts his disability. He accepts there are certain things he can no longer physically do. However, he still lives normally, just minus the leg. I don't know how to conclude this now. So bye x
i completely agree. Every life is different so every person with a disability, even the same disability is not going to have the same feeling and experience about it. Every experience is different and personal just like life is for regular people with no disability. It could not possibly has a model that correctly fit everyone. I just wish more people see that.
You are totally right! But then why are so many disabled characters the same? They all hate their disability, they are all good people, and their families all love them. It would be cool to see some characters that are like that, and some that aren’t.
Tiny Valkyrie because I think we all have those moments. I'm going blind. Most the time I joke about it and I'm very independent. Sometimes I'm very angry, scared, emotional, hate it, sometimes I even go through the why me. I work through it but it does happen. I don't feel like characters should be shown as completely always hating it or always being okay and confident. It's not realistic either way. Most people kind of go through phases of both.
As a disabled person, thank you so much for this. People always forget or ignore us. If we're having a bad day, we're pitied and told "I could never be disabled like you". If we're having a good day, we're inspiration porn and ablebodied people tell us how lovely it is to see us at the supermarket or how proud they are of us for...something? I just want to see people like me and I want other people to see young disabled people in media so they stop coming up to me and asking me what's wrong or talking to whoever I'm with instead to me (I'm not deaf, I just don't walk good!!!). Growing up, I never had any kind of representation of disabled people, beyond a few token examples, almost all of whom were in wheelchairs. And then as I became disabled myself, I had to deal with all of these thoughts and ideas in my head about disability because all the media showed me were people in wheelchairs (I use a walking stick), people with mental disabled, people who were deaf or blind, people who didn't dress fashionably and needed constant care. And there were basically no role models for me to look up to. There still basically no famous people who use a walking stick that aren't elderly. I just want to see myself. I want to go to the cinema and see someone like me, played by someone like me. I want there to be a role model for younger people who are growing up disabled. I want someone who is successful AND disabled, not "in spite of". So thank you for amplifying the voice of the disabled community. It would be cool to see more disabled content from Buzzfeed. It might even make me subscribe!
I don't understand their not wanting DiCaprio to play Arnie in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape.' The whole point of the character is that he is a child who is not easily managed and he doesn't have the familial help to adequately assess his disability. If they typecasted a child who--like Arnie--was difficult to work with, then the movie would never get done. I understand the annoyance with the plot line or dynamic, but Leo is a great actor, who simply played the role who was given the best way he could. And it was done brilliantly.
Asha Oguri did you really just compare the ignorance of mocking ones race/culture to an actor innocently playing a disabled person...? They didn’t stereotype the character at all. Get over yourself! Not all disabled people are good actors so therefore they’re not all going to get cast in everything...
WickedlyDefiant They didn't say that. They said casting someone with the same disability as Arnie would be hard to manage because Arnie himself is hard to manage. It would be really difficult to get someone like Arnie to memorize lines and get through takes.
I see where you're coming from, it crossed my mind as well. But I later realised that "Wonder" is based on a book about a child with a very rare genetical condition. There's no way they would have been able to cast a young actor of the same age with the same condition...
WickedlyDefiant no but for this particular movie having a child at that disability level would be hard to manage although they could have cast someone with a disability just lower on the spectrum or not as high functioning
I watched a video about how Leonardo DiCaprio studied and learned from kids with disabilities in order to represent them accurately. I don’t have a disability but I don’t think it’s offensive to play a role also Leonardo DiCaprio is a fantastic actor who was nominated for an Oscar for that role , that must have brought so much awareness.
Georgia B I also feel like did they know it was based off a book that was written in the 1940s; so the author's take on the disabled and the era in which it was written play a huge part in it as well. Can't really fault Leo for that. I mean this was an era that gave people lobotomies rather than deal with with mental illness....
Wyatt Nicks the word retardation has a proper definition meaning 'slowed progression or development', and it can be used without inferring bigotry. Bigotry is an interrolance or prejudice. I think you mean it is not politically correct, but the word retardation was used correctly. However, some people such as yourself, are hypersensitive to certain words and take them as derogatory when that is not the true meaning nor the intent.
That's what the dictionary suggested. Later i found "mental retardation", for example on the medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary or sciencedirect .com. The information contained there was in line with my knowledge. So I used it. I'm sorry, but how I would know that could be not acceptable when even on psychologydictionary. org I could found this word ?
My mother worked at a Psychiatric hospital in the 80s-90s, and I would sometimes go there, and wait for her after school. At the hospital was a girl, who was exactly like Arnie, and I remember seeing the movie when I was 16, it felt so spooky how alike they where.
Tbh i know people with developmental disabilities no matter what age they are who act like leo from gilbert grape. The people in this video mostly have physical disabilities. This video was a good idea but they did need at least one person with developmental disability
Yo!! That's my boy Christopher who I went to grammar school with. Haven't seen him in forever. Looking good my man. Hope you, Bobby and AJ are doing well bud.
I’m autistic and I get that people want actual autistics to play these characters but I’ve done background acting in commercials for fun and the lights are BRIGHT AF and it can be noisy and chaotic and doing the same scene 40-60+ times. Now imagine that’s a TV series or a movie. The same thing almost every day for hours and hours and hours. Imagine the sensory overloads and meltdowns.
artie and the whole glee club does dance in his chair and they had a whole dance routine in wheelchairs???? i understand the wanting to dance dream is a but cliche but high schoolers dreams ARE cliche... especially the glee kids wanting to be dancers and on broadway??? i mean i definitely get what they were saying but you cant judge the entire character from one little dream dance sequence
The point isn't Artie being "a dreamer." It's the fact that he is portraying disability to be something that is not livable, and that people with disabilities always wish they could be like able bodied people, and that is not the case.
Ellie yes! but my point still stands that you cant judge him from the one scene!! i felt that throughout the show he really did grow to accept it more and more as time went on. I do think if he could be able bodied he would, which isnt accurate for a lot but could also be accurate for a lot of people. and I’m sure at this young age lots of people with disabilities DID wish they could be able bodied. Everyone is different. But, i do think it was unnecessary to cast someone able bodied. The dance numbers were kinda unnecessary and even if they wanted to do them they shouldve found a way to utilize body doubles or something so that they could cast someone disabled for the role! but, truly i don’t think everyone who’s disabled accepts it at the age of like 15 or 16.... which theyre supposed to be in glee. it doesn’t mean the acceptance shouldn’t happen for the character. But, i think for people who are ill, physically or mentally, all wish they could change back from time to time. it’s a really REAL feeling. we don’t all reach acceptance right away! i think it’s important to show that as well as the acceptance so kids who haven’t reached it yet know that it doesn’t just come overnight
Let's not forget that Artie had only been disabled for a few years at this point. If I remember correctly he was 10 when a car crash caused him to be in a wheelchair. So a young man who remembers what it was like to be "normal" is asking why him and wishing he could go back to the way things used to be when he could dance and walk isn't a good representation of the disabled community? Someone whom, literally, comes out of that dance sequence accepting himself and not wanting to change his lot doesn't represent the disabled community? Ok then....
So glad they didn't bring up casting an actor with a disability for Wonder. Had they actually cast a child with Auggies condition it would risk the child's well-being, they kind of had to use make up and I HATE when people act like casting someone with a disability ALWAYS has to be the case, sometimes it's too dangerous to Do, y'know?
Robyn Wilson I don’t understand your comment. How is it dangerous to have your experience seen and validated? It’s the opposite of dangerous, it’s incredibly healthy and emotionally healing!
As far as animation... South Park, for all its offensiveness and mocking nature, has a few disabled characters that are pretty well done. Jimmy has a speech impediment and uses crutches and moves very slowly, and his superhero alter-ego is Fastpass (basically The Flash). Timmy is wheelchair bound and has a limited vocabulary, and his superhero persona is Professor Timmy (Professor X essentially) and he can teleport and speak telepathically (with a british accent lol). They're both really popular (on the show and with viewers) and are treated like all the other characters.
I can't remember his name, but there's two other characters with disabilities that always try to sabotage and even kill Jimmy. Just because they are disabled, doesn't mean they are helpless little angels you should feel bad for. They are more than the disabilities.
They also portrayed tourettes well, and different disabled people in the special olympics episode (also showing their abilities when cartman comes last)
I think they were a little hard on the Arnie character. He wasn't representing a physically disabled person, he was mentally disabled. Completely different
the best ive seen tourettes portrayed is on south park loved that it showed that the cussing or saying inappropriate stuff isnt actually fun like some people think it would be
I love when directors cast disabled actors but I understand it when they don’t because it is tough and there are health things to work around. The important thing is to just portray the disability as authentically as possible.
\\ S O L A N G E G E N E T // I agree , I am deaf and I’ve seen amazing deaf actors and it was great to be represented. It’s a risk for sure and can be a bit more work but it’s totally worth it.
The book Wyrm I am a wheelchair user and I think disabled actors should be cast to portray disabled characters but also characters who aren't if it is not something visible, because we are not given as much work opportunities as healthy people. As you say it can be a little bit more of work but it's totally worth it. Btw I wanna learn sign language!
