David Proud

Last updated

David Proud
Born (1983-03-14) 14 March 1983 (age 41)
Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, England
Occupation(s)Actor, screenwriter, producer
Years active2007–present
Spouse
Amy Joy
​
​
(m. 2016;div. 2021)​
Website davidproud.co.uk

David Proud (born 14 March 1983) is an English actor, writer and producer. He was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. Proud has received critical praise for his comic acting ability in many popular series.

Contents

Proud was named in the Shaw Trust Power 100 as one of the 100 most influential people with a disability for 2015, 2018, and 2019. [1]

Early life

Proud was born with spina bifida, which was diagnosed when he was five years old. He was able to walk with the use of plastic leg splints and participate in most activities, and attended a mainstream primary school. During secondary school he required the use of a wheelchair but refused to transfer to a special school. He took time off for two major operations on his spine. He passed nine subjects at GCSE and two A levels at grade D. [2] He studied theatre at A level and was involved with school productions. [3] He wanted to take drama at university but did not believe it would be a viable career so worked as a benefits administrator for four and a half years. He then obtained his first professional acting role in the children's television series Desperados . [2]

Obtaining the grades he did in his educational qualifications, in spite of the difficulties caused by his health problems, has been described by Proud as "one of [his] proudest achievements". [2] He has written for Inclusion Now, the magazine of the Alliance for Inclusive Education, describing his attitude to his disability: "Being told that I can't do something seems to make me more and more determined". [2] Although he has described roles calling for disabled actors as his "niche", Proud has expressed hopes that as disabled actors enter the mainstream, they will receive roles where "the wheelchair isn't relevant to the character", and that they will be able to compete for 'regular' roles. [4]

Outside of acting, Proud studied for a degree in psychology through distance learning with the Open University. [2] He is a patron for the Association of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and launched their Fit For Success scheme. [5] In 2011, Proud was granted the Freedom of the City of London due to his work with several charities. [6]

Career

Television

Proud was picked by BBC producer Ewan Marshall to play one of the leads in the 2007 CBBC series Desperados , a children's drama starring the paralympic wheelchair basketball player Ade Adepitan. He only began his acting career during his early twenties, having previously believed that it would be impossible for him to have a career in that field. As Proud had not had any drama training since leaving school, the BBC sent him for coaching to prepare him for television work. In the series, he played Charlie Johnson, a mixed-up teenager—although Proud was 23 at the time—dealing with the impact of becoming paralysed. He had a spinal injury during a school football match. Charlie enters the world of wheelchair basketball after being persuaded to join the Desperados team by their coach, Baggy Awolowo (Adepitan). [3] [7]

Since Desperados, Proud went on to be involved in various other projects. [2] [4] He co-presented an episode of the BBC Three documentary series Mischief, "Is it cos I is Black", in 2007. He appeared as the character Blake in the second series of ITV's Secret Diary of a Call Girl in 2008.

He played Adam Best, the son of Josie Lawrence's character Manda Best, in the BBC One soap opera, EastEnders from 2009 to 2010. The show's executive producer, Diederick Santer, described Proud as, "a fine young actor with a wonderfully dry comic delivery". The BBC stated that this is the first instance of a visibly disabled, regular character on the show being played by a disabled actor. [8] However, in April 2010 it was announced that the character had been axed by Bryan Kirkwood. [9]

In 2012, Proud appeared in the BBC drama Doctors , and alongside Eddie Marsan and Rob Brydon in the BBC drama Best of Men. In 2014, Proud appeared in the BBC Three sitcom Siblings . In 2015, he appeared in Paul Abbott's Channel 4 comedy drama No Offence .

In 2018, he appeared as lead regular "Joel" in the second series of crime drama series Marcella for ITV and Netflix.

Proud has also branched into screenwriting, writing episodes for Doctors, as well as winning the ITV Original Voices Scheme in 2019, joining the writing team of Coronation Street the following year. [10]

Film

Proud has worked with British independent film director and producer Justin Edgar on three films. He played Scott, a geeky paraplegic who makes a behind-the-scenes documentary following a group of other disabled film students, in the 2007 feature film Special People . [11] [12] Proud played Holocaust victim Ernst in the 2008 short Hunger House.

