Sia is gearing up for the release of her debut feature film next year, but the singer has found herself on the defensive, after her decision to cast dancer Maddie Ziegler as an autistic teen was criticised.
This week saw the release of the first trailer for Music, which stars Ziegler as the title character, a non-verbal teenager who finds herself in the care of her sister, played by Kate Hudson.
The news you've been waiting for! ???? Music, the movie written & directed by Sia + starring Kate Hudson, @leslieodomjr & @maddieziegler, will be arriving in early 2021! Watch a sneak peek of the movie right here. pic.twitter.com/w38L2UtIhJ
— sia (@Sia) November 19, 2020
After tweeting out the trailer, however, Sia was criticised for the decision to cast an “able bodied & neurotypical” actor to represent an autistic character, and for the film’s seemingly “infantilising” tone.
At first, she defended the casting process, writing:
“I actually tried working with a a beautiful young girl non verbal on the spectrum and she found it unpleasant and stressful. So that’s why I cast Maddie.”
She went on to say that “a few actors on the spectrum” were considered before the decision was made to cast Ziegler, and that it would have been “cruel” to cast the film another way:
I’m sorry we were never introduced. My character was pretty low functioning and after attempting a few actors on the spectrum they suggested I use Maddie.
— sia (@Sia) November 20, 2020
I agree. I’ve never referred to music as disabled. Special abilities is what I’ve always said, and casting someone at her level of functioning was cruel, not kind, so I made the executive decision that we would do our best to lovingly represent the community.
— sia (@Sia) November 20, 2020
Things became more heated when another follower accused her of excluding neuro diverse actors from the film. She replied:
“I cast thirteen neuroatypical people, three trans folk, and not as fucking prostitutes or drug addicts but as doctors, nurses and singers. Fucking sad nobody’s even seen the dang movie. My heart has always been in the right place.”
Things became a little more heated, and when one performer tweeted that she and others could have appeared in the film “on short notice” if asked, Sia snapped back “maybe you’re just a bad actor.”
Maybe you’re just a bad actor.
— sia (@Sia) November 20, 2020
The National Autistic Society of the UK were critical of the casting choice, joining the conversation to say “Sia has got this one wrong … there are so many talented autistic actors out there.”
.@sia has got this one wrong. There are so many talented autistic actors out there – like Saskia, Alex, Max, and Holly who starred in our #AutismTMI films: https://t.co/f1aWSs2nXM https://t.co/Vsts6g8728
— National Autistic Society (@Autism) November 20, 2020
The singer has asked people to watch the film before judging it. Music and its accompanying soundtrack album are due for release in February.
Grrrrrrrrrr. Fuckity fuck why don’t you watch my film before you judge it? FURY.
— sia (@Sia) November 20, 2020
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