\\ S O L A N G E G E N E T // it’s the fact that disabled people don’t have as many work opportunities that makes it so important for them to be represented . No matter what the disability we can do anything we set our minds too. It just takes a little more effort sometimes. And ASL is a wonderful language.
Game of Thrones is great when it comes to representing disabled characters! Not only Tyrion but also Bran, Hodor and Doran Martell. Another show that shows great representation is Black Sails. It has a character that loses a leg, and it shows him trying to accept it and learn to live with it, and even how to take advantage of it. He becomes a great swordsman who uses his crutches to his advantage. It just shows incredible character development! From him refusing to accept it and continuously wearing a prosthetic leg even though it damages him because he didn't want to appear weak, to him fighting and killing people on crutches. I don't know what it's like to have a disability since I don't have one, but this felt like a great character! It's my favorite show of all time, I love Game of Thrones but I love Black Sails even more!
Well said. Doran Martell gets a lot of crap from those around him, and the show-runners have kind of butchered him--but he keeps it real. Jaime's narrative on the loss of his good hand counts, too. That amputation really jacked him up--but honestly, it was the best thing that could have happened to him. Character-wise, anyway.
It really sucks that he gets so much ableism. Their world isn't JUST composed of warriors. It helps to have some combat skills going on for you--but you need a brain, too. I wouldn't want millions of Gregor Clegane's wandering about. But, as Tyrion said, it's better to be a rich cripple (with a badass golden hand) than a poor cripple. x_x"
Oh - Leonardo's acting was phenomenal. This isn't a question on his acting but rather was it portrayed accurately and appropriately by the director. This is less on the actors but more on the directors.
I wanted to express my opnion. Here it is: it is offensive to act like a disable people for a movie or TV show? I mean, the boy described Leo's acting as "offensive" or "like the WW2 old movies" but I don't think that hiring an actually disabled actor is always an option. Nowadays all kind of people have better oportunities and we get to see these people with disabilities killing it in their roles I love to see that, but like a said: I don't think that is always an option. Am I wrong?
Also with the They said he wouldn't live to be four. At birth, there are many misconceptions on a child disabilities. They said my brother wouldn't probably never walk. They said I'd have really bad learning difficulties. I'm top set for every subject except for P.E. My brother is learning to walk.
This is just survivorship bias. You beat the odds and ended up being able to walk thus you "forget" about the millions of people that were told they would not walk, and never walked again. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias
Marlon Scott the point is that for the sake of this video they picked one of the only scenes in which artie fantasises about being able to walk. anyone who watched the show to completion knows how he doesnt let his disability stop him from doing what he wants to do after he has come to accept himself.
Becky Braniff they watched the show though, the only one who seemed like they didn’t was the guy.... that was her opinion on that particular episode....
Having him go through a self-acceptance arc later doesn't change how his issues were portrayed in that scene, or how it made disabled people watching it feel in the moment, though? I think the point was that they find 'self-acceptance arcs' unoriginal, and probably annoying to begin with anyways.
Love how you guys are spreading disability awareness. Hope you guys can make a video on invisible disabilites as well- not all disabilities are visible.
i have an invisible disability and i’m not going to lie, i feel like they might be being a little sensitive when it comes to this. i have had my fair share of times where yes someone had outright offended me but other times even when actors without disabilities portray a disabled character i have loved it. for example when eddie redmayne played steven hawkings... it was such a moving and beautiful performance. he didn’t have the disability but he did his research and respected it and did such a great job. actors without disabilities can portray characters with disabilities it’s just how they go about it and how well it is executed
Can we please stop making them watch scenes without context? The reason Artie is dreaming about dancing and is sad when the dream isn’t real is because the entire episode is dedicated to his dream of being a dancer being shattered when he was paralyzed in a car accident.
You need to watch more of Glee to really appreciate Artie's character development, he more than comes to terms with his disability, and keep in mind that he wasn't born with it, so I always thought it was more than justified that he dreamt of dancing, but he does get better
Yeah they had him dreaming of dancing because the episode was literally about dreams the characters had. Will was to be on broadway and in the episode he later got the chance to be in a production. Rachel's was to meet her birth mother and her mother was later revealed to us. Artie was to be a dancer and he had a dream about being a great dancer. But ultimately none of their dreams came true because Will turned down the role, Rachel decided against finding out who she was, and Artie wasn't miraculous cured.
d/Deaf/HoH people do not often, in their culture, consider themselves disabled, so it would be more appropriate for them to have a separate video for d/Deaf/HoH people.
For what reason? Deaf Culture/ the deaf community don’t consider themselves disabled so it is extremely understandable that that they don’t want to partake in a video that would label them as such and extremely good on buzzfeed’s part for not including it.
There is a section in our yearbook that says "Exceptional Students" that only have people with physical disabilities in it. And I'm not sure how to feel about it. I think its a good thing that they are being represented, but I also think you shouldn't identify someone just for their disability.
katie fay yup, inspiration porn for sure. If those students requested that specific thing then sure, go for it, but otherwise? Its just gross. I'm disabled (I'm autistic and I also have mental health problems) and I need accomodations, but I don't want to be singled out, especially since a lot of people are dickheads and use that kind of outing to bully people.
The Artie thing is kinda unfair. He was more than someone who dreamed about dancing without the wheelchair. And I might be wrong, but I think the actor was chosen for the role because the show needed a teenage-looking actor/singer/dancer/guitar player, and can be hard to find someone who can do all that properly (and I'm not saying disabled people can't, I'm just saying it would be harder than just picking this one guy and putting him on a wheelchair). Peace
As a disabled performer, let me tell you that there is a veritable LEGION of people who fit those criteria who would have been down to play the part. I'm so tired of hearing that disabled actors can't play disabled characters. GUESS WHAT??? If a disabled actor can't do it, maybe it isn't plausible that the disabled character could do it???? Lol.
Then.... They could Not write that? The entire show is under their control. They can make it work. Its not hard to accomodate. Also ur hinging all of this on a "what if" which is... Short sighted They dont make these decisions for able bodied actors. They make accomodations for them. Why not disabled folk? The answer is because they dont care enough to try. Which is what we All need to be challenging as that is what will start a change
I think there was also alot more to that episode and its only that episode, he isnt like that the entire show nor does he even let his disability get to him just saying
I think the What's Eating Gilbert Grape critique was a little over the line. Yea, it's easy to say now what should and should not be now, but I'm not sure that it's right either. Did they totally forget about the obese mother? Di Caprio did an AMAZING job on that character and really showed his acting talents. It gave him the opportunity to show his talent as well as Darlene Cates did. The most memorable moment for me was when she went to the jailhouse (watch it). And why wasn't SPEECHLESS included?!?! :(
But they weren't necessarily just talking about the actor's acting ability though? They were talking about characters, and how well they were both writtenand acted, and one of these is foundational to another. Sometimes a bad actor can carry a film if it has superb writing, but it's rare a superb actor can carry bad writing bc writing is basically everything in the film, it's both character and plot. While Leo might have done some excellent acting, if the character was written poorly or in a degrading or misleading way, then that's going to take precedence in a video like this where they're talking primarily about character.
I took it as they thought a truly handicapped actor should have played the part and that they left out handicapped actors. Darlene Cates (the Mom) was truly handicapped and they did not mention her.
I enjoyed the movie very much when I was younger and still find things in it now that I enjoy. I think it’s all about how you view the storyline, my younger brother is on the spectrum and sometimes things can be quite frustrating and overwhelming for my whole family. I relate to Gilbert in that way. Yet despite how angry Gilbert would get with his little brother, I think it was mostly out of his desire to help and care for him. I think the movie represented that well, and Leo’s role did show some very realistic characteristics of people with disabilities, but it’s definitely not the type of movie that would be made nowadays. I did think that maybe their critique was a little intense, but of course I have no disability, instead I’m the sister of someone with one, so my view may not be as valid in this situation.
The thing is leo's character wasn't "degrading" or misleading or none of that, if you think otherwise state your evidence, cause the people in the video never did point out something from the movie they got wrong, they just beat around the bush complaining about nonsensical things like the fact that the writers were trying to make the audience feel empathetic towards gilbert, like wtf! in almost every movie you watch writers make the audience feel empathetic towards the hero, that is writing 101. how is that crime???
afro symphony if you were disabled you'd get it. The character is derogatory and harmful to us, not to abled people, and that's why you personally don't see it. Its like me saying there's nothing wrong with blackface because I, a white person, have never been a victim of racism
Many, maybe most, people who transition into a wheelchair after an accident go through a process of acceptance and then really don't resent their current physical state after that initial period.
I love how the director and producers made "Wonder"! Not only did you get to see Auggie's side of the story & the others involved in his life, but you also got a chance to take a look at what their motives were for choosing how to act the way they did! 😊👍
they shouldve used the scene from Glee where he saw what would happen if he hadnt had his disability. Probably wouldve done better...dont try to make him look bad Buzzfeed ;)
Yes! Call out producers for this BS! Disabled actors want and need jobs just as much as any other actor! Disabled people are part of the population and are rarely used to show the real community in shows.