In 2009, Proud confirmed that he was collaborating with Jason Maza on writing the script for a film project, [4] resulting in the 2011 short film Wheels of Fortune, in which he and Maza also co-starred. In 2012 he also appeared in N.F.A. – No Fixed Abode starring Patrick Baladi. View London's film critic Matthew Turner viewed Proud's performance in Special People positively, praising his "great comic timing and a winning way with a one-liner." [12] Proud has enjoyed his film work, stating that "small British independent films are possibly the best thing you can do as an actor". [13]

In 2014, Proud filmed (in his words) "a game changing film" and "a British Film making first": as a disabled actor he took the role of a non-disabled character in a lead role on the UK feature film iWitness. He was also one of the producers of the film, which was the first time he had produced at a feature film level. [14]

In 2019, Proud directed a BFI/Uncertain Kingdom funded film Verisimilitude which had its World Premiere at Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films and won "Best of Fest" at Superfest International Disability Film Festival. It was meant to be theatrically released via Uncertain Kingdom and Verve Pictures but the COVID-19 pandemic led to an online SVOD release on BFI Player, iTunes, Apple TV Plus, Curzon Home Cinema and Amazon Prime. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ade Adepitan</span> British television presenter and sportsman

Adedoyin Olayiwola "Ade" Adepitan is a Nigerian-born British television presenter and wheelchair basketball player. As a presenter, he has hosted a range of travel documentaries and sports programmes for BBC television. Adepitan is a disability advocate and one of the first physically disabled television presenters in the UK, with a career of over 20 years.

Kim Tserkezie is a British actress, director, producer, and television presenter. She is best known for portraying the role of Penny Pocket in the children's series Balamory and as a presenter for BBC's 'Disability Today' and BBC Two's 'From the Edge'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mat Fraser (actor)</span> English actor

Mat Fraser is an English rock musician, actor, writer and performance artist. He has thalidomide-induced phocomelia.

Beyond Boundaries is a reality TV series produced by Diverse Bristol for BBC Two. Each series follows a team of adventurers with disabilities as they take on some of the toughest expeditions on the planet under the guidance of ex-SAS Major Ken Hames.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Mitchell (actor)</span> Canadian actor (1974–2024)

Kenneth Alexander Mitchell was a Canadian actor. He was known for his role as Eric Green in the CBS television series Jericho (2006–2008) and for portraying various characters in Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2021). In film, he appeared as Ralph Cox in the sports biopic Miracle (2004) and as Joseph Danvers in Captain Marvel (2019).

<i>Desperados</i> (TV series) British childrens television series

Desperados is a British children's drama series, created and written for CBBC by Paul Smith in 2007, which depicts a wheelchair basketball team. The focus is on the journey of former footballer Charlie who, following a disabling accident on the pitch caused by his friend and team-mate Aidan, finds new meaning and purpose in his life when he joins a team called the Desperados.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RJ Mitte</span> American actor and producer (born 1992)

Roy Frank "RJ" Mitte III is an American actor and producer. Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Mitte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was three. He moved to Hollywood in 2006, and worked with a personal talent manager to find acting opportunities where his disability could educate viewers. After making cameos in sitcoms, he was cast in his breakthrough role as Walter White Jr. on the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad (2008–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Edgar</span> British film director, screenwriter and producer

Justin Edgar is a British film director, screenwriter and producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayley Ramsey</span> UK soap opera character, created 2009

Hayley Ramsey is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Kelly-Marie Stewart. She made her first on-screen appearance on 28 January 2009 as the sister of already established character Zak Ramsey. Hayley is notably the first prominent disabled character in Hollyoaks, and like Stewart, has Guillain–Barré syndrome. In December 2009, it was announced that Stewart's real-life pregnancy would be written into the show and that Hayley would become pregnant. Making her final on-screen appearance on 29 January 2010, the character did not return after Stewart's maternity leave ended.

Adam Best (<i>EastEnders</i>) EastEnders character

Adam Best is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by David Proud, the first adult actor with a visible disability to appear regularly in the soap. Both Proud and his character live with spina bifida. The character made his first appearance in the episode broadcast on 10 September 2009 and his last in the one broadcast on 19 July 2010.

