Either that in the today’s film industry discriminate Deaf and Hard of Hearing, are audism which that means they have something against them, simply doesn’t care or plainly dumb. If you are someone who loves watching television shows or movies daily, there are some of the people who must have music, must play games as much as they can and then there are people who must watch television shows or movies everyday. I am one of these who must watch television shows or movies daily group, so of course we are bound to watch some television shows or movies that have one or more Deaf or Hard of Hearing characters and that same goes for the people who is in wheelchair too. But what a lot of people doesn’t realize is that these roles were given to the actor or actress that aren’t what the role of characters is such as Deaf, Hard of Hearing or in wheelchair and that is a problem. It is getting tiresome, the reason that is a problem is because it is conflict with the character’s role who isn’t even what the character’s role has and they have no right to do so. Unfortunately, some productions in films or television shows are either too dumb, discriminating them or have something against them. What they do is robbing the opportunities from the people who has what these character’s role has, if the character’s role is Deaf or Hard of Hearing then hire Deaf or Hard of hearing actor or actress and if the character’s role is in wheelchair then hire an actor or an actress who is in wheelchair. Otherwise it is conflicts in a huge way and that is a problem with the productions in both films and television shows for not having any common sense.
It is as if you are giving a character’s role who is white to a black actor or actress or giving a character’s role who is black to a white actor or actress; wouldn’t that be offensive or insulting? That is the point.
The film’s industry or television’s industry doesn’t recognize these, as it seems that lately every one of them have no common sense when it comes to that. How couldn’t they have any common sense to see through that? Giving a character’s role who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing or uses a wheelchair to some actors or actresses who isn’t Deaf, Hard of Hearing or don’t use a wheelchair. What they are doing is robbing their dreams left and right which that isn’t the right thing to do by them. As I said above, it is no different from giving the character’s role who is black to white or the character’s role who is white to black. If they are going to make an excuse saying that they couldn’t find the actor or actress who is fit to be in that character’s role then they are lying out of their arse because there is somewhat large pool of actors or actresses who is trying to make their dream to come true. These actors and actresses deserves to have these opportunities but unfortunately the productions in both films and television shows isn’t willing to give them the chance. That is a problem and that needs to stop.
For example, giving a Deaf character role to Julianne Moore to act in the upcoming new movie titled Wonderstruck and we all know for a fact that Julianne Moore isn’t even Hard of Hearing or let alone Deaf. No, you don’t get to tell me that Julianne Moore is a great actress and that she’s popular because I agree with that but she does not deserves the Deaf girl character in Wonderstruck which should have been given to a Deaf girl. There are several great Deaf actresses out there already, for instance Sandra Mae Frank who were excellent at co-acting on a very well-known stage and when I say that, I am referring to broadway. Yes I did say broadway! Yes the broadway in New York! Sandra Mae Frank was in a broadway show calls The Spring Awakening that played for several months due to tremendous success they had in broadway thanks to many Deaf actors and actresses including Sandra Mae Frank along with Daniel Durant co-starring.
Dumb Van Helsing, TV Shows
Another example is the new television show calls Van Helsing by Syfy production has a Deaf character role in it and the actor’s name is Christopher Heyerdahl and guess what?! Christopher Heyerdahl isn’t even Deaf or let alone a Hard of Hearing. What’s even worse is that in an interview after the Deaf community condemned the Syfy production for giving the Deaf character role to a hearing actor, Christopher Heyerdahl himself states that he respects hearing-impaired people along with other words which I don’t care because what is bothersome is that hearing-impaired shows nothing but disrespectful to the Deaf community and that even angered the Deaf community even more. I am consider myself as Deaf individual although in medical term, I am Hard of Hearing but I accept myself as Deaf more than what the audiologists or doctors says so I am a part of the Deaf community and I think I can speak for the majority of the Deaf community is that when anyone says hearing-impaired is strongly offensive as we don’t take that word lightly as we repeatedly asked that out of respect – call us Deaf or Hard of Hearing and that is end of the discussion. So why in the heck is Syfy allowing that? Giving the Deaf character role to someone who can hear and then allow the actor to offend the Deaf community. Does Syfy even realize that there is 360 million Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in the world which is most of these 360 million potential viewers they have just lost before they even air Van Helsing on television. Not just the show but possibly the entire shows or movies that is filmed by Syfy.