McKenna Hardy the point of being an actor is that you can act any role. So it lowkey does not matter if a non disabled person plays a disabled character
ok but not all disabled actors are good enough for the part which is probably why they casted an abled body person to act instead of the disabled person. Just because you're disabled doesn't mean you suddenly get a special treatment.
So to the main comment, I say 100% yes! Disable actors rarely get cast for characters that aren't specified as "disabled" characters then able-bodied actors get cast as disabled actors and it is ridiculous. To all the people who replied to this comment I have one question, is it ok for a white actor to do blackface or play any other person of color? It's kind of the same thing. People with disabilities want to represent in the media just as much as any other minority (and yes, the disabled community is a minority). As a person with a disability I agree very much with the video.
Katha von Wolfenstein Yeah! Oh gosh, I could write a book about Ivar! I have a disability too (but I'm developmentally disabled rather than physically (I'm autistic)) and I felt like he and I would understand each other and, seeing his personality, I knew that we would be very close and protective of each other. I fell in love with Ivar last year and I'm glad I did. He's very important to me. I even write letters to him even though I know he can't reply, for obvious reasons. But it's at least a way to show him that I love him.
As someone living with MS, this was a lovely video to see! Even if the illness is invisible, you never know how the other side feels. Good content, buzzfeed.
So good...but you missed so many great actors!! What about Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things or Meredith Eaton from McGyver?! Both of these shows are wonderful and portray the actors like they can do anything! ! I mean come on, Maddie (McGyver) is the head of an organization!!
Spoiler: They LOVE the disabled actors that are disabled in real life, and are OFFENDED by the actors that are NOT disabled in real life. 100%. Saved you 9 minutes of your life.
Tracy Beaker returns / the dumping ground Frank was awesome. The only time I remember his cerebral palsy being a big topic was when his best friend was complaining about how hard his life was and Frank was like "I have to talk REALLY slowly and people still struggle to understand me. You think you're the only one with problems?" But that's a CBBC program in the UK so of course they haven't seen it. Lola was good too in the original Tracy Beaker. Also there's Sasha in the Dumping Ground who has dwarfism and refers to others as "shortie" which I love (she's played by Annabelle Davis, Warwick Davis's daughter). However I don't have any major disabilities so I wouldn't know. However I know that watching the Tracy Beaker programs growing up made me see that people with disabilies are just people like you and me. Nobody is "normal", there is statistically not a normal person so having a disability shouldn't be a problem.
I appreciate some of what was said in this video, but the sentiment overall was 'we only like disabled characters who are played by disabled actors' - which is a fair point but it's not the same thing as reviewing the characters themselves. For example, the woman said that we're supposed to feel sorry for DiCaprio's family in Gilbert grape, but it's exactly the same in Breaking Bad. Initially, the reason why they introduced Walt Jr is to further illustrate how Walt has been screwed over in life - Walt Jr is a plot device in the same way that Arnie is in Gilbert Grape.
I think that the difference is not just in the casting, but also in the accuracy of the writing and depiction. The shows that cast disabled actors are more likely to have someone there to say “I wouldn’t actually do that this way, I’d do it like this instead...” or be writing (in later episodes) with the knowledge of having worked with an actual disabled person. It’s the difference between “so-and so uses a wheelchair” and “so-and-so has C4 paralysis with XYZ features.” There’s a different degree of understand and specificity, and there’s also a higher likelihood of writing about the PERSON-their life, job, friends, likes and dislikes, relationships, etc., rather than seeing disability as their only defining characteristic.
Maybe if you watched glee you would know that Artie did go through a journey of self acceptance and his dance scene was his fantasy of what life would be like but then he does learn to like himself for who he is
ErimcferrySings absolutely. I haven't seen the movie but I already dislike it because the biggest part of the book but not fully show/describing Auggie and having the whole "you're probably thinking worse"
Am I incorrect that they only seemed to have a panel of people with physical disabilities? I may have missed someone/don't know everyone's exact disabilities (nor is it my business), but it just doesn't seem inclusive to not include people living with cognitive disabilities on the panel especially since some of the clips featured those types of disabilities. Still enjoyed the video regardless.
hannah, the dark haired white woman, might have cerebral palsy. cerebral palsy isn't just a physical disability, as it can include cognitive issues like processing and learning difficulties.
This is exactly why I became a writer and story coach. Because storytellers have a responsibility to create safe spaces for ALL people to explore themselves and the world without feeling excluded or judged. Because everyone should be able to see characters similar to them represented. That's the gorgeous thing about the world, right? That every single person is different and adds something wonderful and unique? xx
Yeah I agree with what they were saying about Wonder. I have a sister with SMA and we are so close that it's almost like we are the same person. I know what she's thinking and feeling in a certain situation, so I know that she is uncomfortable when she's being given attention because of her disability. So when we watched that movie, I kinda got uncomfortable when he got that award because I kinda felt like they were giving it to him because they felt bad for him. People give my sister gifts all the time and I can feel how uncomfortable she is because she knows why they are giving it to her. She wants to be seen as a person, not a person with a disability. She wants people to remember her because of her personality, not the huge wheelchair she's sitting in. I feel all kinds of secondhand embarassment when people do things for her because they feel bad for her.
I am so glad this is a thing!! I would love to see a part 2! They didn't talk about Atypical, Speechless, or any of Jamie Brewer's characters on American Horror Story! I love this!
6:38 There are several disabilities that indicate a dramatically shorter lifespan. I've never seen this movie and I don't know what disability the character has, but I do know that some disabilities are like that. I knew a boy once with a disability that made his brain stop developing at the age of three so he was twelve and still acted like a toddler. He wasn't supposed to live past four or five (his father told me that) I understand that as a person who is not disabled in any way except mentally (and even then it's very minor) I'm not in a great position to argue, but I know for a fact that she was spreading misconceptions about misconceptions
Clearly not enough people are familiar with this or more would have commented. But it was a good portrayal of a person with a disability, and seeing what it could have been like otherwise, but realizing that person is amazing the way they are. At least that's how I felt about it. (also, RIP your feels if you ever read the book or see the movie).
And In my opinion it's not disrespectful to play someone with disabilities. Cause it's a role, it's not like you make fun or something like that. It's the same as to say it's disrespectful that straight people play as gay characters.
That's the beauty about Tyrion Lannister. He is the favorite of so many people even if they don't have a disability because he is an awesome, complex character.
I thought the same thing about Auggie getting the award! I thought it should have been Jack Will or someone, and it sounds awful but I feel like Auggie was supported not a supporter.
okay say what you want but leonardo dicaprio was incredible as arnie, amazing creation. also movies with disabled people are not only for disabled people who need pat in the back. how about their parents? its comfortable to think that they are okay with a struggle or at least they should pretened that they are. the truth is half of them suffer in many ways too, like it or not. it doesnt mean they dont love their children duh
I've known quite a few people who acted just as Arnie did in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. It's not always this little gift from heaven like people want you to believe. As you said there can be much struggle, dismay, resentment and even abandonment. I still very enjoy that movie even if it's not 100% accurate. Being around families and individuals who have had children with similar behavioral and mental capacity as Arnie it's sometimes is a very sad situation.
its obvious they didnt wanna come out and say they didnt like it cause it was an able-bodied person playing a disabled person(which i'd have understood), so they did what they do best, pretentiously nitpicked it to death.
Films about black people aren't just written for black people so we should let white actors paint themselves brown and play those characters. That's what you're saying, translated so your intentionally or unintentionally disableist brain can understand it
@armina what are you even talking about? i just said that for many reasons these roles shouldnt be only positive. i wasnt even talking about who should play these roles.
I thought you guys were supposed to be normal and not labeled as some sort of special group? Why don’t we get straight people to react to straight characters?
PR3ST0N there are tons of heterosexual couples portrayed in almost every single show that we watch.we rarely see characters like us on our television screens. so when we do see couples or even just people like us on tvs it’s important that we would be represented in the right way. Getting straight people to react to straight people on tv shows will show how often LGBT people are underrepresented on tv or movies.
This was really educating! Its very hard to put yourself in someoneelses shoes until someone at least have explained their pov and their story! So thank you for sharing, this is a great way to raise awareness and understanding for the disabled.
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I hate how wheelchairs are portrayed as a trap. For lots of us they are our freedom. They are what give us the ability to go out into the world. Of course I wish I could walk without pain but just a few weeks ago I got a new electric wheelchair and I was so ecstatic. My wheelchair is my lifeline. It is not a trap it's what gives me a reason to live.
This right here is the best comment I've seen so far in this video's comment section. As a fellow wheelchair user I agree entirely. Wheelchairs are great.
I only use mine occasionally (cane full-time), and I 100% agree. I can do so much more when I use the chair!
I'm not sure what I can say besides I agree wholeheartedly. I have a manual wheelchair that I use for long distances or places like the grocery store or the mall because I just don't have the energy to do those things in my walker(on most days) Without my walker or wheelchair I would not be able to do the things I do today.
Same here! I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user and use a cane full time, and sometimes my walker. Getting my chair was LIFE CHANGING! I remember going to my local fair and staying for TWELVE HOURS...it was like magic. I saw everything I wanted to see, even two or three times. I was really really tired by the end, but my pain wasn’t out of control, and I could actually function the following week, even the next day. Wheelchairs are freaking awesome! Now if we could just get ableds to see that...
