I support 100 percent the idea that Deaf roles should go to Deaf actors, but when it comes to an autobiographical movie, I feel strongly that we must respect this person's casting preference for the actor who will be portraying him or her. Autobiographical movies are very personal in nature, and they involve a person revealing his or her innermost values and opinions to the world.
Mariane Pearl, who is the biracial widow of a murdered journalist, chose Angelina Jolie to do her role in the movie, A Mighty Heart, even though Angelina's nationality is Czech, English, and and French-Canadian. Mariane Pearl was quoted as saying: "I have heard some criticism about her casting, but it is not about the color of your skin. It is about who you are. I asked her to play the role--even though she is way more beautiful than I am--because I felt a real kinship to her. She put her whole heart into it, and I think she understood why we should do this movie. We had something to say that we knew we should say together." (Time magazine, June 21, 2007)
People are being inconsistent. Nobody seemed to complain that Shoshannah Stern performed the role of a person with cochlear implants in Sweet Nothing in my Ear, even though she doesn't have a CI. There are some people with CIs out there that could have performed this role. Also, Marlee Matlin is not predominately an ASL user, but she got the role of a Deaf person from a Deaf family, yet Deaf people didn't demand that Shoshannah Stern get the role instead Marlee Martin--and Shoshannah grew up with a Deaf family.
Whats more…
Should we protest that the Deaf roles in the play at CSUN, "Stone Deaf, were going to hearing actors?
Should We protest that Bernard Bragg gave the Deaf roles to hearing students at CSUN for his play True Deaf?
It is saddens me to see some people bashing others who disagree. Let's try to keep it at a dignified level where we can bring up our various concerns, and yet respect each other and learn from each other. I've received some blog comments which were only bashing in nature, and not edifying.
I was shocked to read some of the comments on other blogs and shocked that the comments were not moderated, for example, comments bashing me for respecting Matt Hamill's wish--as a response to a blog post that has nothing to do with this topic. I would not publish any comments in response to my vlogs that bash someone purely for bashing's sake. Some people seem to feel that the only way they can get their point across is to fight, scream, hurl insults, make demands, and not allow for the possibility of polite disagreement.
I will publish comments only if they are edifying and include WHY they disagree or WHY they agree. I do not give a damn about the bashers being angry at me for not publishing their comments. It's my prerogative to maintain my blog/vlog as I see fit, for the purpose of promoting healthy and productive debate. Some commenters have tried to post really stupid comments which don't even address the issue at hand. I won't bother to approve those for posting. If you don't like the way I run my blog, you are welcome to take your comments elsewhere.
Yours truly,
Aidan
Posts
12 comments:
Ditto! whooo woooo, you go girl.
Beautifully put!
Cheers!
Roger
Well said!
Beautiful way of saying!
Just beautiful!
As always, I admire you and your viewpoints.
I remain 'no name' and you and I never met each other but I do know you by watching many of your vlogs.
Thanks for your great discussion.
I have not yet reached to a decision on this matter.
On a different note, how come your vlog displays better image quality than other vlogs? How do you manage to do that?
Thanks
Aidan,
Your emphasis on the need for a constructive dialogue is beautifully stated.
You're reminding us that in order to get anywhere as a community, we must be respectful and courteous when debating about the issues we face collectively.
I applaud your effort in keeping this debate clean and civil.
Thank you so much for putting emphasis on this important necessity for our community.
Always,
Jeffrey
Great job! Agreed.
"Even tho we don't agree with Matt, we still support him."
Thanks :)
Ali
For whatever it is worth, I think it's too bad that Bernard Bragg didn't get the opportunity to star in an autobiographical movie about Marcel Marceau. That would have been nice.....
DT
Your arguement is very meaningful issue I understand your point very well! Well number of Deaf people are not well aware of any political that is a big problem and I agreed with you some actors in Sweet Nothing to my Ear should be picked a real people then it won't be a real artists. Being artists require imagination of anything to act out in that film! "You express yourself in art, not to express art in yourself!
Excellent! It is Matt Hamill’s choice. Any Deaf people have a right to choose whatever they wanted for the book or movie. Whether Hearing or Deaf. One day, we will EDUCATE hearing people.
Off the point, Aiden Mack’s was almost similar concept as I chose "The Rogue" for my blog which I CHOSE to honored Sir George Downing.
Sir George Downing was hearing. However, he created the deaf/ hearing community for Martha's Vineyard Colony. He used Kent Sign Language (now British Sign Language) as a spy code while he was ambassador of Holland under King Charles II. Sir George Downing and his spy network retrieved important information about New Amsterdam, (now New York City). That’s how England seized New Amsterdam in 1664. Yes, America History don’t talk about it but INTERNET already talk about it. I will be happy to provide the stories about Sir George Downing and Martha’s Vineyard on my blog.