Wheels (<i>Glee</i>) 9th episode of the 1st season of Glee

"Wheels" is the ninth episode of the American television series Glee. Written by series co-creator Ryan Murphy and directed by Paris Barclay, the episode premiered on the Fox network on November 11, 2009. "Wheels" sees the glee club hold a bake sale to raise money for a handicap accessible bus, so that club member Artie can travel with them to sectionals and Will challenges the students to experience life from a different point of view. Quinn struggles with the medical expenses incurred by her pregnancy, and Puck renews his offer to support her. Sue accepts a student with Down syndrome onto the cheerleading squad, and Kurt and Rachel compete for a solo performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disability in the arts</span> Inclusive practices involving disability

Disability in the arts is an aspect within various arts disciplines of inclusive practices involving disability. It manifests itself in the output and mission of some stage and modern dance performing-arts companies, and as the subject matter of individual works of art, such as the work of specific painters and those who draw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javed Abidi</span> Disability Rights Activist

Javed Abidi was an Indian activist who served as the director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) in India, and the founder of the Disability Rights Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manda Best</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Manda Best is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Josie Lawrence. Manda was introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer, and made her first appearance on 6 March 2009 and her last on 12 February 2010.

<i>Ironside</i> (2013 TV series) 2013 American TV series or program

Ironside is an American police drama television series created by Collier Young. It aired on NBC from October 2 to October 23, 2013 during the 2013–14 television season. It was a remake of the original television series Ironside, which ran from 1967 to 1975. It starred Blair Underwood as the title character, wheelchair-using cop Robert Ironside, the only character re-created from the original series. The remade Ironside was grittier and considerably more violent than the original, and the setting was changed from San Francisco to New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Hammond (actress)</span> English actress

Lisa Jayne Hammond is an English actress, known for her roles as Donna Yates in EastEnders and as Tina in Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere. In 2005, she had a minor role in the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Bleak House. In 2009, she appeared in the first series of Psychoville.

Frank Larkin was an Irish disability rights activist. He was one of the most prominent such figures in his country.

Ruben Reuter is an English actor and journalist, best known for his role as Finn McLaine in The Dumping Ground.

Ruth Madeley is a British actress known for her roles in Years and Years, The Rook and Doctor Who. She was born with spina bifida and has worked with the charity Whizz-Kidz for much of her life. She was nominated for a television BAFTA in 2016 for her work in Don't Take My Baby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Darke</span> British academic, artist and disability rights activist

Paul Darke CF is a British academic, artist, disability rights activist and whistleblower. Darke is an expert on disability in film and politics.

References

  1. ↑ "Shaw Trust Top 100 Power list". Archived from the original on 4 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Proud, David (2008). "Acting on Inclusion (Inclusion Now Articles Volume 20)". Alliance for Inclusive Education. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  3. 1 2 Adams-Spink, Geoff (31 January 2007). "Disability drama breaks new ground". BBC News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 Turner, Matthew. "Sasha Hardway Interview". View London. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  5. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (30 September 2009). "David Proud "touched" by fan support". Digital Spy . Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  6. ↑ Official Website, David Proud's Website]
  7. ↑ Adepitan, Ade (5 February 2007). "Wheely Good TV". London2012.com. London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  8. ↑ Green, Kris (4 June 2009). "First disabled adult role for 'Enders". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  9. ↑ "Original voices on Coronation Street".
  10. ↑ Papamichael, Stella. "Special People". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  11. 1 2 Turner, Matthew (20 November 2008). "Special People". View London. Archived from the original on 7 January 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  12. ↑ Reay, Cathy (August 2009). "Pride of the Square". Disability Now. Archived from the original on 26 July 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  13. ↑ "Screen Daily iWitness".
  14. ↑ "UK anthology film 'The Uncertain Kingdom' switches to online release (Exclusive)".
  15. ↑ "£200k UK shorts project the Uncertain Kingdom unveils titles, first look (Exclusive)".
  16. ↑ "Verisimilitude | Palm Springs International Film Festival".
  17. ↑ "2020 Films". 12 December 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.