My pet peeve is "Confined to a wheelchair." Hello? It's a mobility device! That's the opposite of confinement! You might as well say somebody is "blinded by eyeglasses" or "deafended by hearing aids" or "lamed by a prosthetic leg."
Aaron Fotheringham's comment on his chair? "It's like I've got wheels stuck to my butt. How could that not be fun?"
“I am not to be pitied, I am here and I am hard to kill” dang that’s a good line
4:00
It was a bad ass line
Peter Dinklage (Tyrion), was casted as a giant in Avengers: Infinty War. And it was probably my favorite part just because of that. So awesome
Jon Osterhues he was a dwarf
It looked kind of weird imo. Even though they tried to make him look big, he kept seeming like small guy, something to do with the proportions I guess
Jon Osterhues YEEES I JUST SAW THE MOVIE AND I WAS LIKE: well know he's bigger then everyone
Jon Osterhues As Dulce said, they mentioned that he was a dwarf, but if a larger comparison.
Dulce Rodriguez Ik, but I felt like if I said dwarf people would still think small
they didnt include how when artie hated himself for being in the wheelchair, and then wished he wasnt, but then he saw how different life would be if he wasnt, and he does reach self acceptance and loves his chair
I mean I don’t necessarily mean offense to buzzfeed but it’s buzzfeed
Being born with a disability is definitely a different experience than becoming disabled later
Exactly this! “I hate that his arc isn’t self acceptance, it’s that he hates being in a wheelchair”
No! The arc IS the self acceptance, his hating the wheelchair is the beginning of the arc
Glee is a disastrously bad show :)
I WAS LITERALLY SCREAMING THIS AT MY PHONE. THANK U
"Yaaay you're diffrent" Lmao i love that dude
Mx McAdem he’s awesome! He teaches in the same district I live in, and he’s just so independent, and amazing
He's by far my favorite person in this video.
Mx McAdem Ikr he's cute.
Nava VLOGS Ask him to start a youtube channel where he talks about movies he seems hilarious
That dude was my substitute teacher lol
Arnie from “Whats Eating Gilbert Grape” was brilliantly done by DiCaprio. He represented a child who has a bad family and not just a disability. DiCaprio’s performance made me cry, it was real and it was genuine.
are you autistic? if not then ur opinion doesnt speak over ours
@@scoutheiser2258 while his performance was well done imo, I don’t have a disability, but I’d really like to know your pov. While I know a genuinely disabled person could have been cast for the role, I felt that Leo really embodied and respected the role rather than mocked it or did anything disrespectful. But I’d really like to know how u see it.
@@scoutheiser2258 His character wasn't autistic.
@@andreacarroll3851 you are right, the book only mentions intellectual disability,
@Rene Ramirez thank you! I agree 100%. I spent many years working with people with developmental disabilities and when I saw this movie I was convinced they somehow found a boy with a developmental disability that could perform. Leonard's performance is stunning!
Honestly, Tyrion Lannister is someone everyone can relate to; whether it is a physical disability or a mental disability or a disability that is invisible. Anyone who has been scrutinized because of something that is not seen as "normal" is seen as a curse in the eyes of society. I have an invisible illness. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and POTS and I often keep my disability to myself because people often label me as fine when I am not. Tyrion is that voice for all suffering from being judged because they are different and are not normal in the eyes of the public.
I have eds and pots too! I also find it difficult, but it's also hard when people don't know and I'm not doing well, constantly wearing braces etc.
Same I have both as well!! We look normal so people think we're fine and it's the worst
Eyyyyy! Another POTSie zebra! Happy EDS Awareness Month!!
I'm quite similar! Ehlers-Danlos and CRPS and I completely agree with you.
I have eds!!! I finally found someone who has it too!!
I'm not sure if everyone agrees, but I wish they'd have put an autistic person. We rarely get representation, and when we do get it, it's not usually very good. Shaun from The Good Doctor is probably the best portrayal we have, but even that isn't always totally correct. We're usually either portrayed as oblivious, arrogant jerks, or nonverbal young white boys who know everything about trains.
100% agreed
watch Atypical on Netflix.
I love Shaun he makes me laugh then cry I just adore and he is so attractive
I'm autistic and I don't like trains. Why did that become a thing? I don't know any autistic people who like trains...
Carl wasn't nonverbal...
I was born with spina bifida and my parents were told I wouldn't live to be a year old and I will be 45 years old this year.
Dawn Palmer Cheers to your strength, those like you, and those less fortunate. And here's to 45 more strong years my dear!
Ye-jin TK Thanks so much! I have admit as you age with my disability it does get harder but I do what I have to do to deal with it physically and emotionally and I'm getting by.
I was born with spins bifida also they told my mom that I’d never be able to live on my own or take care of myself but I’m 18 I have a daughter live with my boyfriend take care of myself life is good rn got my leg amputated last July made things slightly more difficult but I’m working through it! My mom was told I’d never walk but I stared walking when I turned 2 so even with a prosthetic I’m just happy I can walk😀
Rayna Bowen I've been on my own for 25 years and been able to walk my entire life, it's getting harder the older I get but as long as I take my supplements and exercise my legs I should be able to keep walking. I will never give up no matter how painful it is everyday of my life.
Rayna Bowen thanks!
Guy: "Yaaaaay you're different..."
😂😂😂
I laughed as well
Christopher**
Valerie Garcia HOW DID YOU KNOW MY COUSIN NAME
Everyone who's not a twin is different.
even twins are different
They commented on the fact that Leonardo Dicaprio shouldn’t have played that character because he portrayed it wrong (even though he ‘studied’ people with the disability) but didn’t comment on the fact that the actor from Wonder didn’t have that disability either. They only called Leonardo out which I think is unfair since he did such an amazing job
Agreed. At the end of the day, it’s a character. You’re playing someone that’s not you.
Nah because the thing is about Wonder, the book made it *explicitly clear* that August was not considered "special needs" around the middle, during the Jack Will chapter when Mr. Tushman emails Julian's mom. He had a facial deformity, sure, but he could do pretty much anything anyone else can do. His only *disability* is his hearing aids. Also, people with treacher-collins' syndrome are typically very... frail. The character himself had over 20 surgeries and real life kids with that condition are similar. It'd be hard to cast a child actor who's constantly in and out of the hospital, they'd constantly be growing and shrinking between scenes depending on when it was shot. Like how in the 90s version of Lord of The Flies, Jack Merridew's voice just gets higher and higher as it goes on because some scenes were done later than others and puberty works fast.
Agreed, DiCaprio’s performance was spot on.
The other actor is a child. Call him out how? He's not particularly responsible.
What’s eating Gilbert grape is such a beautiful well done movie, I have a sister who is mentally disabled and I take no offence to Leo’s character what so ever. I truly believe Leo deserves an oscar for it, he really researched he spent time with people with disabilities, he made sure he got it right. If you’re offended by his role then you might as well me offended by Forrest Gump.
Or Dustin Hoffman in rain man
Imagine telling people they can’t be upset by bad representation because you know someone who’s mentally disabled.
this video made my day. it’s so nice seeing people reviewing characters like how they are in their daily lives! well done buzzfeed!
Nelson Hobbs I
boi
Nelson Hobbs ohhhhhhhh
Nelson
Nelson Hobbs omg no! Buzzfeed has gone to a new low
I want to see "invisible disabilities" talked about.
I was diagnosed with bipolar, depression, and ODD when I was 10. Now I have anxiety disorders, PTSD, and a few others added into the mix.
I feel like I don't have a voice at times because people don't see what I'm going through or understand and just call me over-emotional. We have a voice too and it should be talked about more.
Corbin Brier YES!!! I have struggled with Crohn’s Disease since I was very young, and people don’t realize how much of an effect something can have, even when it can’t be seen.
Watch shameless! Theres a lot of different characters that have invisible disabilities
Exactly, when that girl said that "Everyone gets to see themselves on screen" I just laughed because every bipolar person is so badly represented, in my opinion, except for Sherlock Holmes, when we are rarely represented. Gilbert Grape makes me cry and should not be so shitted on by these pc people.
Very well put. I'm autistic, so the "you don't look like you have a disability" comments are VERY common. I make creative comebacks to those.
This please. Invisible disabilities absolutely need to be talked about more.
“I’m here... and I’m hard to kill” iconic omg 😂
I think another well representing disabled character is Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender. I know it’s animated, but the fact that her disability is not the focus of her character while also still being a big part of it (again - without being the only character trait she has) seemed amazing to me
There are disability with short life spans though. Or maybe according to movie of Gilbert Grape, the time it is, the atmosphere (low-income family), they could not reach better doctor on consulting. I just think the movie and the character Leo played sent very good messages to my heart. Also the disable character in that movie also includes their mother.
One time I was with somebody and they said “Bucky Barnes has a disability?” He literally doesn’t have an arm.
for the glee episode where Artie could walk- I feel like you needed a lot more context and how he feels at the end of the episode
•jessica• Exactly. This what I was thinking the whole time.
Thank you!!
