Loading ...

Copyright© 2009, My Question of the Day. All rights reserved.

Please do not use any of this content without first contacting the owner of the My Question of the Day blog and asking for permission to do so. Permission will most likely be granted if you agree to credit the My Question of the Day blog as your source. Contact permissions@myqotd.com to make your request.

My Question of the Day: If a school system decides to allow the Theory of Evolution to be taught in its science classes, should the school system also allow the Theory of Intelligent Design to be taught in its science classes?

RULES FOR COMMENTS

1. DO NOT include links in your post. There is a place for you to include one link when you’re filling out the Name/Email/Website information. Comments that include links will be deleted.

2. If your post is obviously irrelevant to the question at hand, it will be deleted. This is a tactic spammers use to simply show up on blogs.

3. Please keep your comments respectful. We can agree to disagree without attacking each other.

The Question: When cast members are chosen for movie roles, if there is an actor who can actually play the part, should roles that portray a character with a particular handicap be given to someone who possesses that particular handicap?

My 2 Cents: An article I read about a new Broadway show about Helen Keller’s life put this question on my mind. Click below to read the article:

Advocacy Group Opposes ‘Miracle Worker’ Casting Choice

The Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts is asserting that the director didn’t even try to audition members of their group. The director is saying he needs a person with star quality to sell enough tickets to the show to make it worth the investors’ money.

I say, all things being equal, if a person with the disability/disabilities as the person/character being portrayed in the play/film can pull off the part, and satisfy all requirements including appeasing investors, the role should go to the person with the disability/disabilities.

As an aside, a deaf student in my Social Media class today (03 November 2009) explained to me that it’s not politically correct to refer to persons with disabilities as people/persons with a handicap. She told me that the term handicap is offensive. I’m just passing that on to anyone who is interested in the information.

———-

Take a few moments to check out the tweets from Twitter on this subject:

———-

PROTECTED TWEETER That’s a hard one! It’s hard for some1 to play him/herself vs getting in character. So go 2 some1 else

TankaBar_JasonD well if they are healthy and could act other then that I wouldn’t want to make

Harmony190 Well the decision shouldn’t be biased by a handicap

sunshine625 Yes because they have the experience.

John_Hinds I think handicap actors should be given the opportunity to compete for the part. They must show they can act too!

ArunBasilLal There is a lot of difference in action handicapped and being handicapped. Let the professionals (actors) do the job

tclarkusa Not necessarily. The job should be given to the one that portrays the role best.

sistawithafro They should get serious consideration like any other actor. But I don’t think the choice should be prefer

MsJayye If the person with the handicap can carry the role, I say yes. Give it to the best qualified person.

Write_Of_Fusion An effort should be made to get a character that portrays all traits of who they’re playing, but don’t let it take away from…the quality of acting just to be politically correct.

SGTMcClain I thought the whole point of actors is that they portray whatever character in the script, otherwise it wouldn’t be acting

Quintessence_T i want to say yes…then i look @ Jamie Foxx starring in Ray –if it’s a toss up-well there’s always the c

fucalladat It depends on that person. Some folk w/ a handicap can take offense to it.

BLKMGK Not necessarily. Its called “acting”. Someone can act as if they have a disability.

md20737 Heres my answer Give the part to whom ever will do for the cheapest

writethevision Certainly. If the person can indeed act, they should be given a fair shot and be allowed to audition with everyone else.

rishaholmes Yes, if this person could pull off all of the requirements of the character, studios look at many factors.

atane Roles should be given to people of the demographic the character is meant to portray.

nickfury01 they should be seriously considered, but not given the role simply because they’re handicapped. Good morning!

ibster Not necessarily, but so long as actors living with disability are only considered for disability roles, then maybe.

———-

The commentary doesn’t have to end!

Please feel free to continue to add your comments to the original post by clicking here.