Actors, Producers Talk Strategies for ‘Authentic’ Representations of the Disabled at TV Academy Event: ‘Inclusion is a Choice’

variety.com:

Diego Ramos Bechara editor When discussing the industry-wide changes needed for television to more authentically capture the lived experiences of disabled people, actor Eileen Grubba passionately implored the industry to end what she described as the tokenization of the community. “The industry has got to stop saying, ‘OK, let me go find some kid that’s cute that’s in a wheelchair and give them a series.’ That is soul-crushing to the people who’ve been fighting for decades to make a living,” said the “New Amsterdam” actor, who has faced disabilities since the age of 5.

Grubba shared her sentiments on a warm and sunny Thursday morning as industry trailblazers gathered at the Saban Media Center at the Television Academy Foundation in North Hollywood to discuss ways to ensure authentic disability inclusion in television in a “The Power of TV” panel hosted by the Academy Foundation.

Karen Horne, an event diversity, equity and inclusion expert, moderated the free, open-to-the-public event, whose panelists included actor and neurodiverse director Sue Ann Pien (“As We See It”), writer and producer David Renaud (“The Good Doctor”), actress, writer and producer Grubba (“New Amsterdam”), Lauren Applebaum, senior VP, entertainment and news media, RespectAbility and Tari Hartman Squire, CEO, EIN SOF Communications, Inc. — all of whom “are driving disability inclusion, both on and offscreen, within the television industry.” Panelists discussed the importance of disability representation and inclusion in the entertainment industry.

They emphasized the need for authentic representation, valuing the lived experiences of people with disabilities and creating opportunities for actors with disabilities to gain experience and become.