DeafTalent

Last updated

#DeafTalent is a hashtag used to highlight through social media the capabilities of the deaf and hard of hearing community. Prior to the hashtag's emergence, in the creative industry, hearing actors had been cast in deaf roles. The SAGE Deaf Studies Encyclopedia wrote, "In response to this, the social media hashtags #DeafTalent and #POCDeafTalent were created. The hashtags, while originally used to point out problematic portrayals of deaf characters and sign language in the media, are now also used to celebrate the wide breadth and multiplicity of deaf actors, artists, and other talent in the world." [1]

In the 2010s, #DeafTalent was initially used to protest the casting of hearing actors in deaf character roles in the films Avenged , Medeas , and Hush . Afterward, the hashtag's purpose evolved to recognize deaf actors and character roles. Supporters of the movement collectively prefer realistic portrayals of deaf people and characterizations developed by deaf script writers. Uses of the hashtag were tracked by filmmaker Jules Dameron, and actor Tyrone Giordano created a publicly-available database of talented deaf people. [2] With Medeas, in 2015, the hashtag #DeafTalent trended for 49 days. The book Exploring Deafness wrote, "Many actors and activists [affirmed] support for spreading awareness about casting Deaf people in Deaf roles," and highlighted that the films Baby Driver and A Quiet Place that cast "authentic Deaf people in Deaf, signing roles has resulted in multiple awards and nominations". [3] Deaf author Sara Novic said because the hashtag trended, a roundtable was hosted by the National Endowment for the Arts, where there was a conversation about "how to support deaf actors, writers, and artists". [4]

The history of #DeafTalent was presented in 2017 at the Deaf Rochester Film Festival, with its presenter describing its purpose:

It is a movement to make sure that all deaf and hard of hearing roles are given only to deaf and hard of hearing actors. It’s so important— if it isn’t enforced, then deaf and hard of hearing people will never truly have the opportunity to give themselves a voice in the entertainment industry. And how will we make a difference and grow as industry professionals if we aren’t involved in the first place?

Deaf filmmaker Jules Dameron [5]

The hashtag repeatedly became a viral phenomenon with the visibility of deaf roles such as Nyle DiMarco's participation in the reality television series America's Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars , deaf actress Millicent Simmonds in the horror film A Quiet Place, deaf casting and production in the television series This Close , and Deaf West Theatre's revival of the play Spring Awakening . [6] With Spring Awakening's premiere in 2015, The Atlantic reported, "A hashtag has emerged: #DeafTalent, proclaiming the importance and power of diversity in culture." [7] When A Quiet Place premiered in 2018, Nikol Prieto, writing for Easterseals, called the film "another example of #DeafTalent, which is a movement that encourages Deaf actors to be cast for Deaf roles instead of hearing actors". Prieto added, "The #DeafTalent campaign is about encouraging movie and television producers to provide more opportunities for Deaf actors. This movement is not only about bringing awareness to hearing individuals, but also about creating diversity in film and a valid representation of Deaf culture." [8]

Black Deaf filmmaker Jade Bryan trademarked the hashtag #DeafTalent, which Women's eNews wrote has been used "on social media to bring awareness not only to up-and-coming Deaf talent, but also to commend Black and Deaf women creatives who are veterans in the industry". [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlee Matlin</span> American actress, author, and activist (born in 1965)

Marlee Matlin is an American actress, author, and activist. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for a BAFTA Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards.

Linda Bove Waterstreet is a Deaf American actress, her most notable role being a fictionalized version of herself in the PBS children's series Sesame Street from 1971 to 2002. Bove was the first Deaf actress to be a member of the program's recurring cast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casting (performing arts)</span> Pre-production process for selecting actors, dancers, singers, or extras for roles or parts

In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, casting, or a casting call, is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra for a particular role or part in a script, screenplay, or teleplay. This process may be used for a motion picture, television program, documentary film, music video, play, or advertisement, intended for an audience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subhash Ghai</span> Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter

Subhash Ghai is an Indian film director, producer, actor, lyricist, music director and screenwriter, known for his works predominantly in Hindi cinema. He was one of the most prominent and successful filmmakers of Hindi cinema throughout 80s and 90s. His most notable works include Kalicharan (1976), Vishwanath (1978), Karz (1980), Hero (1983), Vidhaata (1982), Meri Jung (1985), Karma (1986), Ram Lakhan (1989), Saudagar (1991), Khalnayak (1993), Pardes (1997) and Taal (1999).

Tyrone Giordano is a deaf American film, television, and stage actor. He is known for his roles in the musical Big River and the movie The Family Stone and in the naturally signing textbook.

Deaf cinema is a movement that includes all works produced and directed by deaf people or members of the deaf community and is led by deaf actors. All these works have a tendency to nurture and develop the culture's self image and to reflect correctly the core of the Deaf culture and language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Harvard</span> American actor

Russell Wayne Harvard is an American actor. He made his feature film debut in Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood (2007), playing opposite Daniel Day-Lewis as his adopted son, H.W. Plainview. In the 2010 biopic The Hammer, he portrayed deaf NCAA championship wrestler and UFC mixed martial arts fighter Matt Hamill. Harvard also won acclaim Off Broadway in 2012 as Billy, the deaf son in an intellectual, though dysfunctional, hearing British family, in Tribes by Nina Raine. For his interpretation, he won a 2012 Theatre World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance and nominations for Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor. He played Mr. Wrench in the first and third seasons of the television series Fargo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Shenton</span> British actress (born 1987)

Rachel Joy Shenton is an English actress. She gained prominence through her role as Mitzeee Minniver in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks (2010–2013). She is also known for her role as Courtney in Waterloo Road and has starred in the ABC Family drama Switched at Birth (2014–2017), the BBC2 sitcom White Gold (2019), and the Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small (2020–).

