Over the past decade I have watched in horror and confusion as more and more roles either specifically calling for, or typically given to, an actor with dwarfism, disability or small stature are being cast with non-dwarf, non-disabled, average size actors. It isn’t as if there is any kind of vice-versa in the casting of “normal”, “average” characters. Nor is there a lack of actors with dwarfism, disabilities, or above/below average size out there. So what is going on? What makes one Dwarf role suddenly worthy of an actor with dwarfism when others do not?
The answer is actually very obvious: STEREOTYPE. When the storyline and script call for a Dwarf character who does not fit the stereotype of sub-human / butt-of-a-joke / meanie-who-scares-the-normal-cast, an actor without dwarfism is cast. The warrior Dwarf and other characters in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy are a prime example of this. But a Dwarf character which is expected to fulfill these stereotypes in some form or another (even just for visual purposes), must be filled by an actor with dwarfism. The same casting guidelines are used for disabled characters, with the exception of today’s trend in casting disabled former military personnel even when they are not actors. It is inequality just the same.
When confronted with these very obvious discriminations of casting, both film makers and the groups meant to fight such discriminations (i.e. Little People of America and the Restricted Growth Association), alike, have either put this issue on permanent ignore or united in a ludicrous cry that this type of casting is acceptable because it is carefully upholding an equality in the Entertainment Industry that simply does not exist.
In the movie ‘Elf”, for glaring example, Will Ferrel’s character is supposed to be a child-man human being who was adopted and raised by Santa’s Elves -- none of whom have dwarfism, they are simply shorter. When this main character travels to the world of humans, every person he meets looks exactly like the elves. Not once in his entire life has this character ever met a person with dwarfism, and never mistakes these other humans for elves. Yet, upon being introduced to a person with dwarfism, he instantly declares this person an elf.
Additional examples on television and in the movies go on and on. Most recent is yet another retelling of the fairytale ‘Snow White’. According to every commercial heralding this particular project, ‘Mirror, Mirror’, is different in how it handles the character of Snow White. Rather than remain docile, she takes up the fight for her own life and love. However, this change is countered by the movie’s embrace of another glaringly obvious stereotype -- The Seven Dwarves. And, yes, in this movie the roles of the Dwarves are actually portrayed by actors with dwarfism. Why? Because the characters in this movie are meant to fulfill the stereotype.
Equality cannot not exist when casting is decided on a stereotype. By any definition, that is discrimination and segregation. Until there is vice-versa of actors with dwarfism demanding and regularly being cast in roles which do not specifically call for a Dwarf, and/or whose main reason for existing is not to fulfill the stereotype, will there be any type of equality. This has already been accomplished very successfully in the past by Michael Dunn and David Rappaport, so it is obviously possible now.
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