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Zack gives diverse casting new meaning

Wheelchair user Zack Weinstein has a minor role in tonight's Glee, following criticism of able-bodied Kevin McHale being cast in the ensemble.

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Tonight’s episode of Glee “Laryngitis” attracted some media attention in the US after it cast actor Zack Weinstein in a minor role.

Weinstein is a wheelchair user, as opposed to the able-bodied Kevin McHale playing the ensemble role of Artie.

For a television show that seeks to embrace diversity, Glee found itself facing criticism for casting an able-bodied actor at the expense of actors with real-life disabilities.

Glee executive producer Brad Falchuk said, “We brought in anyone: white, black, Asian, in a wheelchair. It was very hard to find people who could really sing, really act, and have that charisma you need on TV.”

Actor Zack Weinstein plays ‘Sean Fretthold’ briefly in tonight’s episode.

He spoke about the difficulties of attracting work, as well as  the limited thinking by Casting and Producers in television to newdisability.com.

“….I don’t mind if an able-bodied actor gets the part of the wheelchair user if people who actually use wheelchairs were given the chance to audition and the casting people genuinely felt that the able-bodied actor was a better actor for the role.”

“In addition, I would like to see wheelchair users given the chance to audition and be seriously considered for roles that aren’t specifically written for someone with a disability. It doesn’t seem like that is happening as often as it could be.”

Weinstein is hoping his appearance in Glee will lead to other acting opportunities.

“The odds that anyone can make a decent living as an actor are slim at best. I would definitely say that they are slimmer as a wheelchair user because it does place limitations. I’m not going to be an action movie star. If it’s absolutely essential that the character jumps, it’s a no go.

“I don’t know any wheelchair user who is earning a good income as an actor exclusively. I’m hoping I can be the first, but not the last, wheelchair using actor who makes it.”

You can read more of the interview with Zack at newdisability.com

6 Responses

  2. David i remember Claire from Cop Shop, well sort of, i wasn’t really supposed to be watching it because it was past my bedtime 😉 But i do however collect vintage Tv Week magazines and just the other day came across an article about her. Until reading it i didn’t know she was actually a wheelchair user in real life. Got me wondering what she has done since Cop Shop, nothing else listed on the imdb…

  3. Just thought I would add that the wheelchair bound character in Private Practice is in fact played by an actor in a wheelchair in real life who suffered a spinal stoke in 2003.

  5. I think we should celebrate that people in wheel chairs are ebing written into TV shows. I like that Private Practise has a wheel chair bound character who is gaining more screen time and a love interest. I don’t care if he is wheel chair bound in real life, but if he is then great, and if not, perhaps they should cast this more realisitcally. however gay can play str8 and vice versa, so an able bodied actor can play wheel chair bound, I relaise it cannot be the other way round!

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