Bryan Cranston plays a quadriplegic billionaire in the 2019 film The Upside, which received significant backlash from disability advocacy groups. The Breaking Bad actor defends his casting during an interview with the Press Association and explained:
As actors, we’re asked to be other people, to play other people. If I, as a straight, older person, and I’m wealthy, I’m very fortunate, does that mean I can’t play a person who is not wealthy, does that mean I can’t play a homos*xual?
Bryan Cranston instantly received backlash for these statements, but his defence does not stop here.
Bryan Cranston Defends Disabled Role as “business decision”
The Upside is a Hollywood remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables, which tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a wealthy quadriplegic white man (Cranston) and his black ex-con home health aide (Kevin Hart). Here are more details about the film.
Bryan Cranston told IndieWire about the choice to play the character of French businessman Philippe Pozzo Di Borgo from The Upside:
Well, that’s another business decision.
Many were quick to criticise Cranston, with Adam Pearson (Under the Skin) referring to the quote by the famous actor as a “poor choice of words” in a now-deleted tweet. The complete statement from Bryan Cranston reveals the bigger truth:
Wasn’t even my decision, but maybe that points out to bring more focus on disadvantaged or disabled actors, to be put in positions to have more opportunities and more diversity.
Bryan Cranston has worked alongside RJ Mitte in Breaking Bad, who authentically portrayed someone with cerebral palsy. Cranston very much acknowledges that there needs to be further discussion about more authentic representation for disabled people in the industry, maintaining that criticism is part of the job he signed up for. (via Sky News)
The Ongoing Debate For Authentic Disabled Actors’ Representation
According to Variety, Cranston named able-bodied actors who have been lauded for playing characters with disabilities, such as Al Pacino (who played a blind retired army officer in Scent of a Woman) and Daniel Day Lewis (who played a man with cerebral palsy in My Left Foot), saying “we would have missed some great performances” if those actors hadn’t portrayed their characters.
The ongoing debate in Hollywood centers on the ethical and authentic representation of disabled actors, as well as the opportunities for them to do so. Adam Pearson, in the deleted tweet, stated (via IndieWire):
In the 90 year history of the Oscars, 16% have been awarded for movies / performances based upon a portrayal off disability and the disabled experience, with 20+ abled bodied actors winning awards. In the same period however only 2 disabled actors have been awarded the same accolade, most recently was [Marlee Matlin] (back in 1987).
Many more actors, including Sam Claflin in Me Before You and Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything, have played characters with disabilities, with the latter winning an Oscar for his performance.
This debate opens up a conversation about giving more disabled actors the spotlight they deserve, while also encouraging established actors to be mindful of their casting choices.
What do you think of Bryan Cranston’s stance?
The Upside is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