As someone who is in wheelchair, I watched Glee for the sole purpose of seeing Artie, because before then, I never saw a character in a wheelchair that was part of the main cast (besides Jimmy from Degrassi). I actually liked what they did with his character for the most part. They gave him more than a handicap story line, and gave him a personality. I personally ended up not liking Artie as a character because of his personality, but I think that's great that they didn't make him overly sympathetic or anything. My main issue with TV shows and Movies with people with disabilities is that for the most part, if a character gets paralyzed, they miraculously end up walking within a few episodes. They recently did it on NCIS-Los Angeles and Arrow. Jimmy on Degrassi ended up being able to start to walk too, but at least it showed him gradually getting his feeling back (which took a few seasons) and going to physical therapy.
If you want to see a character that becomes paralysed and stays paralysed, you should watch the100. One of the characters ends up with a paralysed leg due to a spinal injury and you get to see her learn to live with it throughout the show. Also she is a complex character, along with the other characters, and her main storyline is basically just her being a genius.
*disabled, not handicap
Becky was fantastic in Glee, she was hilarious. "get me some chocolate or i'll cut you!"
The Artie scene was so out of context. Artie would dance in his wheelchair all the time and Glee had multiple episodes about him accepting his disability and teaching others to understand, respect and accept his disability. Glee also layer cast another character briefly who really was in a wheelchair.
As someone who studies neuropsychology I think Leonardo Dicaprio's character wasn't that bad. Having a disability doesn't suddenly gives you knowledge on all the syndromes in the world
EmmaInsua you study neuropsychology?? That's so cool! I've been looking into it, but it's shocking how scarce the info online can be. Soz if this is random, but what are some modules/concepts that you cover in neuropsychology??
Exactly they should have just reacted to people who are only similar to their situation
EmmaInsua so true! I was sitting here thinking how does an amputee or someone with cerebral palsy more validly speak on behalf of someone with downs or a profound ID. Especially when they were like “doesn’t mean you have a shorter lifespan” when a condition is never stated how is anyone disabled or not meant to determine the cause of a disability.
Natalie Lombardo
My thoughts exactly
I agree. I've worked as a music therapist for people who act a lot like Artie, and who also have health issues, that may in some cases affect their life span. It was a very believable character as far as I could tell.
So, they neglected all the episodes where Artie does dance in his chair, and has story lines unrelated to his disability?
FuturePants why do you keep coming to Buzzfeed videos if you think everyone on it is SJWs and you apparently hate them? But yeah about the episode they missed the point. It wasn't solely Artie wishing he could walk. There was related context. Will, Rachel, and Artie all had different dreams. Will to be on broadway, Rachel find her birth mother, and Artie when he was younger wanted to be a dancer. The episode showed all their dreams (I can't remember if Rachel met her mother but I remember they did reveal who she was Idina Menzel.
So it wasn't an episode about a guy with a disability wallowing in self pity but an episode about the dreams people have. Two of those people being able-bodied.
A manchild wanting to discuss social causes.
I think everyone views their disability differently. Some don't even want to be labelled 'disabled' while some brace the word for what it is( they accept that they cannot do certain things and it's okay). And, you may disagree here but some do thrive on the pity they receive while some can't stand the patronising attitude of people. Some can easily joke about their disability and some are really sensitive.
I don't think there is a right way, per se, media can approach disability. Each person's experiences are different, perspective is different.
In my personal experience, my uncle had his leg amputated much later in his life and he accepts his disability. He accepts there are certain things he can no longer physically do. However, he still lives normally, just minus the leg.
I don't know how to conclude this now. So bye x
Aesrye Well said.
awesome words!!!!!!!!
i completely agree. Every life is different so every person with a disability, even the same disability is not going to have the same feeling and experience about it. Every experience is different and personal just like life is for regular people with no disability. It could not possibly has a model that correctly fit everyone. I just wish more people see that.
You are totally right! But then why are so many disabled characters the same? They all hate their disability, they are all good people, and their families all love them. It would be cool to see some characters that are like that, and some that aren’t.
Tiny Valkyrie because I think we all have those moments.
I'm going blind. Most the time I joke about it and I'm very independent.
Sometimes I'm very angry, scared, emotional, hate it, sometimes I even go through the why me.
I work through it but it does happen.
I don't feel like characters should be shown as completely always hating it or always being okay and confident.
It's not realistic either way. Most people kind of go through phases of both.
As a disabled person, thank you so much for this. People always forget or ignore us. If we're having a bad day, we're pitied and told "I could never be disabled like you". If we're having a good day, we're inspiration porn and ablebodied people tell us how lovely it is to see us at the supermarket or how proud they are of us for...something? I just want to see people like me and I want other people to see young disabled people in media so they stop coming up to me and asking me what's wrong or talking to whoever I'm with instead to me (I'm not deaf, I just don't walk good!!!). Growing up, I never had any kind of representation of disabled people, beyond a few token examples, almost all of whom were in wheelchairs. And then as I became disabled myself, I had to deal with all of these thoughts and ideas in my head about disability because all the media showed me were people in wheelchairs (I use a walking stick), people with mental disabled, people who were deaf or blind, people who didn't dress fashionably and needed constant care. And there were basically no role models for me to look up to. There still basically no famous people who use a walking stick that aren't elderly. I just want to see myself. I want to go to the cinema and see someone like me, played by someone like me. I want there to be a role model for younger people who are growing up disabled. I want someone who is successful AND disabled, not "in spite of".
So thank you for amplifying the voice of the disabled community. It would be cool to see more disabled content from Buzzfeed. It might even make me subscribe!
I don't understand their not wanting DiCaprio to play Arnie in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape.' The whole point of the character is that he is a child who is not easily managed and he doesn't have the familial help to adequately assess his disability. If they typecasted a child who--like Arnie--was difficult to work with, then the movie would never get done. I understand the annoyance with the plot line or dynamic, but Leo is a great actor, who simply played the role who was given the best way he could. And it was done brilliantly.
Asha Oguri Do you feel the same way about Wonder?
Asha Oguri did you really just compare the ignorance of mocking ones race/culture to an actor innocently playing a disabled person...? They didn’t stereotype the character at all. Get over yourself! Not all disabled people are good actors so therefore they’re not all going to get cast in everything...
WickedlyDefiant They didn't say that. They said casting someone with the same disability as Arnie would be hard to manage because Arnie himself is hard to manage. It would be really difficult to get someone like Arnie to memorize lines and get through takes.
I see where you're coming from, it crossed my mind as well. But I later realised that "Wonder" is based on a book about a child with a very rare genetical condition. There's no way they would have been able to cast a young actor of the same age with the same condition...
WickedlyDefiant no but for this particular movie having a child at that disability level would be hard to manage although they could have cast someone with a disability just lower on the spectrum or not as high functioning
I watched a video about how Leonardo DiCaprio studied and learned from kids with disabilities in order to represent them accurately. I don’t have a disability but I don’t think it’s offensive to play a role also Leonardo DiCaprio is a fantastic actor who was nominated for an Oscar for that role , that must have brought so much awareness.
Georgia B I also feel like did they know it was based off a book that was written in the 1940s; so the author's take on the disabled and the era in which it was written play a huge part in it as well. Can't really fault Leo for that. I mean this was an era that gave people lobotomies rather than deal with with mental illness....
Wyatt Nicks the word retardation has a proper definition meaning 'slowed progression or development', and it can be used without inferring bigotry. Bigotry is an interrolance or prejudice. I think you mean it is not politically correct, but the word retardation was used correctly. However, some people such as yourself, are hypersensitive to certain words and take them as derogatory when that is not the true meaning nor the intent.
That's what the dictionary suggested. Later i found "mental retardation", for example on the medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary or sciencedirect .com. The information contained there was in line with my knowledge. So I used it. I'm sorry, but how I would know that could be not acceptable when even on psychologydictionary. org I could found this word ?
My mother worked at a Psychiatric hospital in the 80s-90s, and I would sometimes go there, and wait for her after school. At the hospital was a girl, who was exactly like Arnie, and I remember seeing the movie when I was 16, it felt so spooky how alike they where.
Jess Ransdell-Smith
The book What's Eating Gilbert Grape wasn't written in the 40s, it was written in 1991.
Where is speechless? I'm surprised it wasn't on this list. They actually have someone who is disabled for the actor and he's the main the character.
Spidrei yesss i love that show
Or the deaf girl from A quiet place.
ssupernovae deaf people dont see them selves as disabled
kaemjalo how can you speak for all deaf people
Yes! Speechless is fantastic.
Tbh i know people with developmental disabilities no matter what age they are who act like leo from gilbert grape. The people in this video mostly have physical disabilities. This video was a good idea but they did need at least one person with developmental disability
Which still is a disability.
Yo!! That's my boy Christopher who I went to grammar school with. Haven't seen him in forever. Looking good my man. Hope you, Bobby and AJ are doing well bud.
Nicholas Estela he fine. I find him really handsome. What's his last name? Need his IG.lol
Find him in FB. He’s doing great!
