Deaf Actor Cast As Superhero In DC's 'Titans'

Deaf transgender actor Chella Man talks being cast in 'Titans' as Jericho for DC universe series.

LOS ANGELES -- DC’s “Titans” has found its Jericho. Deaf activist, artist and model Chella Man, who’s transgender, has been cast in the role, portraying the mute superhero who uses sign language to communicate with his teammates.

Man told HuffPost that Jericho has a special significance for him as a Deaf individual who regularly communicates using sign language.

“Jericho’s primary mode of communication hits close to home,” Man said via email. “I rarely saw sign language authentically represented on screen growing up, so this incredible opportunity has made my heart soar.”

“Titans” cast Man for its second season. Jericho, the superhero son of villain Deathstroke, can possess anyone he makes eye contact with.

Man’s involvement in the series is a win for representation. According to the Ruderman Family Foundation, 95 percent of characters with disabilities are depicted by able-bodied actors in television. The significance of his casting isn’t lost on him. He said it’s “imperative” to cast actors with disabilities for disabled characters.

“Individuals with disabilities have long been misrepresented and underrepresented by all industries,” he wrote. “Casting disabled actors/actresses for disabled roles will aid to authentically represent and deconstruct stereotypes built around our identities.”

Man said that he doesn’t feel any of his traits are limitations and that with his acting, he can exhibit that.

“Take it from a Deaf queer, Jewish person of color who has always dreamed of being a superhero and has now been granted that exact opportunity,” he said.

SOURCE - Huffingtonpost

Follow @ChellaMan:
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Related Posts: #DeafTalent - #DeafQueer - #Deaf Film -- #Deaf Movie

Why Deaf Actors Should Play Deaf Characters

Representation Matters: why should cast Deaf actors for Deaf roles.

HOLLYWOOD -- The winner of both "Dancing With the Stars" and "America's Next Top Model", Nyle DiMarco post a video "Why Should Cast Deaf Actors for Deaf Roles" goes viral on social media and the ASL/Deaf community.

The 28-year-old model and advocate wrote on Facebook "In this video, I will compare clips of Hearing actors playing Deaf with my proper American Sign Language, in the hopes of better explaining you why we should cast Deaf actors for deaf characters. Please keep an open mind."

Representation truly matters.

BIO: Nyle DiMarco is an actor, model and activist. He is a native New Yorker and was born into a large multigenerational Deaf family. He is an alumni of Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts University in the world for the Deaf, with a B.A. in mathematics.

Nyle is the first Deaf person to win America's Next Top Model Cycle 22 and Dancing With The Stars Season 22. As an actor, Nyle's castings have included: the lead in the independent film In the Can, an ASL Films production, as Garret on ABC Family's Switched at Birth, and Difficult People Hulu Series. As a founder of Nyle DiMarco Foundation and an honorary spokesman for Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K), Nyle is passionate about language and literacy and advocacy within the Deaf Community.

Nyle is a signer and creative collaborator on The ASL App (by Ink & Salt), an App created by native Deaf signers to teach conversational American Sign Language (ASL). Nyle DiMarco is Deaf and uses American Sign Language. American Sign Language requires the use of facial expressions and body movements, his Deafness amplifies his natural talent. His Deafness is an asset and not a limitation, he is amicable and able to communicate easily.

Follow @NyleDiMarco: @NyleDiMarco
Subscribe: https://youtube.com/nyle222
Facebook: https://facebook.com/nyledimarco
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Model Mayhem: https://modelmayhem.com/nyledimarco
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Website: https://nyledimarco.com

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Theater Cancels Until Deaf Actor Found For Role

Troupe seeks to collaborate with the Iowa Deaf community to create authentic portrayals.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Gazette: The Deaf Community has spoken, and Theatre Cedar Rapids has listened.

The community theater is postponing its production of “Tribes,” after two weeks of rehearsals and protests over casting hearing actors in the roles of two Deaf characters.

In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Leslie Charipar, the theater’s artistic director said: “In light of conversation among and feedback from the Deaf community and after a great deal of conversation and soul-searching with TCR staff, Tribes director David Schneider, and the cast of Tribes, TCR has decided to postpone our production of Tribes until we can gain the support of the Deaf community and collaborate with them in finding Deaf actors to play the Deaf roles as well as ensure that we are portraying the Deaf experience in an authentic and respectful way.”

New production dates haven’t been chosen yet.

“It might be possible that it’s next year,” said Casey Prince, TCR’s executive director. “What we’re most excited about is quickly getting people plugged into the production.”

TCR will contact ticketholders; information also is posted on the theater’s website.

Those options could include workshops to promote education and understanding between the Hearing and Deaf communities, from sign language and culture to theater studies.

“This postponement is our sincere and earnest way to meet our mission of serving the entire community and specifically to do right by the Deaf community as we share their stories in an authentic and collaborative way,” Charipar said.

The message spread on social media as swiftly as the protests posted the past two weeks.

“WOW! Thank you, TCR for listening to the Deaf community,” wrote Carly Armour of Iowa City, who helped initiate the early discussions on Facebook and spoke passionately - using American Sign Language and her voice - during a public forum Tuesday afternoon in Cedar Rapids. “This decision will not only bridge the gap between the theater and Deaf communities but also create a STRONG partnership for years to come. Thank you to our community - Deaf and Hearing allies - for coming together to make this change!”

“We will work together to help and heal,” wrote Robert Vizzini of Cedar Rapids, chairman of the Cedar Rapids Association of the Deaf, reiterating what he said at the forum.

Prince, who attended that event, made good on his promise to take their comments back to his team, continuing a discussion already underway at the theater.

“We’ll regroup,” he said, “(and) get feedback from those who want to participate going forward.”

