Disability Clichés in Film & TV
How Hollywood often gets representation wrong
I dropped by a friend’s office one evening before we were to head out for dinner. He was standing on the other side of the room and tossed some inanimate object in my direction, which soared past me. He said something like “Oh, I guess you’re not like Daredevil.” Of course, it was a joke, but one that I’ve heard variations of over and over again.
(Image description: A collage featuring the poster for Million Dollar Baby, Daredevil, the cartoon Mr. Magoo, Darth Vader and an image of the family fromCODA)
We’re entering the section of my course on disability representation in media that my students seem to enjoy the most. Disabled characters have been on the big and small screen since the very start of the motion picture industry. Recent films like CODA or The Peanut Butter Falcon and the series Special have been praised for their authentic and accurate portrayals. But many movies and TV shows have fallen far short of showing these individuals as fully-fledged human beings.
A reason why Hollywood gets these kinds of characters so wrong is thanks to an overreliance on stereotypes about disability. That’s what Judy Heumann argued in her white paper Roadmap for Inclusion: Changing the Face of Disability in Media. As entertainment consumers, I want my students to be able to spot one of these tired old clichés from a mile away. So, I unpack each one of Heumann’s tropes with some examples.
The Victim
A character with a disability is a plot device to elicit sympathy or pity from the audience. They lead such a sad life because of their condition and often their goal is to win the love of a non-disabled person. Some would rather be dead than disabled. Ever see the end of Million Dollar Baby? Spoiler alert!
The Innocent Fool
A character’s disability is good for a laugh. They’re more or less like children. This example stings a bit; one of my comedy heroes, Leslie Nielsen, plays Mr. Magoo in this Disney live-action remake of the cartoon series.
The Super Crip
A character overcomes their disability so they can lead a “normal” life or their condition bestows them with superhero-like powers. That makes them inspirational, and as Stella Young explained in this TED Talk, the reason why these disabled individuals deliver so much happiness is because audiences reflect upon how nice it is not to have a disability. Sorry, Sean Penn.
The Villain
I don’t want to get Star Wars nerd hate mail, but Darth Vader, one of the most badass villains in cinematic history, has multiple disabilities. OK, Anakin Skywalker was probably going evil even before that incident in the volcano, but after he became a cyborg, he went further to the dark side. That’s fine if you don’t agree with my take on the Sith Lord, but consider all of those James Bond villains who have scars or other physical conditions. Bad guys have something wrong with them.
Who are some characters that come to mind for you, and do they fit any of these stereotypes? Give me your most memorable disabled villains, heroes, fools, and victims by replying to this newsletter.