His roast battles are hilarious
I’m autistic and I get that people want actual autistics to play these characters but I’ve done background acting in commercials for fun and the lights are BRIGHT AF and it can be noisy and chaotic and doing the same scene 40-60+ times. Now imagine that’s a TV series or a movie. The same thing almost every day for hours and hours and hours. Imagine the sensory overloads and meltdowns.
eehhh i disagree, there are autistics who wouldn’t be bothered! we r all on a spectrum like that (im autistic too)
Well, for the autistics who are, there are accommodating directors.
artie and the whole glee club does dance in his chair and they had a whole dance routine in wheelchairs???? i understand the wanting to dance dream is a but cliche but high schoolers dreams ARE cliche... especially the glee kids wanting to be dancers and on broadway??? i mean i definitely get what they were saying but you cant judge the entire character from one little dream dance sequence
It does sound like at least two of them watched the show though
Yes! Thank you! Like literally at the end of the episode is him accepting it’s not gonna happen and find a real dream for him
The point isn't Artie being "a dreamer." It's the fact that he is portraying disability to be something that is not livable, and that people with disabilities always wish they could be like able bodied people, and that is not the case.
Ellie yes! but my point still stands that you cant judge him from the one scene!! i felt that throughout the show he really did grow to accept it more and more as time went on. I do think if he could be able bodied he would, which isnt accurate for a lot but could also be accurate for a lot of people. and I’m sure at this young age lots of people with disabilities DID wish they could be able bodied. Everyone is different. But, i do think it was unnecessary to cast someone able bodied. The dance numbers were kinda unnecessary and even if they wanted to do them they shouldve found a way to utilize body doubles or something so that they could cast someone disabled for the role! but, truly i don’t think everyone who’s disabled accepts it at the age of like 15 or 16.... which theyre supposed to be in glee. it doesn’t mean the acceptance shouldn’t happen for the character. But, i think for people who are ill, physically or mentally, all wish they could change back from time to time. it’s a really REAL feeling. we don’t all reach acceptance right away! i think it’s important to show that as well as the acceptance so kids who haven’t reached it yet know that it doesn’t just come overnight
Let's not forget that Artie had only been disabled for a few years at this point. If I remember correctly he was 10 when a car crash caused him to be in a wheelchair. So a young man who remembers what it was like to be "normal" is asking why him and wishing he could go back to the way things used to be when he could dance and walk isn't a good representation of the disabled community? Someone whom, literally, comes out of that dance sequence accepting himself and not wanting to change his lot doesn't represent the disabled community? Ok then....
So glad they didn't bring up casting an actor with a disability for Wonder. Had they actually cast a child with Auggies condition it would risk the child's well-being, they kind of had to use make up and I HATE when people act like casting someone with a disability ALWAYS has to be the case, sometimes it's too dangerous to Do, y'know?
I'm sorry, how is it dangerous?
Robyn Wilson I don’t understand your comment. How is it dangerous to have your experience seen and validated? It’s the opposite of dangerous, it’s incredibly healthy and emotionally healing!
@@carasachs4004 you're not gonna easily find disabled people who are comfortable to do so
@@carasachs4004 Obviously they were talking about how it would be physically or medically dangerous to work on the movie.
As far as animation... South Park, for all its offensiveness and mocking nature, has a few disabled characters that are pretty well done. Jimmy has a speech impediment and uses crutches and moves very slowly, and his superhero alter-ego is Fastpass (basically The Flash). Timmy is wheelchair bound and has a limited vocabulary, and his superhero persona is Professor Timmy (Professor X essentially) and he can teleport and speak telepathically (with a british accent lol). They're both really popular (on the show and with viewers) and are treated like all the other characters.
I can't remember his name, but there's two other characters with disabilities that always try to sabotage and even kill Jimmy. Just because they are disabled, doesn't mean they are helpless little angels you should feel bad for. They are more than the disabilities.
I think their names are Nathan and Mimsy!
RonHeartsMe yes!
"they took it to the vid(stutter)....the vid...."
They also portrayed tourettes well, and different disabled people in the special olympics episode (also showing their abilities when cartman comes last)
I think they were a little hard on the Arnie character. He wasn't representing a physically disabled person, he was mentally disabled. Completely different
And I'm sorry but that situation can be hard for a family.
@wantutosigh1117hard for the person
the best ive seen tourettes portrayed is on south park loved that it showed that the cussing or saying inappropriate stuff isnt actually fun like some people think it would be
Christian kathryn Grimes I’ve also seen it represented in the Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans. The main character as it.
omg i loved that episode!
Christian kathryn Grimes South Park was actually applauded by the Tourette’s Syndrome Association for that episode because it was so well researched.
Christian kathryn Grimes exactly
Christian kathryn Grimes what episode was that
I love when directors cast disabled actors but I understand it when they don’t because it is tough and there are health things to work around. The important thing is to just portray the disability as authentically as possible.
The book Wyrm but disabled actors can be great actors so directors should cast them more often
\\ S O L A N G E G E N E T // I agree , I am deaf and I’ve seen amazing deaf actors and it was great to be represented. It’s a risk for sure and can be a bit more work but it’s totally worth it.
The book Wyrm I am a wheelchair user and I think disabled actors should be cast to portray disabled characters but also characters who aren't if it is not something visible, because we are not given as much work opportunities as healthy people. As you say it can be a little bit more of work but it's totally worth it. Btw I wanna learn sign language!
\\ S O L A N G E G E N E T // it’s the fact that disabled people don’t have as many work opportunities that makes it so important for them to be represented . No matter what the disability we can do anything we set our minds too. It just takes a little more effort sometimes. And ASL is a wonderful language.
The book Wyrm I couldn't agree more!
Game of Thrones is great when it comes to representing disabled characters! Not only Tyrion but also Bran, Hodor and Doran Martell.
Another show that shows great representation is Black Sails. It has a character that loses a leg, and it shows him trying to accept it and learn to live with it, and even how to take advantage of it. He becomes a great swordsman who uses his crutches to his advantage. It just shows incredible character development! From him refusing to accept it and continuously wearing a prosthetic leg even though it damages him because he didn't want to appear weak, to him fighting and killing people on crutches. I don't know what it's like to have a disability since I don't have one, but this felt like a great character! It's my favorite show of all time, I love Game of Thrones but I love Black Sails even more!
Well said. Doran Martell gets a lot of crap from those around him, and the show-runners have kind of butchered him--but he keeps it real. Jaime's narrative on the loss of his good hand counts, too. That amputation really jacked him up--but honestly, it was the best thing that could have happened to him. Character-wise, anyway.
I somehow forgot about Jaime, but I completely agree with you!
It really sucks that he gets so much ableism. Their world isn't JUST composed of warriors. It helps to have some combat skills going on for you--but you need a brain, too. I wouldn't want millions of Gregor Clegane's wandering about. But, as Tyrion said, it's better to be a rich cripple (with a badass golden hand) than a poor cripple. x_x"
i know it might be disrespectful movie but leo does incredible acting at gilbert grape
Yeah... I don’t think it’s disrespectful at all. It validated the experience a family goes through.
Wasn't that before anyone knew who he was too? He wasn't a big name in Hollywood when he was cast...
Oh - Leonardo's acting was phenomenal. This isn't a question on his acting but rather was it portrayed accurately and appropriately by the director. This is less on the actors but more on the directors.
I love that movie.
I wanted to express my opnion. Here it is: it is offensive to act like a disable people for a movie or TV show? I mean, the boy described Leo's acting as "offensive" or "like the WW2 old movies" but I don't think that hiring an actually disabled actor is always an option. Nowadays all kind of people have better oportunities and we get to see these people with disabilities killing it in their roles I love to see that, but like a said: I don't think that is always an option.
Am I wrong?
"you can dance in a wheelchair" to be fair he actually does that a lot tho, but I see their point
Also with the They said he wouldn't live to be four. At birth, there are many misconceptions on a child disabilities. They said my brother wouldn't probably never walk. They said I'd have really bad learning difficulties. I'm top set for every subject except for P.E. My brother is learning to walk.
Like that one lady said, the movie was a product of its time. I think that's very much included in that.
This is just survivorship bias. You beat the odds and ended up being able to walk thus you "forget" about the millions of people that were told they would not walk, and never walked again. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias
They told my parents i'd never get out of the hospital
okay but artie literally does go through an arc of self acceptance tho lol they just wanted to take advantage of kevin's dance abilities for one scene
Becky Braniff ok but that’s not the point
Marlon Scott the point is that for the sake of this video they picked one of the only scenes in which artie fantasises about being able to walk. anyone who watched the show to completion knows how he doesnt let his disability stop him from doing what he wants to do after he has come to accept himself.
Becky Braniff they watched the show though, the only one who seemed like they didn’t was the guy.... that was her opinion on that particular episode....
Having him go through a self-acceptance arc later doesn't change how his issues were portrayed in that scene, or how it made disabled people watching it feel in the moment, though? I think the point was that they find 'self-acceptance arcs' unoriginal, and probably annoying to begin with anyways.
Love how you guys are spreading disability awareness. Hope you guys can make a video on invisible disabilites as well- not all disabilities are visible.
J Anon disability awareness? What??
I love this! Every time someone tells me how inspired they feel by my simply existing and going about my life I want to scream.
Christopher sounds sassy af.
I like him.