The cast’s reaction was “very emotional,” he said. “They were very invested in the piece for their own personal reasons. The story, the material really resonated with them. In light of the public nature of this conversation that’s been playing out, they connected with each other over a short two weeks in a way that some casts never do over multiple months. I’m certainly sad for those who are sad, but I’m very happy that they found each other and grew through the material with the limited time that they did.”

“I hope this proves to you that we were listening and silently observing,” cast member Mindy Oberreuter said via Facebook, where much of the controversy played out. “I truly hope both sides can move forward in collaboration. The very heart of theater is telling a story, and we want to tell it honestly and correctly. We all love theater that is why we are a part of this group. ... I wish you all could have seen our rehearsal on Monday night. I don’t know if the universe was telling us something, but it was beautiful. We rehearsed the second act and if you are familiar with the show’s end, you know how emotional and raw it is. It ends with love and tears and hugs.”

SOURCE - The Gazette

#DeafTalent Deaf Roles Are Meant For Deaf Actors

#DeafTalent - Hollywood, stop hiring hearing actors for Deaf roles. Deaf people have the right to represent themselves!

As a result of this #DeafTalent campaign, the world will have a much better understanding of the Deaf community’s standpoint on not allowing Deaf roles to be given out to hearing people. Many people do not realize that they have been oppressing Deaf actors for many years now.

We hope that this new awareness will also create many more job opportunities for Deaf people all over, both in front and behind the camera, as well as other places. We believe that this campaign will ignite many new discussions and ideas and help cause a shift in societal awareness.

To activate this feature, press the "CC" button.

The #DeafTalent hashtag began making waves after a NY Daily News interview with Catalina Sandino Moreno raised red flags in the Deaf community. Moreno, a hearing actress, was cast to play a Deaf woman in the leading role of her new film Medeas. But in the NYDN interview, it became clear that Moreno has had very little exposure to deafness or Deaf culture.

Over the past couple weeks, the #DeafTalent movement spread like wildfire across social media. Using this hashtag, members of the Deaf community publicly spoke out against the cultural appropriation of deafness in movies and TV. With so many talented Deaf/HoH performer working to catch their big break in Hollywood, it is inexcusable that hearing actors and actresses continue being cast for these roles.

Deaf parts belong to Deaf performers - people who understand the experience of hearing loss and can accurately portray Deaf characters. Just as blackface is not an acceptable way to depict a black character, having a non-Deaf actor pretend to be Deaf is irresponsible, unethical, and offensive... Read The Full Story.

Follow #DeafTalent:
#DeafTalent database here: http://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/deaftalent
Apply to this form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/deaftalent

Subscribe - https://youtube.com/channel/deaftalent
Facebook - https://facebook.com/deaftalentnow
Twitter - https://twitter.com/deaftalent

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Deaf Actress Hillary Baack "The East" Premiere

Interview with Deaf actress Hillary Baack on the red carpet of The East Movie premiere.

LOS ANGELES -- The East, a suspenseful and provocative espionage thriller from acclaimed writer-director Zal Batmanglij and writer-actress Brit Marling, stars Marling as former FBI agent Sarah Moss.

Moss is starting a new career at Hiller Brood, an elite private intelligence firm that ruthlessly protects the interests of its A-list corporate clientele.

Handpicked for a plum assignment by the company's head honcho, Sharon (Patricia Clarkson), Sarah goes deep undercover to infiltrate The East, an elusive anarchist collective seeking revenge against major corporations guilty of covering up criminal activity.

Determined, highly-trained and resourceful, Sarah soon ingratiates herself with the group, overcoming their initial suspicions and joining them on their next action or "jam." But living closely with the intensely committed members of The East, Sarah finds herself torn between her two worlds as she starts to connect with anarchist Benji (Alexander Skarsgård) and the rest of the collective, and awakens to the moral contradictions of her personal life.

The East Movie Premiere - IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1869716/

Hillary Baack "The East" Los Angeles Premiere Arrivals:

The East: https://www.maximotv.com - For Broadcast TV Licensing.

Hillary Baack "The East" Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals at Arclight Hollywood in Los Angeles, Ca USA May 28, 2013 - Broll coverage of red carpet arrivals. This footage can NOT be downloaded without written permission from Ricomix Productions / Maximo TV.

SOURCE

Marlee Matlin Promotes 'Switched at Birth'

Good Morning America interviews with Marlee Matlin in Landmark 'Switched at Birth' Episode.

LOS ANGELES -- Actress discusses taking a risk in using American Sign Language and subtitles on ABC Family's ‘Switched at Birth.’

Deaf actress Marlee Matlin came by Good Morning America March 4 2013 to talk about the landmark new episode of Switched at Birth, which will be the first in history to be aired on television entirely in American Sign Language.

Marlee Matlin, who is Deaf in real life, appeared with a translator, who facilitated the interview between her and Robin Roberts.

Matlin said it’s been an amazing journey for her, because she began in the business 28 years ago trying to get her language, American Sign Language, across to anyone watching television or movies. She said it’s going to be beautiful to show and highlight to the whole world the culture of American Sign Language.

The clip they showed of tonight’s Switched at Birth episode was extremely powerful. I’ve never seen the show, but Marlee Matlin and actress Lea Thompson were sitting at a dining room table signing to each other about how to get reporters to a high school presentation of Romeo And Juliet.

The clip was completely silent. There wasn’t even background noise. The silence, plus the American Sign Language used by both actresses discussing something as everyday as a high school play, was really striking and wonderful. It’s going to be a great episode... Read The Full Story.

‘Switched at Birth’: ABC Family’s The teen soap Switched at Birth explores self-expression and the communication gulf between the hearing and Deaf communities. List of Switched at Birth characters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Switched_at_Birth_characters

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