'Freaks' to 'CODA': Hollywood films with authentic disability representation
It's been 30 years since the Americans With Disabilities Act became law in 1990, but, only a little is evident in both on and off-screen in Hollywood as far as disability representation is concerned. Though the Oscars have shown a notable increase in inclusivity, the industry has a long way to go. Here are some films that got the representation right.
'CODA' (2021)
With three Oscars, Sian Heder's critically acclaimed film CODA showed the much-needed progress in the inclusion of people with disabilities in Hollywood. Its authentic representation includes Marlee Matlin, Frank Rossi, and Daniel Durant in a film that centers around the life of Ruby (Emilia Jones), a teenage CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) girl who is the only hearing member of her family.
'Sound of Metal' (2019)
Besides brilliant filmmaking, Darius Marder's Sound of Metal is critically acclaimed for its authentic representation of deafness. "This film is a wake-up. Most people think of deafness as a physical disability. We don't understand that it is in fact a culture," said Marder to Variety. To make people learn "how to be deaf," a large number of cast members were from the deaf community.
'A Quiet Place' (2018)
Directed by John Krasinski, the Oscar-nominated film A Quiet Place stars Krasinski and Emily Blunt as parents to three children in a post-apocalyptic world. As they struggle in a dystopian world occupied by blind alien creatures hypersensitive to sound, deafness plays an intrinsic role. Casting deaf actor Millicent Simmonds in the role of one of the children makes for an authentic representation.
'Children of a Lesser God' (1986)
Deaf actor Marlee Matlin won an Oscar for her performance as a deaf woman working as a janitor in Randa Haines's romantic drama film Children of a Lesser God. It marked her debut feature film in Hollywood. The film narrates the love story of a speech teacher and the janitor, both working at a school for the deaf and hearing-impaired.
'Freaks' (1932)
Back in 1932, Tod Browning (Dracula) made a groundbreaking film Freaks with an extensive cast comprising actors with disabilities. It revolves around a circus troupe as they find out that a trapeze artist is marrying the side-show performers' leader for his inheritance. It's one of the rare Hollywood films where people with disabilities are simply living their lives instead of making a point.
