Acting Deaf - Here We Go Again!
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“I won this award by keeping my mouth shut and I think I’ll do it again.” – Jane Wyman.
Jane Wyman was quoted during her Oscar acceptance speech for the Best Actress award in 1948. She won for her role as a “deaf-mute” in Johnny Belinda. That was the shortest acceptance speech on record.
Historically, this is not the first time that mainstream cinema casting a hearing person as a deaf person. This has happened. This has happened over and over.
Here are the examples:
Johnny Belinda - 1948
Calendar Girl – 1993
and…
Hamill – (under production)
It is dishonest for the production company to cast a hearing person as a deaf person. This is tantamount to the practice of ‘black-face’.
Al Jolson, The Jazz Singer 1927
We all know that the ASL-using, culturally Deaf people have been virtually invisible in cinema. While a few Deaf actors have gotten some mainstream exposure, the films and television programs they see only reinforce stereotypical views.
When Johnny Belinda was released in 1948, this movie drew different reactions from the deaf community. Some deaf people were delighted about Hollywood’s acknowledgment of the existence of deaf people. However, other deaf people were disappointed how Belinda was portrayed as a deaf person. Look at the picture of Jane Wyman depicting her character.
Jane Wyman, Johnny Belinda - 1948
In 1992, Calendar Girl cast Kurt Fuller, a hearing actor with no previous experience in sign language, as an ASL-using Deaf character. Watch a short video clip of Calendar Girl, where you can see Fuller in a dark blue suit. Play Quicktime version - 10 seconds long
If you cannot view this video, watch below:
National Association of the Deaf launched a nationwide boycott of the Calendar Girl with coordinated protests, and the movie proved a commercial flop and was quickly yanked from distribution. Watch a short video segment from Deaf Mosaic’s Gil Eastman reporting this controversy. Play Quicktime version - 2.38 minutes long - Closed Captioned
If you cannot view this video, watch below:
Then, Hollywood learned its lesson and on a regular basis, has cast deaf actors in studio movies, from Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God to Tyrone Giordano in Family Stone.
And now, Hamill…
The brief synoposis of Hamill produced by K’Dee Miller Productions was distributed:
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“Hamill tells the story of what it takes to be a champion, on and off the mat. Raised among those with the ability to hear, Matt later finds himself no less an outsider amidst the Deaf Community. But through sheer determination, he uses his disability as an asset, and becomes not only the first deaf wrestler to win a National Collegiate Championship, but an inspirational force to both hearing and deaf alike.”
And then, the company’s statement:
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There’s never been a mainstream Hollywood film, open to both hearing and deaf that fully captures the colorful visuals of American Sign Language and the intricate layers of Deaf Culture, until now. Hamill is not a Silent Film specifically created for the deaf audience, but a film in which the deaf and hearing can view the theatrical release in unison, therefore introducing a new genre to mainstream audiences: The Deaf Foreign Film. We plan on introducing this new genre by employing the following elements:
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• The use of subtitles throughout the film allowing the Deaf to enjoy the cinematic experience alongside the hearing
• Employing a unique cinematography style which captures the ASL and remains visually stimulating
• Finding interesting and artistic ways of depicting the Deaf Perspective while keeping the hearing community involved
• Giving several Deaf Actors a chance at showcasing their talents on the big screen
The fact remains that the production company have chosen to disregard THEIR own company statement AND the deaf community in casting Eben Kostbar as Matt Hamill.
The question remains…
Why K’Bee Miller Productions, LCC did not announce that Eben Kostbar had already been cast?
They were fully aware of the controversy that surrounds casting a hearing actor as a deaf person. Their lack of full disclosure, on a greater level, indicates disrespect to the deaf community.
In summary, casting a hearing actor denies deaf actors the opportunity to prove themselves. The deaf community has dealt this issue over and over again, time and again. And each time, the right answer has emerged, people will look at this movie and say, “Why wasn’t a deaf person cast”?
If the movie gets made, Matt Hamill will have a movie. In the end, who suffers? Us.
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Open Letter to Matt Hamill:
Matt, don’t forget your fans who have supported you, especially young Deaf fans who looked up at you with inspiration.
