List
Perspectives on Disability in Film and TV
Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. We have created a list of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and short films showing what it is like to live with various disabilities.
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Wicked
2025Get this itemWelcome to the wonderful world of Oz. In this first installment of a two-part adaptation of the hit musical play, we meet Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a young witch shunned because of her green skin, as well as the popular Galinda (Ariana Grande). They are students at Shiz University. There is also Elphaba’s sister Nessarose, a character who uses a wheelchair. Marissa Bode plays Nessarose and is the first actor cast in that role who uses a wheelchair in real life. Suggested by Amber, Rummanah, and Sharon.
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The Outrun
2024Get this itemAn emotionally candid and beautifully moving film that depicts the difficulty of staying sober and the ongoing journey of recovering from alcoholism. Touching on themes of connecting with nature, mental health, family, and relationships, this is much more than a recovery story. Saoirse Ronan gives a stunning and award-worthy performance. Based on Amy Liptrot’s award winning memoir of the same title, it received two BAFTA nominations for Outstanding British Film of the Year and Best Leading Actress. Suggested by Brenna and Rummanah.
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Ezra
2024Get this itemNewcomer William A. Fitzgerald in the title role gives a standout performance, sharing screen time with veteran actors Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro, and Rose Byrne. Ezra is a young boy on the autism spectrum. His parents, in the process of divorcing, constantly disagree about what is best for him. Tony Spiridakis wrote the screenplay, inspired by his experiences with his son. The movie has been recognized for its authentic representation, as well as messages about acceptance and resilience.
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Champions
2023Get this itemAt the core of this movie is a team of basketball players with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their new coach is a minor league basketball coach with a short fuse, who gets into trouble with the law and is ordered by the court to coach them. Reluctant at first, he has a lot to learn about his new team, called The Friends. Suggested by Sharon.
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D.I. Ray: Season Two
2024Get this itemThe second season finds D.I. Ray fighting against her own institution while tackling a complex case surrounding the turf wars on Birmingham streets. Deaf actor Taha Rahim plays Rav Mochani, a key character in the storyline. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Josee, the Tiger and the Fish
2022Get this itemBeautifully animated, this movie has characters you’ll love getting to know. Josee has had a condition from birth that makes her live with paraplegia. She dreams of being an artist, but thinks she needs to find a more conventional occupation. Tsuneo, a marine biology student struggling to earn money, becomes Josee’s temporary attendant despite her objections. It's uplifting and heartfelt, with a hard-won romance at the center. Suggested by Amber and Sharon.
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My Christmas Guide
2024Get this itemIf you like romance, dogs, and holidays, watch this Hallmark movie. It stars visually impaired actor Ben Mehl. He is a single dad college professor who, after losing his sight, and at the request of his young daughter, reluctantly adopts a seeing-eye dog. Suggested by Sharon.
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An Irish Goodbye
2023Get this itemTwo estranged brothers must come to terms with their mother’s death and one another. It won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film, and James Martin became the first actor with Down Syndrome to star in an Oscar-winning film. Suggested by Sharon.
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Sound of Metal
2022Get this itemWe loved Riz Ahmed's tour de force performance as Ruben and his journey of understanding that being deaf is not a handicap and that deafness isn't something to fix. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Eternals
2022Get this itemFrom filmmaker Chloe Zhao, this Marvel Comics superhero movie gets high marks for casting deaf actor Lauren Ridloff, a woman of color, to play a deaf superhero--the first deaf superhero character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She portrays Makkari, who can travel at superspeed, and her version of Makkari is a significantly positive step for inclusion and diversity in the film industry. Suggested by Amber, Rummanah and Sharon.
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Best Summer Ever
2021Get this itemSage and Anthony enjoy an idyllic summer romance at dance camp and plan to meet again next year. Then, Sage unexpectedly turns up as a new student at Anthony’s school, and things get complicated. Though it takes a few cues from Grease and Footloose, this musical is not a copycat. It’s fresh, funny, and delightfully irresistible. About half the lead actors (as well as several extras and those doing behind the scenes jobs) have disabilities as part of their identity and not as plot points. Suggested by Sharon.
