Millicent Simmonds, actress, said that the increased representation on-screen has made the deaf community feel more connected to their lives. “limitless”More is being created now “empathy and inclusiveness”In society.
Bafta EE Rising Star Award nominee A Quiet Place star revealed that she didn’t think a career as an actor was possible growing up because she had never seen other deaf actors on television or films.
The 18-year-old will portray the late author and activist Helen Keller in the forthcoming movie Helen & Teacher, which will explore her life at Harvard University’s Radcliffe College in the early 1900s where she became the first deafblind person to earn a graduate degree.
Simmonds said to the PA news agency “When I was growing up I didn’t see myself on screen, I didn’t see signing on-screen or a deaf person with a cochlear implant. I wasn’t sure that acting was even possible for me.
“But now it’s not only me, there’s a lot of other deaf people on the screen.
“And people have been saying to me that really my life is limitless now, and they feel that way about themselves too, because they can see this on the screen.
“And for non-deaf people, I think it’s created more empathy, more inclusiveness for everyone, not just for myself. And that’s really important to me personally.”
The actress said that being able portray her personal experience on the big screen has helped her family bond closer as they are better able to understand what she went through and can also experience it through her eyes.
She said that she was proud to serve as a representative for deaf people. “big responsibility”However, she stated that it had motivated and inspired her to become the role model she did not have growing-up.
Simmonds had her breakout role aged 12 in 2017’s Wonderstruck before later starring in the 2018 horror film A Quiet Place as the deaf daughter of a couple, played by John Krasinski and Emily Blunt.
Krasinski (who directed the project) advocated for a deaf actor to play this role. Simmonds confirmed that she was. “grateful”Because she believes it allowed her to help people. “unique, new perspective”On the experience of being in a postapocalyptic universe.
PA reported that the actress had agreed to play Helen Keller in the forthcoming biopic. “huge honour”As her story was one that inspired her as she was a child.
She explained that the film will focus on Helen’s coming-of-age story and will explore her becoming the first deafblind person on a college campus.
The film will also see Rachel Brosnahan play Anne Sullivan, who was Helen’s teacher and friend.
People have said to me that my life is endless now. They feel the same way about themselves, as they can see it on the screen.
Millicent Simmonds
Another of her upcoming projects will see her star in a series based on Sara Novic’s forthcoming novel True Biz, which follows the lives of students at a school for the deaf.
Simmonds said that representation of marginalised groups is not something she believes would ever happen. “perfect”However, the director feels that there have been positive steps taken in the right direction. For example, creating multi-dimensional characters.
“I feel like a lot of deaf people don’t want to see themselves represented as helpless or victims in their movies,”She added.
“I think they want to see deaf people like themselves in normal situations, whether it’s a horror movie or a sci-fi movie, and I want to keep pushing that idea of deaf people in these various spaces.
“I think it makes it more fun and we’re offering a new perspective on deaf lifestyles being more than just one option.”
The public can vote for the EE Rising Star Award at ee.co.uk/BAFTA up to March 11, and the winner will then be announced at Sunday’s EE British Academy Film Awards.