See video excerpt from the YouTube - where you went to Fremont, CA as a guest and see how much your fans admire you. Joey Baer of CSD-F filmed this, and Richardk3 puts it up on YouTube. See the entire video from CSD-Fremont website Play Quicktime version - 2.19 minutes long
If you cannot view this video, watch below:
Remember, Matt…never underestimate the power of Deaf role model. Having Deaf role models (oral, ASL, CI, HoH, or late-deafened) are very important to deaf children.
Here’s the famous painting done by Chuck Baird displaying at Gallaudet University, that I want to share with you.
There is one part of the whole painting still sends chills up in my spine, and I get very inspired by that. I hope you can consider how much you have inspired many Deaf children and adults for what you are doing as a professional wrestler.
Now, having your hearing friend, Eben Kostbar cast the role of you for Hamill; how can we be inspired from this decision? Please think about it.
Thank you,
Amy Cohen Efron
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“Acting Deaf”, yeah. Here we go again! Sigh!
May 10th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Amy,
I’m unable to open your videos. Each time I click on one, it disappears.
Shelley
May 10th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Amy Irving Steven Spielberg ex acted Deaf in a movie I can’t recall the name of the movie. It was in the 80’s… (We are getting old)
May 10th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I found it. “Voices” 1979
May 10th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Do we the Deaf need to be bamboozled any more than we already have been?
May 10th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Amy,
Thank you for doing this! Very very important and it is all “true story.”
“how can we get inspired by that kind of decision”
says it all…
Wow, I cant believe how many barriers we have experienced. barriers or betrayal.
Thanks again Amy,
Ali
May 10th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
There are several points I want to make about the arguments made by K’Dee and Matt:
1) There are just two supporting actor roles they are casting for. The main actor must be Deaf. I know Matt chose the wrong person, but we don’t have to accept it. It will set us back 70 years if the hearing actor gets the role.
2) Why not the main actor be Deaf. The supporting actor be hearing? It shows what K’Dee really thinks of us. Gallaudet and NTID don’t have to help them with their movie if they insist on insulting us in this way.
3) I fully support Matt Hammill and what he’s accomplished in his life. I really want to see the movie get made. But not in this way. K’Dee was misleading the Deaf community all along, not telling us they already had the main character as a hearing person.
4) Look at Children of a Lesser God. Tell me who the supporting actors and acctresses were. Tell me who the main character was. I bet most people know who the main charcater was, but not the supporting characters.
5) Instead of these press releases defending their actions, why isn’t K’Dee trying to listen? Instead they are trying to get us to listen. It shows me they don’t care what we think or feel. They think they know what is right and best for us. The right thing for K’Dee is to take a step back and talk with us and find out what they can do to get our support. But it’s obvious they don’t care what we think.
May 10th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
[…] From Deaf World As Eye See It blog: “Acting Deaf: Here We Go Again!” […]
May 10th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
WoW! What a very powerfil and dynamic message
in the painting of Chuck Baird! Hearing people
– or hearing-oriented deaf people — would not understand the message. The most rarefied
painting I have ever seen!
May 10th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Likewise!
What can I say?
I hope Matt and his producers are opening their eyes.
Role Models are very important to all of us.
Our dream for any deaf, HOH, latened deaf, ASL, CI people and so forth to make into Olympics. Matt *COULD* have made into the wrestling team for the Olympics.
Matt is no longer our inspiration.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
If I recall the old days, the movie “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” They portrayed two hearing actors acting as “muted” roles. I am not sure if that part of the theory at that time. I believe it was a “muted” movie.
May 10th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
why cant we sue somebody?
cant we sue Hollywood?
cant we sue the investors?
if we cant appeal to their moral side, let us sue..
who first?
May 10th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Do you get what “acting” is? Where do you draw the line? Should only Italians play Italians? Only someone who has a mental illness play a mentally ill character? Only someone who has murdered play a murderer? Why can’t a hearing person play a deaf person? You cannot compare this to the old days of whites playing in blackface. That was meant to be a stereotype — a joke. This is not. Why is this any different than Renee Zelweger playing a Brit in Bridget Jones’s Diary? I am British, and thought her accent was awful, but so what? She was ACTING. Get over yourselves already.
