Comments on Perspectives from a Blind Point of View: Should Disabled Characters Only Be Played By Disab...

well, I think this is a difficult topic. Actors ca...

2009-11-25T21:38:59.088-08:00

well, I think this is a difficult topic. Actors can only play characters they fit for. If that means that a very talented blind actress could never play, say, tracy from hairspray, that would just have to be that. Just like a black girl couldn't play her, a boy couldn't play her, and she could not be played by someone who wasn't plus sized. all roles have limits and they are not

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2009-11-19T21:09:26.168-08:00
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I'm aware of at least one blind actor, Esmond ...

2009-11-18T12:12:49.196-08:00

I'm aware of at least one blind actor, Esmond Knight, who played sighted roles. Shortly after his injury in WWII he was cast as Fluellen in Laurence Olivier's Henry V.

Alena, What a great debate topic. I agree with yo...

2009-11-10T18:02:54.047-08:00

Alena, What a great debate topic. I agree with you that if there is a blind actor that could play the role and is the best for the part give it to them. There is a lot to be said of a sighted actor playing the part of a blind person. We sighted people are not aware of what blind people cope with on a daily basis. As well what deaf people go through. I love the comments I read as well.
Dad

Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles is an interesting exampl...

2009-11-10T15:47:13.286-08:00

Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles is an interesting example. why didn't that role go to someone like Brad Pitt or Ben affleck? After all, perhaps they would have learned about what it means to be African-American. No, I don't particularly care that an actress learns what it means to live with a disability (though I hope she does have some positive contact with disability in preparation for this

My problem with this always comes back to how few ...

2009-11-10T14:53:55.557-08:00

My problem with this always comes back to how few actors with disabilities are given the chance to showcase their talents. How could any blind and/or deaf actress have the opportunity to even compete for this role, when it went to someone the producers thought would be a draw? I can't think of a single actress with disabilities who has been given the chance to demonstrate her abilities.

I think it isn't a problem that a nondisabled ...

2009-11-10T12:37:47.803-08:00

I think it isn't a problem that a nondisabled person plays a disabled character, as long as she plays it realistically. I mean, if she plays it in a really stereotyped way, it is likely that many nondisabled people will still find it good because of their stereotyped views of disability, but that is a disservice to the disabled. Then again, I also wonde rwhy it is that they won't let

I think the coin toss could land either way. Havi...

2009-11-10T12:10:49.909-08:00

I think the coin toss could land either way. Having the best actor for the role is possibly the best chance for a positive portrayal of the disabled person. Jamie Foxx obviously studied his role as Ray Charles to the finest point, bringing a performance to the screen that mirrored the life of a superstar personality that few can find fault with.

However, I do think if a disabled

This one is a tough call, you know I don't see...

2009-11-10T08:30:04.149-08:00

This one is a tough call, you know I don't see why it can't be both. I mean Jamie Foxx won an oscar for his role as Ray Charles, and he did a helluva job. I guess it all boils down to whats easier teaching someone blind/deaf how to act or teaching a actor/actress how to act disabled. But that's irrelevant if there are good disabled actors who can play the role, but it should be open

A Black man can only play a Black man, A white wom...

2009-11-10T07:58:40.413-08:00

A Black man can only play a Black man, A white woman can only play a White woman. We are all limited by what we are. I think that if you are going to say "this has to be a role played by a blind person" it is almost an insult because you are not asking them to be treated as a sighted person. Equality is all about choosing the BEST person for the job not choosing someone based on their