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Luca
2021Get this itemTravel to the Italian Riviera where sea monsters live their lives avoiding humans, afraid of them and vice versa--until two curious young sea monsters take human shape and have all sorts of adventures as they conceal their true forms. We meet Massimo, one of the best supporting characters to grace a Pixar film in some time. He is the imposing but kind father. Massimo, who fights sea monsters in his spare time, is missing a limb--a fact the film handles deftly and which has been applauded by disability activists for its casual inclusion of limb difference. Suggested by Chris and Sharon.
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Give Me Liberty
2020Get this itemFeaturing several actors with disabilities, with a breakout performance from Lauren “Lolo” Spencer (who has ALS), this screwball comedy follows medical transport driver Vic as he and his passengers get stuck together because of unforeseen circumstances. Ultimately, they find connectedness through their humanity. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Nancy Drew: Season One
2020Get this itemBased on the iconic amateur sleuth book series, we admired how this show updated and reimagined the title character, her cohorts, and the cases through all four seasons. It blended elements of supernatural and horror into the mystery while seamlessly incorporating inclusivity and diversity into the narrative and its casting decisions. Deaf actor Anthony Natale, who plays Captain Thom, is a series regular. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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Feeling Through
2021Get this itemInspired by a real experience, filmmaker Doug Roland wrote and directed this Oscar-nominated short film. It shows an unlikely connection between a teen in need and a DeafBlind man waiting to catch the bus home. Roland partnered with Helen Keller Services to cast the lead actor and make the film. Actor Marlee Matlin is an executive producer. Suggested by Sharon.
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A Silent Voice
2019Get this itemOne of our favorite anime movies, this focuses on a deaf girl who is bullied when she transfers to a new elementary school. The boy singled out as the ringleader, in turn, becomes the object of bullying from his fellow students. Years later, isolated and unable to connect with his peers, he seeks out his former classmate to make amends. While the DVD includes the original Japanese language soundtrack, the studio reached out to the deaf acting community and cast actor Lexi Marman to voice the lead for the U.S. release. Suggested by Amber and Sharon.
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Speechless: The Complete First Season
2018Get this itemDon’t miss this sitcom that aired on ABC for three seasons but got canceled too soon. It features the DiMeo family, with Minnie Driver and John Ross Bowie starring as a couple with three kids, the eldest of whom, teenager JJ, has cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair, and is nonverbal. Exploring family dynamics and challenges, the cast, writers, and production team hit the mark with the right blend of humor and seriousness. Micah Fowler, who plays JJ, has cerebral palsy, and we love his authentic portrayal. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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A Quiet Place
2018Get this itemEarth in 2020 is host to giant creatures that are blind; however, they have an acute sense of hearing and they hunt by tracking noise. Within three months, they destroyed most of the human race. The film focuses on the Abbott family, living quietly, communicating by signing. Their daughter is deaf, which adds an additional level of tenseness, as well as interesting plot developments. John Krasinski directed, cowrote, and he costars with his wife, Emily Blunt. He cast Millicent Simmonds, who is a deaf actor, as their daughter. Krasinski said that he wanted to keep the movie authentic about her character, and she contributed input to various scenes. Simmonds has a larger role in the second installment, which was absolutely the right way to go. Suggested by Sharon.
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Keep the Change
2018Get this itemDavid, ordered by the court to attend a social program for adults at a Jewish Community Center, believes that he does not belong there. When he gets a homework assignment to visit the Brooklyn Bridge with the effervescent Sarah, he begins to realize other possibilities. Director Rachel Israel used nonprofessional actors, and they helped to develop their characters. Israel won numerous Tribeca Film Festival awards, including Best New Narrative Director, in 2017. Suggested by Chris and Sharon.
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Do You Dream in Color?
2019Get this itemMeet Connor, Nick, Sarah, and Carina. This documentary follows four blind high school students as they aspire to achieve their dreams. Suggested by Sharon.
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The Silent Child
2018Get this itemWinner of the 2018 Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film, a young deaf girl bonds with her new tutor, who is supposed to prepare her for starting school. With terrific performances and a thoughtful script, the story lingers with you long after the ending. Suggested by Sharon.
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Swim Team
2017Get this itemThe Jersey Hammerheads is a competitive swim team started by the parents of a boy on the autism spectrum. In fact, all the swimmers on this team have some type of autism spectrum disorder. Filmmaker Lara Stolman turns her lens on three diverse young athletes and their families; they will inspire and fill your heart. Suggested by Sharon.
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