May 10th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
If you all have Dish Network and TCM network (classic movies). Here’s the show “Johnny Belinda” tonight (Sat May 10th) at 1:15 am
Just for those who haven’t seen this.
Good Job AMY!!!! wow very informtive
Ecnarb
May 11th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
this is in response to #12 (Robbie):
you’re missing the entire point. This has completely and absolutely nothing to do with kneejerk cultural militancy–don’t confuse the issues. It’s the quickest way to poison the well.
I’m sharing with you the gist of the official response from the Theatre Arts Department:
“…we at Theatre Arts are committed to the cultivation and empowerment of our students as the next generation of Deaf theatre artists, educators, and leaders.
Casting Deaf actors for a film where a hearing actor has already been cast in the (not a) lead Deaf role runs the risk of creating 2 negative perceptions: 1) that Deaf actors are already unequal and secondary now that the main Deaf role has already been filled by a non-Deaf actor, and 2) that Deaf actors cannot be entrusted with the lead role of a mainstream film, even if the lead role is a Deaf character.
holding auditions here on Monday the 12th as scheduled would only reinforce and enable those 2 perceptions. We cannot, and will not, in good conscience do that to our students, and contradict the spirit of our commitment.”
and this is supplemented by a key point of my own response to the producers:
“My view on this is that for every Deaf role taken by a hearing actor,
that’s one less opportunity for a Deaf actor in a field [theatre and film] where Deaf people are vastly underrepresented.” This field is insanely competitive to begin with–roughly .05% of the entire national acting profession even make it to stardom, usually by luck and timing, not entirely talent.
“Get over yourselves already.” That’s what you wrote. Either you can’t, or won’t, see the whole picture. In light of the fact that Gallaudet’s theatre department is a long-term restoration project, it’s wholly irresponsible if we allow any tacit message that it’s somehow permissible for our ambitious, arts-minded students–who represent the hope and future of Deaf theatre and film in this age of our existential uncertainty (will there be a Deaf world a century from now? it’s not a lock)–to always be grateful for leftovers, and in being always grateful for such, it reaffirms outside perception of them as inferior and the lesser of equals.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Why not have Matt act as himself?! Many actors acted in their own biographical movies.
Julie
May 11th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Eminem and Howard Stern come to mind.
May 11th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Ethan S,
So did Sophia Loren. It is not uncommon and Matt’s fans would love to see him on the screen telling his own story.
Julie
May 12th, 2008 at 11:21 am
I was surprised that this Deaf director chose a hearing guy to play the part of himself…
http://www.whatsbuggingseth.com/wbs_cast3.html
May 13th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Deaf cults are brainless and lifeless. They never be able to understand the real world is. Money is Money. Business is Business. Simple. Will TV or Movie investors be happy with deaf market? Look at this “tiny” deaf population! compared to the hearing industry world.
I praised Matt as owner / co-producer and he controls hearing actors. Wow! It seems History-maker. Hollywood industries will look at Matt as respected person and marketable! He can make million dollars profits from the movie as long as he is close to hollywood / continue marketing to hearing community, NOT deaf community - it will flop.
Is any DEAF producer or film-maker making MILLION DOLLARS??? Involve Hollywood business??? SEE! SEE!!!
Understand? Maybe, it’s difficult time for Deaf cults to understand, until they become SENIORS or NEVER. Sorry for them.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
is is indeed black-face — how one’s language and culture is represented in the most powerful medium on the planet is indeed a big deal. again… terrylene once said “a hearing actor playing deaf is busy trying to act deaf. a deaf actor playing deaf is busy being the character.”
more people would be exposed to ASL and deaf culture from a single viewing of even the most unpopular of TV series than would otherwise have in a lifetime. this is why these issues are salient.
as well… the “almighty buck” that clings to market force formulas are a complete bust. why? “adventures in the screen trade” exposes this myth. as it offers “no one knows anything” if the MBA driven theoretical market models were so successful - why don’t we see more blockbuster successes or neilson rating spikes? because as william goldwyn states, again… “no one knows anything”
look at the film “sideways” — the film had no stars. it cost 15 mil. to make and has grossed over 400 miliion. HELLO…. these “money” formulas based on actors are often bogus. matt do the right thing… LISTEN! and don’t buy into the producer BS. show some integrity man.
