Over 4 million Australians—in other words 1 in 5 people—are estimated to have a disability in Australia. People with disability are the most underrepresented group in Hollywood, and they rarely see themselves accurately portrayed in television. ABC’s refreshing new comedy "Speechless" however is changing the game and bringing awareness to the daily realities of living with disability.
"Speechless" centers around the DiMeo family and their teenage son JJ, who has non-verbal Cerebral Palsy and communicates with headgear and a laser pointer to spell out his thoughts on a whiteboard. Having moved many times to try and find an inclusive school for JJ, the family has just found a new school that claims to be inclusive. Yet they quickly find that it’s not as inclusive as they were hoping and must navigate their new environment the best they can.
"Speechless" is groundbreaking not just because the main character J.J. has a disability, but because he is portrayed by Micah Fowler, who in real life has Cerebral Palsy. 95% of characters with disability are portrayed by able-bodied actors, so the choice to cast Fowler is a big step forward in Hollywood. It also creates a more acurrate portrayal of living with CP as Fowler brings a realistic physicality that would be hard for an able bodied actor to respectfully replicate. While Fowler can speak in real life, he also brings incredible wit and humor to JJ’s personality through non-verbal expressions.
What sets "Speechless" most apart is its authenticity and honest portrayal of a special needs family and the challenges they face. All of the characters feel realistic: headstrong mom Maya (Minnie Driver), dad Jimmy who doesn’t care what others think, and their three kids all have personalities that have been shaped by their experience as a special needs family. The show is also based on real life experience. Creator Scott Silveri grew up with a brother with Cerebral Palsy, and he has said that his family often felt alone. Every episode shows the DiMeo family dealing with difficult and isolating situations, and the characters deal with these situations in a realistic but lightly humorous way.
"Speechless" has resonated strongly with the disability community. Zach Anner’s review of the show sums up the reasons Speechless struck a chord with him and why people with disability should check it out:
Demystifying life with disability, "Speechless" is bringing awareness to the masses about the realities of life with disability and acting as a big step forward for increased inclusion in television.
Speechless is currently airing on Channel Eleven on Saturdays at 11 PM. Or you can watch the full first season online for free at abc.go.com, or recent episodes on tenplay.com.au
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