March is Disabilities Awareness Month. In America, 44.1 million (or 13.4%) of the population suffers from some form of disability; despite this, only about 4.2% of all films and TV shows in the past century have contained significant disability themes and content. In effort to remediate this disappointing statistic, many shows and movies have attempted to include more disabled characters on screen—to varying degrees of success— with the goal of ultimately inspiring media-driven social change and inclusive storytelling. Let’s take a look at a few cases of great impact campaigns and disability representation in media, and others that were not quite up to standard.
Done RIGHT: Wicked (2024)
In 2024’s Wicked, Marissa Bode, a paralyzed actress, plays Nessarose Thropp, who, too, is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair for the entirety of the film. The production team prioritized authentic disability representation in film by taking tangible steps to ensure an accessible and inclusive set, including: hiring a wheelchair choreographer for rigorous dance sequences, adding ramps to her prep trailer, and frequently consulting with Bode to portray Nessarose’s disability with accuracy and respecten and that Bode could be comfortable on set. With the numerous measures taken to ensure Bode’s comfortability and the accuracy of Nessarose’s disability on screen, the Wicked team showed how Hollywood can—and should—support disabled actors through thoughtful, inclusive production practices. It’s a powerful example of how representation, when done right, drives both equity and impact on the big screen.
Done WRONG : Music (2021)
If you're building a disability impact campaign or working on a project that includes disabled characters, Music (2021) is a case study in what not to do.
The 2021 film Music, directed by musician Sia, sparked widespread backlash for its harmful and inaccurate autism representation in film. The story centers on a non-verbal autistic woman named Music, played by Maddie Ziegler—a neurotypical, able-bodied actress. Critics immediately called out the casting as a missed opportunity for authentic neurodivergent representation. Besides the casting choice already being a point of controversy, the Music team then committed a slew of other disrespectful actions, such as working with Autism Speaks (a notoriously controversial and criticized ASD-focused organization), having Maddie Ziegler portray Music based on stereotypes of autistic people, and even including a scene of an autistic character being “restrained”, a very dangerous method of dealing with challenging autism symptoms. Music showed a general lack of thoughtfulness in the research and depiction of this disorder, and arguably did much more harm than good in terms of autism representation in the long run.
If you're a filmmaker committed to inclusive storytelling and social impact, let this be a reminder: real change starts with research, collaboration, and hiring people with lived experience. Disability stories deserve dignity—not just screen time.
Done RIGHT: A Quiet Place (2018)
When filmmakers talk about disability impact campaigns done well, A Quiet Place often comes up—and for good reason.
Millicent Simmonds is a deaf actress who plays Regan Abbot, a similarly deaf character in the 2018 horror film, A Quiet Place. Upon the efforts of the film's director, John Krasinski, Simmonds was cast in lieu of an able-bodied actress not only to play a more organic deaf performance, but also to serve as a guide for the creative team on how to accurately depict the deaf experience, with Simmonds frequently being consulted on how everyday actions— even those as minimal as waking up in the morning— can differ for people who are deaf/disabled. Simmonds also reportedly taught all of the cast and crew American Sign Language (ASL) so as to foster a more inclusive environment on set. As a result of Kransinski, Simmonds, and the team’s efforts, A Quiet Place created a disability-conscious environment where diverse voices in film could be heard and listened to, setting a precedent for how movies featuring deaf actors and characters should be handled in the future.
A Quiet Place became a benchmark for inclusive film production, showing how involving disabled talent enriches storytelling, deepens impact, and fosters more thoughtful filmmaking.
Done WRONG : Me Before You (2016)
Me Before You, the 2016 film about a quadriplegic man named Will, is often criticized for the way it handled its disability representation. Beyond casting Sam Claflin, a non-disabled actor, to play Will, the movie’s biggest failure lies in the message it chooses to put forward about disabilities, framing them as a primarily negative experience and harmfully choosing to have Will take his own life with assisted suicide, which was seen as offensive to many disabled people. This choice even caused the Center for Disability Rights to put out a PSA for the movie, warning viewers of its potentially offensive themes and messages. With the team behind the film and the author of the book it is based on, admitting they did minimal research on the experiences of quadriplegic people, Me Before You’s portrayal of disabilities can be seen as disrespectful and inconsiderate.
For any creator considering a disability impact campaign, Me Before You underscores a critical truth—representation without accountability does more harm than good. If your film isn't elevating disabled voices, it's erasing them.
With movies and TV shows serving as extremely powerful tools for media-driven activism and shaping public opinion, it’s important that creators take the necessary steps to achieving quality disability representation so as to ensure that disabled cast/crew in the film industry are treated fairly and that the characters being displayed on screen are accurate and respectful representations of their related communities. It starts with listening. It grows through collaboration. And it leads to films that don't just tell stories—they shift public perception and spark social change.
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Empact helps filmmakers and organizations design disability impact campaigns that are rooted in authenticity, inclusion, and measurable change—turning empathy into measurable action with qualitative and quantitative impact metrics. Want to amplify disability advocacy through your CSR or ESG initiatives? Partner with Empact to activate your audience around impact entertainment and sustainable impact!
Inclusive storytelling changes hearts—and policies. Let’s celebrate Disability Awareness Month with films that challenge ableism and spark social change.
Additionally, if you have any films or non-profits that you think we should check out, join our community on Empact’s public Discord server!
This article was written with the help of our amazing intern, Chloe Parker, an accomplished junior at Windsor High School.