by the way — i saw a butt load of italians cast as italian in the godfather….
b
May 13th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
foot in mouth robbie states:
“I am British, and thought her accent was awful, but so what? She was ACTING. Get over yourselves already.”
i thought brits were the more intelligent species… you make the point which counters your own argument… her accent “was awful”
why should the deaf community allow themselves to be portrayed as “awful” especially given the fact that the have not only been continuously UNDERREPRESENTED but also MISREPRESENTED… thus continuing the dummied down stereotype? mental illness… murderers and the like do not have their own culture and language… DEAF does… sign language - which unfortunately is often seen for the deaf what a wheelchair is to a cripple… NOT!!!!! sign language is sooooooo rich… it is the only visual language on the planet… and in so many ways so bastardized by hearing playing deaf… my god boy — why not go for the most authentic and best actor!!!!!!!! why would one NOT want to go for the most authentic and best actor? again excellence THREATENS mediocracy…
again… in no other field would such discrimination be tolerated.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
response to dan:
sign language is the third most utilized language in the united states, just behind spanish. the demographic is indeed substantive! check your numbers before you spew your ignorance…
1990’s census calculated 350 thousand deaf (or deaf related) in the los angeles basin alone. some estimates nationally are as much as 32 million.
many niche businesses don’t want these numbers popularly known because they’re making such a killing on this demographic.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Bob,
You never did your homework in researching the “updates” on deaf market. How many and what is the percent of 32 million deaf population that uses sign language? Tell me now. Below 1 million!!! Even not reach 500,000. Ouch? What reality is.
VRS users in US nationwide- how many??? over 200,000???? No. Ask VRS industries, yourself.
350,000 deaf in L.A. - WOW. Dream! Deaf Expo, Deaf Nation Expo got 5,000 maximum. Look at this. You need to figure it well.
Why did all deaf-owned movie productions fail in business? Tell me what’s the name of deaf-owned production that they raised million dollars - even one million dollar only, tiny percentage compared to hollywood’s minimum budget.
Target to deaf market never win! Automatically FAILURE! can’t recover up expenses.
Of course, we need HOLLYWOOD STAR! to make it MARKETABLE! Not Deaf. Got it??? Don’t waste your time in debating. Accept the reality.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Well said, Dan.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Why is everybody complaining about Hamill’s approval to allow a hearing actor represent him..? If he feels this actor would do a good job, that’s his business.. The fact that Hamill does want deaf actors to be casted for other roles is a great thing. its not a all hearing cast. Have you noticed the way he talks? He has not been exposed to ASL or deaf culture like some of us. SO why is everybody picking on him? I do understand the need to include deaf actors in movies. but if there are roles available for deaf actors.. i mean I’ve met Matt, I dont know too many people as big as him and any big stocky white DEAF guys who can act. so this is his break to tell HIS story(not yours).. Hamill has done a lot to represent the deaf community as much as possible CONSIDERING HE DIDNT HAVE THAT KIND OF EXPOSURE WHEN HE WAS GROWING UP.. Get some perspective!!! Hearing actors play blind people all the time in movies.. I dont see blind people complaining about that..being deaf in the entertainment business is tough.. and its hard to please everybody because like it or not, theres no one single voice in the deaf community.. deaf community is as diverse as the rest of the population in the world. whether its ASL, SEE, D, d, ..hearing aids, cochlear, or whatever. yes there’s a lot of issues out there but this SHOULDNT BE ONE OF THEM, which is why I dont get it.. I’ve read many articles and I haven’t read A SINGLE THING that makes me think you have a point for attacking Hamill for approving a hearing person to REPRESENT HIMSELF(not you).. You make valid points in some studios hiring hearing actors who do not know anything about signs or deaf culture.. But this particular situation IS UNIQUE because its his autobiography, his story, his final decision to sign off.. and he’s done enough just being the first UFC fighter.. now we gotta hound the man for approving somebody TO represent himself. im sorry folks, but you’re way off base on this one.. I havent seen an argument that