<i>Compensation</i> (film) 1999 American film

Compensation is a 1999 independent drama film produced, co-edited and directed by Zeinabu irene Davis and written by Marc Arthur Chéry. The film is about two parallel love stories set in turn-of-the-century and present-day Chicago, with both stories concerning a relationship between a deaf woman and a hearing man. The story is inspired by the 1906 poem of the same name from early African-American writer Paul Laurence Dunbar. The film stars Michelle A. Banks and John Earl Jelks in the leading roles. The early part of the story is shot like a silent film. Though the film was not released until 1999, filming took place in 1993.

Hashtag activism refers to the use of Twitter's hashtags for Internet activism. The hashtag has become one of the many ways that social media contributes to civic engagement and social movements. The use of the hashtag on social media provides users with an opportunity to share information and opinions about social issues in a way that others (followers) can interact and engage as part of a larger conversation with the potential to create change. The hashtag itself consists of a word or phrase that is connected to a social or political issue, and fosters a place where discourse can occur. Social media provides an important platform for historically marginalized populations. Through the use of hashtags these groups are able to communicate, mobilize, and advocate for issues less visible to the mainstream.

<i>La Famille Bélier</i> 2014 film by Éric Lartigau

La Famille Bélier is a 2014 French-Belgian coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Éric Lartigau. The film received six nominations at the 40th César Awards, winning Most Promising Actress for Louane Emera. It won a Magritte Award in the category of Best Foreign Film.

Austin P. McKenzie is an American actor and singer, known for his role as Melchior Gabor in Deaf West Theatre's 2015 Broadway revival of Spring Awakening. His performance as Melchior has garnered significant critical acclaim, and multiple theatrical award nominations, for both Los Angeles runs and its run on Broadway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rikki Poynter</span> German deaf YouTuber and activist

Rikki Poynter is a deaf YouTuber and activist. She began as a beauty vlogger and is now a lifestyle vlogger with a focus on Deaf awareness, accessibility, and the importance of closed captioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millicent Simmonds</span> American actress

Millicent Simmonds is a deaf American actress who starred in the 2018 horror film A Quiet Place and its 2020 sequel A Quiet Place Part II. Her breakout role was in the 2017 drama film Wonderstruck. For Wonderstruck and A Quiet Place, she was nominated for several awards for best youth performance.

<i>A Quiet Place</i> 2018 American film directed by John Krasinski

A Quiet Place is a 2018 American post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by John Krasinski and written by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and Krasinski, from a story conceived by Woods and Beck. The plot revolves around a father and a mother who struggle to survive and raise their children in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind extraterrestrial creatures with an acute sense of hearing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Murphy (British actor)</span> British actor

Danny Murphy is a British deaf actor who appeared in the 2019 film The Parts You Lose alongside Aaron Paul. Murphy is fluent in British Sign Language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Ridloff</span> American actress (born 1978)

Lauren Ridloff is a deaf American actress known for her roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and the film Eternals. She gained prominence in 2018 with a lead role in the Broadway revival of Children of a Lesser God, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play. Ridloff was born in Chicago, Illinois. She attended California State University, Northridge and later earned a master's degree in education from Hunter College. She initially worked as a teacher before pursuing acting, and she was also crowned Miss Deaf America.

<i>CODA</i> (2021 film) Film by Sian Heder

CODA is a 2021 coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Sian Heder. An English-language remake of the 2014 French-Belgian film La Famille Bélier, it stars Emilia Jones as Ruby Rossi, the titular child of deaf adults (CODA) and only hearing member of her family, a teenager who attempts to help her family's struggling fishing business while pursuing her own aspirations of being a singer.

References

  1. Giordano, Tyrone (2016). "Actors". In Gertz, Genie; Boudreault, Patrick (eds.). The SAGE Deaf Studies Encyclopedia. p. 8. ISBN   978-1-4522-5956-7.
  2. Pajka, Sharon L. (2018). "Deaf Cultural Values in Switched at Birth". In Newman, Emily L.; Witsell, Emily (eds.). ABC Family to Freeform TV: Essays on the Millennial-Focused Network and Its Programs. McFarland. pp. 177–193. ISBN   978-1-4766-6735-5.
  3. Leigh, Irene W.; et al. (2020). "Arts, Literature, and Media". Deaf Culture: Exploring Deaf Communities in the United States. Plural Publishing. p. 293. ISBN   978-1-63550-180-3.
  4. Novic, Sara. "How Twitter Empowered a Deaf Writer". Oprah.com . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  5. Putnam, Caurie (March 22, 2017). "Film festival highlights work of deaf community". Democrat and Chronicle . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  6. Leigh, Irene W. (2019). "Deaf Identities: A Maturing Framework". In O'Brien, Catherine A.; Leigh, Irene W. (eds.). Deaf Identities: Exploring New Frontiers. p. 44. ISBN   978-0-19-088760-5.
  7. Kolb, Rachel (October 18, 2015). "Spring Awakening and the Power of Inclusive Art". The Atlantic . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  8. Prieto, Nikol (April 18, 2018). "A Quiet Place is a win for the #DeafTalent movement". eastersealstech.com. Easterseals . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  9. Doggett, Natalie Crystal (November 30, 2021). "Marvel's First Deaf Superhero: A First Step for Disabled Filmmakers". Women's eNews. Retrieved July 6, 2022.