I am direct descendant of Sir George Downing's lineage as I am the only deaf person in my Downing ancestors. That’s why, I am trying to revive the Deaf history within more new information which Hearing people doesnt want to share or expose it. I am going to fight for Deaf Community from CI, Cued, PSE, Oral and ASL against Audism and Ignorant. We need to educate hearing people! You will never know one of prominent hearing person will be on our side.
“We’ve got to be responsible, somebody’s got to be responsible for it.” Sir George Downing
Here is the example of the link.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/78779/deafness_on_marthas_vineyard.html
I support you 100%. The thing i don't think Amy understands is that she has a job everyday for 30 years, its a guarantee.
In this business our jobs last months , and only a lucky few can really get a year or so of steady work. We live off gigs not 9-5 jobs.
anyways, i thought i'd give you heads up, here's an excerpt from my blog today:
-Potential Pro Deaf baseball player visits West Tennessee School for the Deaf. (idea for Aidan Mack and Gary Brooks–take advantage of this opporturnity and reserve rights for the film of his “biography.” Baseball has a bigger audience and don’t let this chance fall in the hands of hearing people and have Deaf actors get screwed again from the uproar from the Deaf community. Let’s be proactive from here on!)
Ben
Hello,
This is a long letter to all and I hope this will present the feeling from my soul as a child and my child’s voice want to say something here…
Aidan, Amy, Gary, and the fans…
As I am reading the discussion here about Matt Hamill’s story with a hearing actor taking his role. I can see agreement and disagreement on who should be acting for Matt. You know, we can argue on and on with the characters that is Deaf and should be performed by a Deaf Actor. I am sitting here and I can jump and say “yeah you’re right” or “Yeah, you’re wrong.” Seem we can’t agree on something on how, who, what, and why we need Deaf actor for Deaf character. You know, there too much flying words here and I keep reading the firing words to each other and sign language. There is one thing that Amy have mention as Matt is the role model for the young Deaf people and how it is important for Deaf children to look up.
Aidan Mack have presented a short history in film business and with the role of “painting” black over white in theatre and film. There are more to just that history and time is changing. There is just one word here for the argument sake and that is P.C….Politically Correct
Well, let’s take a look at the history in OUR (Deaf) time with Theatre and Film…Name me the actors that is Deaf and how many is there that we know? I know Marlee Matlin, Bernard Bragg, Garnville Redmond (with Charlie Chaplin), Linda Bove, and Terrylene. I just know them because they were on movie or in T.V. Plus; they are well known across the America and around the world.
There is a little deaf child inside me that remind me and the true feeling of this deaf child that want to share with you. I sit here and listen to myself. I’m thinking this simple question…Who was my first deaf person that I first knew? My first real exposure of a deaf hero is…as I can remember this….it was Kitty O’Neill. She doesn’t use sign language and she use oral but I didn’t cares about that! I just want to see if a deaf person can do something for life. This was my first story of a deaf hero that a deaf person did something great. I remember there was a T.V. program back in the 1970’s about Kitty O’Neill; showing her in a rocket car with a speed records and her stunt work in the movies. It was awesome! My family was exciting and I was being able to see the true story of her on T.V. I was so thrill to see it and that lighten my heart and my dream. My family show great support and anything to influence me to dream for the future. I want to do what she did.
Some time later, my family jump up with thrill that the actor who performed for Kitty O’Neill will be on another show…a movie. I was exciting and I want to see it! That actor did a movie called… “Grease.” Yup, that same actor! I went to see it with my family and I watch it very closely and all of the sudden, I realized that wasn’t the same actor that I saw. I told my family that it isn’t the same one. They told, yes it was, and it’s the same one! I watch closely and it WAS the same one. She was singing and dancing away and she have no resembled as a deaf person. I hated the show so much and felt betrayed by the actor. I turn around and told the family that she is a fake and the movie was suck! This lead to my punishment! “Go to your room!”
I was angry and bitter. My family didn’t understand what the big deal about the actor. It is a big DEAL and I was young. My first discovery was the actor was hearing, not deaf. It took me a long time to overcome the feeling and my oldest questions that stuck with me since 1970’s was…“When will there be a real deaf actor that take the right role?” “Can I be an actor?” “If there a black actor that take a black role and if there a female actor that take a female role, why can’t we do the same?” “Forget it, I don’t see how a deaf actor do well in career” Remember, this is in the 1970’s.
You’re right Aidan, it is a sticky situation for T.V. and Film business but how long will there be a time that we finally see a deaf actor who can deliver the greatest story and a role model to the young children? Do I have to wait another 10 year until we finally see the right one? Will there be another disappointment deaf child for today and on to future?
I guess we still have a long way to go. I’m not here to pull anyone here or knock someone off or saying you are all wrong or right on this issue but think about my feeling from a deaf child during the 1970’s and today for the young. It’s the question of ….when?
Don’t worry; I do see rising deaf actors in T.V. and in film. I do like the “Grease.” I forgave myself for that but still; it has the impact in my life.
Thank you for your time to read this!
Good discussion here!
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