Rita PG he’s awesome he’s a teacher at the school i went to last year, he’s a great human being, very independent, but confident
He was my substitute last friday
He's a great roast comedian as well. RUclips Chris Crespo roast battle.
Rita PG he's my cousin lol
i have an invisible disability and i’m not going to lie, i feel like they might be being a little sensitive when it comes to this. i have had my fair share of times where yes someone had outright offended me but other times even when actors without disabilities portray a disabled character i have loved it. for example when eddie redmayne played steven hawkings... it was such a moving and beautiful performance. he didn’t have the disability but he did his research and respected it and did such a great job. actors without disabilities can portray characters with disabilities it’s just how they go about it and how well it is executed
Can we please stop making them watch scenes without context? The reason Artie is dreaming about dancing and is sad when the dream isn’t real is because the entire episode is dedicated to his dream of being a dancer being shattered when he was paralyzed in a car accident.
Because the storyline of a person in a wheelchair wishing they could walk/dance/whatever is so overdone. It's lazy writing.
You need to watch more of Glee to really appreciate Artie's character development, he more than comes to terms with his disability, and keep in mind that he wasn't born with it, so I always thought it was more than justified that he dreamt of dancing, but he does get better
Yeah they had him dreaming of dancing because the episode was literally about dreams the characters had. Will was to be on broadway and in the episode he later got the chance to be in a production. Rachel's was to meet her birth mother and her mother was later revealed to us. Artie was to be a dancer and he had a dream about being a great dancer. But ultimately none of their dreams came true because Will turned down the role, Rachel decided against finding out who she was, and Artie wasn't miraculous cured.
Paul Kirk exactly! They really took out the scene out of context
This is quality content. Not quantity content. Thanks BuzzFeed!
lizzylady 124 what
@rhyza768 it's not about the number of videos BuzzFeed can pump out but the quality content of the videos.
I wish BuzzFeed would do more disability videos
Awww I wish they would've mentioned Switched at Birth!
d/Deaf/HoH people do not often, in their culture, consider themselves disabled, so it would be more appropriate for them to have a separate video for d/Deaf/HoH people.
Charlie Wow true, I am an asl interpreter so I'm aware. However, there were several disabilities highlighted in the show.
babyv2992010 Z oh, I didn't get very far into it, upset that their hands werent show very often, so I didn't know that, that's cool though
For what reason? Deaf Culture/ the deaf community don’t consider themselves disabled so it is extremely understandable that that they don’t want to partake in a video that would label them as such and extremely good on buzzfeed’s part for not including it.
Maia Short as I mentioned above, the show features people with disabilities other than deafness
There is a section in our yearbook that says "Exceptional Students" that only have people with physical disabilities in it. And I'm not sure how to feel about it. I think its a good thing that they are being represented, but I also think you shouldn't identify someone just for their disability.
Haililibunnie that sounds like inspiration porn and as a disabled person Id find it highly offensive.
Maria Kotter that's how I feel with my mental disabilities
katie fay yup, inspiration porn for sure. If those students requested that specific thing then sure, go for it, but otherwise? Its just gross. I'm disabled (I'm autistic and I also have mental health problems) and I need accomodations, but I don't want to be singled out, especially since a lot of people are dickheads and use that kind of outing to bully people.
My school has a “progress award” which is only for students with mental disabilities
Its an awful thing to do.
The Artie thing is kinda unfair. He was more than someone who dreamed about dancing without the wheelchair. And I might be wrong, but I think the actor was chosen for the role because the show needed a teenage-looking actor/singer/dancer/guitar player, and can be hard to find someone who can do all that properly (and I'm not saying disabled people can't, I'm just saying it would be harder than just picking this one guy and putting him on a wheelchair). Peace
As a disabled performer, let me tell you that there is a veritable LEGION of people who fit those criteria who would have been down to play the part.
I'm so tired of hearing that disabled actors can't play disabled characters. GUESS WHAT??? If a disabled actor can't do it, maybe it isn't plausible that the disabled character could do it???? Lol.
Then they shpuld try harder tbh
What if they planned scenes with him walking? (never watched it) Like flash-backs or whatever. Some things have a reason.
Then.... They could Not write that? The entire show is under their control. They can make it work. Its not hard to accomodate. Also ur hinging all of this on a "what if" which is... Short sighted
They dont make these decisions for able bodied actors. They make accomodations for them. Why not disabled folk? The answer is because they dont care enough to try. Which is what we All need to be challenging as that is what will start a change
I think there was also alot more to that episode and its only that episode, he isnt like that the entire show nor does he even let his disability get to him just saying
I think the What's Eating Gilbert Grape critique was a little over the line. Yea, it's easy to say now what should and should not be now, but I'm not sure that it's right either. Did they totally forget about the obese mother? Di Caprio did an AMAZING job on that character and really showed his acting talents. It gave him the opportunity to show his talent as well as Darlene Cates did. The most memorable moment for me was when she went to the jailhouse (watch it). And why wasn't SPEECHLESS included?!?! :(
But they weren't necessarily just talking about the actor's acting ability though? They were talking about characters, and how well they were both writtenand acted, and one of these is foundational to another. Sometimes a bad actor can carry a film if it has superb writing, but it's rare a superb actor can carry bad writing bc writing is basically everything in the film, it's both character and plot. While Leo might have done some excellent acting, if the character was written poorly or in a degrading or misleading way, then that's going to take precedence in a video like this where they're talking primarily about character.
I took it as they thought a truly handicapped actor should have played the part and that they left out handicapped actors. Darlene Cates (the Mom) was truly handicapped and they did not mention her.
I enjoyed the movie very much when I was younger and still find things in it now that I enjoy. I think it’s all about how you view the storyline, my younger brother is on the spectrum and sometimes things can be quite frustrating and overwhelming for my whole family. I relate to Gilbert in that way.
Yet despite how angry Gilbert would get with his little brother, I think it was mostly out of his desire to help and care for him. I think the movie represented that well, and Leo’s role did show some very realistic characteristics of people with disabilities, but it’s definitely not the type of movie that would be made nowadays. I did think that maybe their critique was a little intense, but of course I have no disability, instead I’m the sister of someone with one, so my view may not be as valid in this situation.
The thing is leo's character wasn't "degrading" or misleading or none of that, if you think otherwise state your evidence, cause the people in the video never did point out something from the movie they got wrong, they just beat around the bush complaining about nonsensical things like the fact that the writers were trying to make the audience feel empathetic towards gilbert, like wtf! in almost every movie you watch writers make the audience feel empathetic towards the hero, that is writing 101. how is that crime???
afro symphony if you were disabled you'd get it. The character is derogatory and harmful to us, not to abled people, and that's why you personally don't see it. Its like me saying there's nothing wrong with blackface because I, a white person, have never been a victim of racism
artie from glee got into a car accident. obviously he's upset about being disabled.
Many, maybe most, people who transition into a wheelchair after an accident go through a process of acceptance and then really don't resent their current physical state after that initial period.
I love how they didn't show Artie gaining self-love for himself.
I wish they would’ve looks at Claire Danes as Temple Grandin
Jade Thirlwall is my WIFE! She did sooo good
I love how the director and producers made "Wonder"! Not only did you get to see Auggie's side of the story & the others involved in his life, but you also got a chance to take a look at what their motives were for choosing how to act the way they did! 😊👍
they shouldve used the scene from Glee where he saw what would happen if he hadnt had his disability. Probably wouldve done better...dont try to make him look bad Buzzfeed ;)
What about Reggie in Call The Midwife? Those episodes get me in tears every time. He's such a great character!
Yes! Call out producers for this BS! Disabled actors want and need jobs just as much as any other actor! Disabled people are part of the population and are rarely used to show the real community in shows.
McKenna Hardy the point of being an actor is that you can act any role. So it lowkey does not matter if a non disabled person plays a disabled character
ok but not all disabled actors are good enough for the part which is probably why they casted an abled body person to act instead of the disabled person. Just because you're disabled doesn't mean you suddenly get a special treatment.
If a disabled person can only act the disability, not the character they’re supposed to be portraying, they can’t have success as actors.
Seven I agree and also they had to do a giant dance number 😂
So to the main comment, I say 100% yes! Disable actors rarely get cast for characters that aren't specified as "disabled" characters then able-bodied actors get cast as disabled actors and it is ridiculous.
To all the people who replied to this comment I have one question, is it ok for a white actor to do blackface or play any other person of color? It's kind of the same thing. People with disabilities want to represent in the media just as much as any other minority (and yes, the disabled community is a minority). As a person with a disability I agree very much with the video.
Artie’s story arc becomes him learning to love himself later
I wish Ivar from Vikings would have been in this.
Katha von Wolfenstein Yeah! Oh gosh, I could write a book about Ivar! I have a disability too (but I'm developmentally disabled rather than physically (I'm autistic)) and I felt like he and I would understand each other and, seeing his personality, I knew that we would be very close and protective of each other. I fell in love with Ivar last year and I'm glad I did. He's very important to me. I even write letters to him even though I know he can't reply, for obvious reasons. But it's at least a way to show him that I love him.