Want to apologize? Fine but we are more of walk the talk over talk the talk so how about replace Christopher Heyerdahl with an actual Deaf actor and that will be a start. If you are going to make an excuse such as how can you find a Deaf actor for his replacement or any Deaf actors or Deaf actresses in your future films or television shows and telling us that it is very hard to find them. Guess what? Barely hard. There is a huge pool of Deaf actors and Deaf actresses await for their opportunities to take the Deaf character role in movies or television shows; all you have to do is look for one place.
Deaf Talent and Deaf West
All you have to do is search these two words and that is “Deaf Talent”. There is an amazing size pool of Deaf actors and Deaf actresses who are waiting for their opportunities. Deaf Talent can be easily found on social media, Twitter in particular and Facebook too. Not just Deaf Talent, you can also take a look at Deaf West too as some of these were in the Spring Awakening broadway. Honestly, all it would take you to make a post on social media to announce that you are looking for Deaf actor or Deaf actress who would be interested in your upcoming film or television shows and these Deaf Talent would be all over it. You can find them using the hashtag #DeafTalent on social media such as Twitter and Facebook. Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Deaf Talent truly deserves the chance to be in the character Sam for Van Helsing, in fact, more qualified than Christopher Heyerdahl and certainly would be more fitting as they are Deaf in Deaf character role. Nothing can get better than that. Advice to any productions for films or televisions, if you ever plan on to have a Deaf or Hard of Hearing character in your film or television show then get Deaf or Hard of Hearing person to have it because they are more fitting to do so than any actors or actresses who can hear and that makes more sense than ever because it doesn’t make any sense at all when you are giving the Deaf character role to someone who can hear as that actor or actress who can hear doesn’t know what it is to be Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
Give them a chance. Imagine getting 360 million potential views from the Deaf community in the entire world because one of them is their people. Some of the people in Deaf Talent and Deaf West have what it takes as they have the experience such as being in broadway or in successful television shows or movies such as Jericho with Shoshannah Stern as Bonnie Richmond, Switched At Birth, Children of a Lesser God with Marlee Matlin and others. Bigger television show? Ok, how about Nyle Dimarco winning the mirror trophy in Dancing With The Stars 22nd cycle and winning American Next Top Model cycle 22 in the same year so you get the idea. Seriously Syfy, wake up and smell the coffee because you make no sense by giving the Deaf character role to Christopher Heyerdahl who can hear and is clueless what it’s like to be Deaf.
What a shameful and senseless you guys over at Syfy are with Van Helsing. That also goes for any other productions who make the same mistake as Syfy with Van Helsing.
Deaf Talent and Deaf West Social Media
Here are a few ways you can take a look at Deaf Talent and follow them. Here is the list of where the Deaf Talent is on social media and I recommend that you follow them.
Deaf Talent
Twitter: Twitter.com/DeafTalent and click this hashtag #DeafTalent too.
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeafTalentNow
Deaf West
Website: DeafWest.org
Twitter: Twitter.com/DeafWest
Facebook: Facebook.com/DeafWestTheatre
Thank you very much for all of your time reading this article and I hope that all of you have a great night. If any of you know a television show or movie that has Deaf or Hard of Hearing character in it but the actor or actress isn’t Deaf or Hard of Hearing, please let me know and that goes the same with if you know any movies or television shows that has Deaf or Hard of Hearing character in it that is given to Deaf or Hard of Hearing actor or actress. I would greatly appreciate it. And any new movies or television shows that’s coming up in the future, you hear or see that they are talking about a character who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing or uses a wheelchair and was given to an actor or an actress who isn’t even Deaf, Hard of Hearing or in wheelchair then please let me know as well so I can stove a stick up their arse for having no brains to have common sense. Thank you kindly and I love you guys!
P.S. Seriously give Deaf Talent and Deaf West a chance. Deaf Talent and Deaf West rocks. I am proud of you and never give up!
Joshua “Joshie” Sullivan.
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