VIDEO: #DeafTalent - Campaign: Hollywood, stop hiring hearing actors for Deaf roles. Deaf people have the right to represent themselves!
As a result of this #DeafTalent campaign, the world will have a much better understanding of the Deaf community’s standpoint on not allowing Deaf roles to be given out to hearing people. Many people do not realize that they have been oppressing Deaf actors for many years now.
We hope that this new awareness will also create many more job opportunities for Deaf people all over, both in front and behind the camera, as well as other places. We believe that this campaign will ignite many new discussions and ideas and help cause a shift in societal awareness.
Huffington Post - The #DeafTalent hashtag began making waves after a NY Daily News interview with Catalina Sandino Moreno raised red flags in the Deaf community. Moreno, a hearing actress, was cast to play a Deaf woman in the leading role of her new film Medeas. But in the NYDN interview, it became clear that Moreno has had very little exposure to deafness or Deaf culture.
VIDEO [CC] - 'Scream Queens' Whitney Meyer on how she landed the role of Deaf Taylor Swift.
Design&Trend - Whitney Meyer was "psyched" to be part of "Scream Queens" despite her short stint on the show.
The 20-year-old newcomer played Tiffany, a.k.a. Deaf Taylor Swift, on the Fox comedy-horror series. But during a recent FaceTime session with Cosmopolitan, Meyer revealed that she actually auditioned for the role by singing one of Lorde's hit songs.
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"I sent [series co-creator] Ryan [Murphy] a taped audition. My mom and I, we blocked the scene with the breakdowns that were sent to me. They saw my tape and apparently they loved it. I got an email and they wanted to fly me out for the shoot so I could play Tiffany. It was unexpected," the actress and figure skater said.
"In my audition tape, I was singing Lorde's song "Royals," so it was different," she added. "I was supposed to have brown hair. I guess they changed it."
When asked if her character was originally supposed to be Lorde fan, she said, "Yeah. Maybe. That's what it appeared to be."
VIDEO [ASL/CC] - America's Next Top Model's first ever Deaf contestant on why he refuses to let his disability hold him back.
LOS ANGELES - A model who is set to become the first ever Deaf person to compete in hit reality series America's Next Top Model has revealed why he refuses to let his disability stop him from reaching the top of the fashion industry.
Nyle DiMarco, 25, is set to feature on the upcoming 22nd season of the hit CW series, which was created by supermodel Tyra Banks. But while some might believe he is at a disadvantage when compared with his co-stars, the Washington-based model insists that his disability actually makes him all the more unique.
'I strongly believe that being Deaf gives me a huge advantage because of my native language, American Sign Language (ASL),' Nyle revealed to Washington Life.
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'ASL requires the use of facial expressions and body language expressions. With the rules of ASL immersed into my soul, it helps to bring out stories when I'm modeling for a photo, and makes for an interesting character when I'm acting.'
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, the fact that Nyle is Deaf certainly isn't the first thing that people notice about the budding model, who was contacted by the producers of America's Next Top Model after they saw him guest-starring in hit sitcom ‘Switched at Birth’.
'The show found me through my accounts on social media and models.com, which is where I showcase my work,' Nyle explained.
'Honestly, America's Next Top Model wasn’t something that I had ever really thought about doing before but when I spoke with casting, I thought, “why not!” The rest is history.'
About America’s Next Top Model - Cycle 22 of America’s Next Top Model, hosted by Tyra Banks, will feature the third “Guys and Girls” edition. Selected men and women living under one roof will battle it out to earn the prestigious title of America’s Next Top Model.
As a result of this #DeafTalent campaign, the world will have a much better understanding of the Deaf community’s standpoint on not allowing Deaf roles to be given out to hearing people. Many people do not realize that they have been oppressing Deaf actors for many years now.