makes me FEEL that THIS SITUATION(specifically Hamill’s movie) justifies boycotts and all of this complaining.. I dont wanna hear historical stuff about people being portrayed as something that they’re not. I took a class about that. so I don’t need to hear about stuff like that. I’m asking why are you complaining about AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY that HAMILL himself approved OF. this is his break to have his story told however he wants it.. If the movie bombs, at least we can all say that Eben SUCKED and ridicule the whole thing.. But in the end, its Hamill’s decision, not OURS. At least if Eben does a poor job, we can tell Hamill that the movie would have been better if it was by a deaf actor.. again, keep in mind, Eben will sign like Matt, which is like a hearing person new to ASL, I met the man before in NTID. he was primarily oral and seems to have improved somewhat over the years.. So give the guy a break.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:51 am
whew danny boy… chill your jets dude…
dawn sign press has made a pretty good living selling primarily to deaf. they’re a multi million dollar outfit… the 350,00 in LA is backed up by the captioning boxes sold back in the day. the law today is that every TV has captioning. and by the way big boy — sign language is the third most used language in this country… put that in your ignorant pipe and smoke it.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
response to chris who said:
“I don’t know too many people as big as him and any big stocky white DEAF guys who can act. so this is his break to tell HIS story”
you place a greater priority on being “stocky” and “white” than you do on being able to accurately, authentically, honorably, artistically and realistically SIGN…
LANGUAGE itself is the foundation of a culture… deaf and sign language are continuously blasphemed in film and television — continuously undercut, misrepresented and exploited.
“Hearing actors play blind people all the time in movies.. I dont see blind people complaining about that”
blind people do not have a separate expressive language. deaf do! AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
chris:
you’re right though… i’ve seen this time and time again and — this film is gonna bomb… what goes around comes around. ya can’t make chicken soup out of chicken sh**.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Okay if its about sign language, no offense to Hamill, hes not a fluent ASLer.. When I met him at RIT, he signed ASL like a newbie and he was VERY ORAL.. so how is putting an actor that is FLUENT in ASL representing him well? Putting a deaf actor who is fluent in ASL is not going to represent the guy I met.. So I can understand the rationale of picking a hearing actor because that was pretty much who Matt was before he came to RIT/NTID. a guy without deaf culture and lacking pure ASL. so i dont see your point in bringing up sign language.. this is Matt Hamill. I’ve noticed his ASL has improved over the years but im willing to bet that the movie will be focusing on most of his upbringing and struggles as a “hearing impaired person” learning about deaf culture at NTID/RIT and overcoming his deafness to be in the UFC. Picking somebody who is fluent in ASL, honestly wouldnt be good at playing MATT.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:18 am
Bob. Again… You didn’t finish your homework!
Dawn sign press markets to ASL hearing students, not Deaf.
How many companies like Dawn sign press in US? Tell me. Less than 5 corps compared to hearing world, 1,000,000 corporations!!! with million-billion dollars.
Deaf market is sooooo TINY! Even Dawn sign press can’t handle with Deaf market only. It’s 5 million dollars company and is considered as SMALL BUSINESS. How pity it is. Then, you are too PROUD of Dawn Sign Press???? How cheap you are! Too cheap company! It’s unknown and not popular in the normal world. except deaf…
Tell me the name of DEAF CORP. above 50 million gross revenue. in US! You never do your homework, because you are blinded by too much “D” Deaf cult and low society. Lack of exposure in a real business world.
Closed caption??? How cute! Law is a law. So-so. It looks like a Tax-off and give a charity to deaf community. Politicians used to win their voters by creating this way, bill rights. That is it. It’s NOT reason that TV gets a good revenue from deaf customers, oh please!!! How many???? deaf is too small or even invisible in hearing population. TV is not pleased with deaf market! TV just follow the law. TV is interested with huge commercial ads (HEARING) and hearing viewers. Not deaf!
Bob, Hope you learn something from this.. WOW. you should do your home work before blogging so it will not make you look “ignorant”.