Sia casts neurotypical actor as autistic girl in new film, tells autistic actors: "maybe you're a bad actor"

[sweetie]

Sia has been under fire this morning, after being called out for casting a neurotypical actor to play an autistic girl in her new movie "Music".

When someone explained that due to the pandemic, Sia had to do everything last minute (hence why she couldn't hire an autistic actor), an autistic actor said she, and others, would have been happy to step in last minute, to which Sia replied:



She has since been defending her decisions and the film, while people have continued to call her out on her bad decisions, as well her working with Autism Speaks, a very controversial group among people on the spectrum.

An article about all this: https://www.google.com/amp/s/metro....e-ziegler-cast-as-autistic-teen-13628258/amp/

 

[Platy]

Damn Sia, you've changed oh oh oooh, but not for the betteeeer yeaaah

 

[collige]

I saw that #actuallyautistic was trending and knew that it just had to be some kind of bad news. That tweet is just dumb even from a practical standpoint, way to triple down.

 

[Deleted member 18400]

Well that is unfortunate. Sia does a lot of work with charity organizations, especially animal ones.

Sucks when people can be so helpful and at the same time so ridiculous.

 

[JigglesBunny]

That is absolutely fucking tone-deaf. What an absolute clown.

 

[Lari]

Sia more like see ya

 

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Wow, fuck Sia, whoever she is.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

What a stupid, stupid response. I can't legitimately fathom would would possess someone to respond to a tweet in that way.

 

[super etrian odyssey]

jesus, awful response

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

I cannot fathom being stupid enough to tweet that response. Holy fuck.

 

[Charcoal]

I'm honestly surprised that the tweet is still up

 

[daegan]

Woof

 

[C.Mongler]

And maybe Sia is a bad film producer/casting director. What a fucking shitty response, hope any reasonable person skips her stupid ass movie.

 

[Carthago Delenda Est]

Terrible response. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. She could have ignored this and it would have no doubt blown over quickly. Now everyone can see her acting like an asshole.

 

[tobascodagama]

Sia more like see ya

Click to shrink...

/thread

 

[Lotus]

Jesus

 

[Deleted member 1627]

Fuck sake.

 

[ClickyCal']

And then posts this after

ffs

edit-was before it, but still bad.

 

[finfinfin]

working with Autism Speaks,

Click to shrink...

lol way to really bury the lede

like, the rest was bad enough, but them?

 

[Biske]

Unfathomable that total piece of shit response

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

And then posts this after

ffs

edit-was before it, but still bad.

Click to shrink...

 

[Tbm24]

lol way to really bury the lede

like, the rest was bad enough, but them?

Click to shrink...

What's the story on them? I'm only casually familiar with them and how big they are in the US.

 

[super etrian odyssey]

And then posts this after

ffs

edit-was before it, but still bad.

Click to shrink...

she needs to stop acting like our dear leader and step away from twitter, then upon returning actually read why people are upset. this is so childish.

 

[geomon]

Wow, just fuck right off into the sun with that take.

 

[Truant]

Hey, at least she wrote "actor".

 

[Nappuccino]

Uh . . . damn Sia.

 

[Rassilon]

that warrants a large oof

 

[SpaceCrystal]

Wow. Who's stupid enough to tweet something like that & not expect to have bad PR?

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

Imagine being her publicist right now.

 

[Cyclonesweep]

I always loved that "We couldn't find a good 'blank' actor so we just hired a white person to be 'blank'".

Maybe the reason those people aren't 'good actors' is because they are never getting a chance.

And of course an abled person playing a disabled person would seem like a better actor in that role because you go "wow I didn't know they were disabled" and are paying zero attention to anything else in that role.

 

[King Kingo]

Sia, read the room.

This abelist response is cold and her follow-up response just goes to show her feature film is self-centred in its intent.

 

[collige]

lol way to really bury the lede

like, the rest was bad enough, but them?

Click to shrink...

This also happened too apparently which makes it quite a bit worse

 

[Daphne]

That's just a terrible response, regardless of anything else. You only act like that if you want it to be clear you're a total asshole.

 

[Volimar]

And then posts this after

ffs

edit-was before it, but still bad.

Click to shrink...

This is a terrible tweet but now I want to incorporate "fuckity fuck" into my vocab.

 

[RagingAardvark]

She trying to be edgy but comes off as a total asshole. Color me disappointed, cause I do appreciate her music.

 

[maximumzero]

Man this is like a textbook example of how to not handle PR for your new film. She would have done better just keeping her damn mouth shut.

 

[davepoobond]

This is a terrible tweet but now I want to incorporate "fuckity fuck" into my vocab.

Click to shrink...

"fuckity fuck fuck" is the proper way to say that phrase.

 

[Kinanza]

uh hahaha wow so much for being autistic and a fan of her music at once

 

[Banzai]

Are there examples of media that did cast autistic actors for such roles?

 

[Green]

Are there examples of media that did cast autistic actors for such roles?

Click to shrink...

There are lots of other neuro-atypical people, like RJ Mitte, who phenomenally played Walter White Jr. in Breaking Bad (he has cerebral palsy). Tal Anderson is autistic and plays in the series "Atypical" as well. There's lots. With less-visible neuro-atypical actors, you may never actually know! I think I read somewhere once that Sir Anthony Hopkins has Asperger's, and there are more I'm sure!

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Anyone has a link to a Helen Z demo reel or something?

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Are there examples of media that did cast autistic actors for such roles?

Click to shrink...

Doesn't this very film have thirteen autistic actors (and also three trans actors)?

 

[xxracerxx]

That is a terrible response.

Here is the trailer for the film:


Sia cast Maddie Ziegler, the dancer who has starred in almost everyone of her music videos.

 

[SigmasonicX]

What's the story on them? I'm only casually familiar with them and how big they are in the US.

Click to shrink...

Wikipedia has a good write up, though perhaps more charitable than they deserve.

 

[I am a Bird]

Must be toasty in that house burning all that good will.

 

[element]

Ha. Helen is the former community manager on Minecraft. Not really an actor unless you are talking about community theater or something.

 

[CortexVortex]

I will still watch the movie one day but Jesus, that's a horrible response. Expected more from her and hopefully she will realise that this isn't the way.

 

[Coal Arcane]

That is a terrible response.

Here is the trailer for the film:


Sia cast Maddie Ziegler, the dancer who has starred in almost everyone of her music videos.

Click to shrink...

Swear she has some pedophiliac obsession with this girl. It's gross af honestly.

 

[xxracerxx]

Swear she has some pedophiliac obsession with this girl. It's gross af honestly.

Click to shrink...

Ok, this is also a terrible response. What the fuck?

 

[Coal Arcane]

I'm not sure what you mean. Have you seen her videos where she has a girl who (whether she is one or not) looks like a child and is dancing around in nude colored ballerina tights? I mean, it's not exactly hard to see what I mean.