Sebastian Stan
(Picture: Getty Images)The headlines are already crowing: “Sebastian Stan looks unrecognisable in new role!” says one. “Take a look at Sebastian Stan’s major transformation!” trills another. I’m already exhausted.
The Avengers heartthrob has been pictured on the set of independent film company A24’s ‘A Different Man’, masked in prosthetics for his role as a man with neurofibromatosis – a genetic condition that causes tumours to grow along your nerves. After the internet imploded in response to Sia hiring a non-autistic actress to play the lead in the controversial film ‘Music’, it makes you wonder – is this any better?
Sebastian Stan shared a first look of his prosthetics on his Instagram account and the comments were immediately flooded with fans gushing over his impressive range, how proud they are of him, and that they “smell an Oscar coming”. Yet, just shift your eyes to the same photograph being shared on a variety of film Twitter accounts, you can find the same picture inundated with ableist abuse towards Adam Pearson – the inspiration of the role. I won’t dignify it by repeating it.
‘A Different Man’ reportedly tells the story of Stan’s character, who goes under facial reconstruction surgery and later becomes obsessed with an actor who plays him in a stage production. Pearson is also involved in the production, and is urging audiences to trust him. He says that the film will raise some important issues.
But Disability seems to hold a specific place in the film industry, and that’s to tug on the heart strings of non-disabled folk – Sam Claflin in ‘Me Before You’ and Dustin Hoffman in ‘Rain Man’ spring to mind.
While I’m I’m happy to give A24’s film a chance, I have to admit it’s exasperating to see that the adoration for actors portraying disability is as unwavering as it was when Hoffman was counting toothpicks on a diner floor.
The lives of disabled and chronically ill people are seen as an opportunity for able bodied actors to solidify their acting chops. Take a look at the Oscars’ Best Actor list – since 1988, exactly half the men on the list got there by playing the sick or disabled. Hanks, Day-Lewis, Redmayne; there’s even rumblings of people demanding Stan for 2023 and we’ve yet to see a picture that moves.
For those that wail “They’re actors! They should play anyone they want!”: believe me, I agree. As soon as you show me the swathes of disabled actors dominating Hollywood’s non-disabled roles, I’ll take my leave. But for now, are we being completely honest with ourselves when we say disabled actors see the same opportunities for any roles against their peers?
Perhaps Stan’s prosthetics will work and the film will prompt valuable discussion. But it’s very telling that he is being immediately hailed a hero while Pearson is mocked mercilessly.
We shouldn’t applaud the bravery of people whose disability is a costume they take off at the end of the day. Actors should play who they like, but disabled actors and storylines ought to be treated justly. Otherwise it’s just a case of audiences patting themselves on the back for appreciating the struggles of disability.