Yess he is so badass😫 I love him so much his character is perfect
Jheddalie Wilkie yeah, I love him too! He's one of my only comforts in life
he was practically walking at the end of last season though
Katha von Wolfenstein omg yes! I have celebral palsy and ivar is someone i definitely relate to at times
"You can dance in a wheelchair"
Yeah but not like that. Come on lady, don't be dense
“I’m here and I’m hard to kill” I’m getting that tattooed on me
THIS is the content Buzzfeed needs to start putting out..
As someone living with MS, this was a lovely video to see! Even if the illness is invisible, you never know how the other side feels. Good content, buzzfeed.
So good...but you missed so many great actors!! What about Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things or Meredith Eaton from McGyver?! Both of these shows are wonderful and portray the actors like they can do anything! ! I mean come on, Maddie (McGyver) is the head of an organization!!
Christopher is amazing on roast battle. Surprising to see him here!
Spoiler: They LOVE the disabled actors that are disabled in real life, and are OFFENDED by the actors that are NOT disabled in real life. 100%. Saved you 9 minutes of your life.
Tracy Beaker returns / the dumping ground
Frank was awesome. The only time I remember his cerebral palsy being a big topic was when his best friend was complaining about how hard his life was and Frank was like "I have to talk REALLY slowly and people still struggle to understand me. You think you're the only one with problems?"
But that's a CBBC program in the UK so of course they haven't seen it. Lola was good too in the original Tracy Beaker. Also there's Sasha in the Dumping Ground who has dwarfism and refers to others as "shortie" which I love (she's played by Annabelle Davis, Warwick Davis's daughter). However I don't have any major disabilities so I wouldn't know. However I know that watching the Tracy Beaker programs growing up made me see that people with disabilies are just people like you and me. Nobody is "normal", there is statistically not a normal person so having a disability shouldn't be a problem.
I appreciate some of what was said in this video, but the sentiment overall was 'we only like disabled characters who are played by disabled actors' - which is a fair point but it's not the same thing as reviewing the characters themselves. For example, the woman said that we're supposed to feel sorry for DiCaprio's family in Gilbert grape, but it's exactly the same in Breaking Bad. Initially, the reason why they introduced Walt Jr is to further illustrate how Walt has been screwed over in life - Walt Jr is a plot device in the same way that Arnie is in Gilbert Grape.
I think that the difference is not just in the casting, but also in the accuracy of the writing and depiction. The shows that cast disabled actors are more likely to have someone there to say “I wouldn’t actually do that this way, I’d do it like this instead...” or be writing (in later episodes) with the knowledge of having worked with an actual disabled person. It’s the difference between “so-and so uses a wheelchair” and “so-and-so has C4 paralysis with XYZ features.” There’s a different degree of understand and specificity, and there’s also a higher likelihood of writing about the PERSON-their life, job, friends, likes and dislikes, relationships, etc., rather than seeing disability as their only defining characteristic.
Maybe if you watched glee you would know that Artie did go through a journey of self acceptance and his dance scene was his fantasy of what life would be like but then he does learn to like himself for who he is
For wonder: the book is far better.
ErimcferrySings absolutely. I haven't seen the movie but I already dislike it because the biggest part of the book but not fully show/describing Auggie and having the whole "you're probably thinking worse"
Am I incorrect that they only seemed to have a panel of people with physical disabilities? I may have missed someone/don't know everyone's exact disabilities (nor is it my business), but it just doesn't seem inclusive to not include people living with cognitive disabilities on the panel especially since some of the clips featured those types of disabilities. Still enjoyed the video regardless.
I agree, they should've had people with neurological/cognitive disabilities. We're underrepresented, too. :(
Agreed
hannah, the dark haired white woman, might have cerebral palsy. cerebral palsy isn't just a physical disability, as it can include cognitive issues like processing and learning difficulties.
Bunker Sieben OP is referring to the panel, not the actors.
Carmen Arnold I believe Pamela (girl with dirty blonde hair) has OCD & Tourette’s from what I saw on her insta/website!
This is exactly why I became a writer and story coach. Because storytellers have a responsibility to create safe spaces for ALL people to explore themselves and the world without feeling excluded or judged. Because everyone should be able to see characters similar to them represented. That's the gorgeous thing about the world, right? That every single person is different and adds something wonderful and unique? xx
As a below-the-knee amputee I found this to be really well put together and relatable. Thank you for putting this together!
Yeah I agree with what they were saying about Wonder. I have a sister with SMA and we are so close that it's almost like we are the same person. I know what she's thinking and feeling in a certain situation, so I know that she is uncomfortable when she's being given attention because of her disability. So when we watched that movie, I kinda got uncomfortable when he got that award because I kinda felt like they were giving it to him because they felt bad for him. People give my sister gifts all the time and I can feel how uncomfortable she is because she knows why they are giving it to her. She wants to be seen as a person, not a person with a disability. She wants people to remember her because of her personality, not the huge wheelchair she's sitting in. I feel all kinds of secondhand embarassment when people do things for her because they feel bad for her.
When they spoke about Tyrion (My favourite) I cried.
OMGG...wow they just made wonder sound aweful…..he didn't get an award just because he was disabled...
This is such a good video. I actually never thought about some of these things in the same way and I totally understand now
It’s people like you, who are open minded and interested in seeing things from other perspectives, who make the world a better place!
I am so glad this is a thing!! I would love to see a part 2! They didn't talk about Atypical, Speechless, or any of Jamie Brewer's characters on American Horror Story! I love this!
heart warming
SuperTrailerz why was this heartwarming?
Vids like this is why I keeping coming back. I enjoyed hearing their take. Well done.
6:38 There are several disabilities that indicate a dramatically shorter lifespan. I've never seen this movie and I don't know what disability the character has, but I do know that some disabilities are like that. I knew a boy once with a disability that made his brain stop developing at the age of three so he was twelve and still acted like a toddler. He wasn't supposed to live past four or five (his father told me that)
I understand that as a person who is not disabled in any way except mentally (and even then it's very minor) I'm not in a great position to argue, but I know for a fact that she was spreading misconceptions about misconceptions
This is the video I have been waiting for.
Flowers for algernon.
What about it?
Clearly not enough people are familiar with this or more would have commented. But it was a good portrayal of a person with a disability, and seeing what it could have been like otherwise, but realizing that person is amazing the way they are. At least that's how I felt about it. (also, RIP your feels if you ever read the book or see the movie).
It really wasn't though... lol.
"It's lazy writing," AMEN!!!
"I'm here, and I'm hard to kill." GIrl marry me!
And In my opinion it's not disrespectful to play someone with disabilities. Cause it's a role, it's not like you make fun or something like that. It's the same as to say it's disrespectful that straight people play as gay characters.
Tyrion Lannister/ Peter Dinklage = excellent actor. My Fave in GOT and great in other movies too.
That's the beauty about Tyrion Lannister. He is the favorite of so many people even if they don't have a disability because he is an awesome, complex character.
I have my own award at my school I was like what is this about I’m an asset *ass
I thought the same thing about Auggie getting the award! I thought it should have been Jack Will or someone, and it sounds awful but I feel like Auggie was supported not a supporter.
I really loved this video. Well done buzzfeed!!
okay say what you want but leonardo dicaprio was incredible as arnie, amazing creation. also movies with disabled people are not only for disabled people who need pat in the back. how about their parents? its comfortable to think that they are okay with a struggle or at least they should pretened that they are. the truth is half of them suffer in many ways too, like it or not. it doesnt mean they dont love their children duh
that's why I really liked the movie "Wonder". It also shows how people around the main character are affected by him ...
I've known quite a few people who acted just as Arnie did in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. It's not always this little gift from heaven like people want you to believe. As you said there can be much struggle, dismay, resentment and even abandonment. I still very enjoy that movie even if it's not 100% accurate. Being around families and individuals who have had children with similar behavioral and mental capacity as Arnie it's sometimes is a very sad situation.
its obvious they didnt wanna come out and say they didnt like it cause it was an able-bodied person playing a disabled person(which i'd have understood), so they did what they do best, pretentiously nitpicked it to death.
Films about black people aren't just written for black people so we should let white actors paint themselves brown and play those characters. That's what you're saying, translated so your intentionally or unintentionally disableist brain can understand it
@armina what are you even talking about? i just said that for many reasons these roles shouldnt be only positive. i wasnt even talking about who should play these roles.
Christopher was my old teacher in WestNewYork number 4 school I swear on my life he is really chill shout out Christopher
Get LGBT people to react to LGBT characters.
Officer. Yeah and label it under mentally ill
please go outside
YASS QUEEN
I thought you guys were supposed to be normal and not labeled as some sort of special group? Why don’t we get straight people to react to straight characters?
PR3ST0N there are tons of heterosexual couples portrayed in almost every single show that we watch.we rarely see characters like us on our television screens. so when we do see couples or even just people like us on tvs it’s important that we would be represented in the right way. Getting straight people to react to straight people on tv shows will show how often LGBT people are underrepresented on tv or movies.
This was really educating! Its very hard to put yourself in someoneelses shoes until someone at least have explained their pov and their story! So thank you for sharing, this is a great way to raise awareness and understanding for the disabled.
Christopher didn’t come here to play