How Disabled Actors Can Break Into the Industry and Thrive, According to Professional Performers and Casting Directors

Everyone who spoke for this piece agreed: acting is paramount. “If you’re starting off, [take] classes, number one. Classes, classes, classes. If you can’t act, I can’t help you," says casting director Chad Darnell, who has worked on features like “Magic Mike XXL” and “Bride Hard.”

“Finding a good acting class where you can hone your skills and keep practicing is key,” says actor Shannon DeVido (“Lucky Hank,” “Difficult People”). “Right now everyone is in a lull, so the more you can be ready for the opportunities that come, [the better].” 

The concept of accessible classes isn’t as daunting or unique as it once was. “Several years ago, [classes that are accessible] was not a thing,” says Danielle Pretsfelder Demchick, co–vice president of advocacy for the Casting Society. “I've talked to some very big actors in New York who would need to be carried upstairs when the elevator was broken. But there are a lot of spaces in L.A. that are accessible.” 

It might require more research—almost everything pertaining to a disability does—but it’s no longer as much of an outlier as it used to be. Pace University, for example, has been expanding its accessibility efforts, “which is incredible,” says Pretsfelder Demchick. “That’s one of the top BFA programs in the country.”

Hollywood is littered with roles that aren’t exactly positive when it comes to disabled representation. When it comes to accepting a professional opportunity that might clash with your personal thoughts on disabled depiction, every actor must find their own line. Look at all facets of a job and evaluate whether it's right for you.   

It may help to consider whether the role is specifically written for a disabled performer. “When you’re a little part in a very big movie or TV show, that credibility helps you get in other projects,” says Novicki. “Everyone should have their own sense of morals and their own sense of making sure that this is a three-dimensional character. I have my own set of standards, but I’d be lying if I didn't acknowledge the fact that being in some very big TV shows and very big movies in smaller parts helped me get so many other opportunities, both as a comedian and as an actor.” 

For other performers, the subject is more clear-cut. “I’m never going to do anything that takes away my dignity or my self-respect. That’s what it comes down to,” says actor Eileen Grubba (“High Potential,” “The Lincoln Lawyer”). “If it feels like my dignity or my self-respect or my morals are going to be challenged, I'm not doing it."   

One of the biggest falsehoods disabled actors face is the idea that accommodations are an expense and will affect a production. “Within the U.S., there are certain networks and studios that, if you cast somebody who is disabled, access costs are not taken out of the production’s bottom line. It’s a separate fund,” Pretsfelder Demchick says.   

However, Pretsfelder Demchick and Darnell note that disability accommodations are often baked into the thought process when hiring. “When I’ve had the opportunity to advocate for talent in that way, most producers will listen to it," Darnell says.  

Still, the stigma remains that asking for something like a ramp or special costuming will earn you a “difficult” label. That isn’t always the case, says Grubba, but actors do need to be aware of when and how to advocate for themselves.  

She explains that asking a production to provide specific braces or equipment built for your disability is, in fact, unreasonable. (In her case, she uses special ankle braces.) However, being asked to wear a specific costume or shoes that would harm a disabled actor is equally unreasonable. “My reasonable accommodation is I need you to park me as close as possible to where I have to go so I don't have to walk long distances in stupid shoes, and I need to be able to bring my own shoe options,” says Grubba.  

Cultivate an element beyond your disability in order to stand out. “Find something that you are really passionate about,” says DeVido, who is also a skilled standup comic in addition to starring in features like “Best Summer Ever.” Comedy offered an opportunity to show off a skill set that wasn’t about being disabled.

“Don't try to be what you think the industry wants you to be,” she says. “We try so hard to fit into this box that the industry has made, and I think that disabled performers are so vast. You have to be you, and what you bring to the table is special and unique and awesome, and that is going to get you further than trying to fit into the mold that they think they want.” 

Seek out short films and indie productions as a way to create a body of work and ensure you have a strong reel to show casting directors. Don’t limit yourself to disabled roles. “Because we haven't seen [disabled actors in certain roles], sometimes actors with disabilities are a little bit hesitant to submit for something,” Pretsfelder Demchick says. “I’d say not to think that, and to submit, and if you do get an audition, I don't think you need to justify why you’re a fit either.

When the roles aren’t there, create them yourself, says Novicki. With the Disability Film Challenge, Novicki found an opportunity to craft the roles he wanted to play, whether as a little person, a gangster, or a romantic leading man. “I’m 3 feet, 10 inches, so I want to be playing roles that are written for somebody 3 feet, 10 inches. I also want to do roles that have nothing to do with my height,” he says. “But my height is a huge part of my identity. 

Grubba agrees: Take your development into your own hands. “Don’t go into this industry thinking someone’s going to pick you,” she says. “When I was in my 20s in New York City, when I was first starting to get flak from people about my walk, I wish that I would have gone straight [to] producing because then I could have put myself in roles.”   

The more you create your own content, “the more you can be on set and find some friends you can make weird things with, and experiment, and have fun,” DeVido says. “Get a camera, get a phone, and go make shit. Because, honestly, that's what is going to get you further than anything else.”