My latest article from Voices! Magazine is below. I’ll leave the link for the magazine itself at the end of the article. Enjoy!
What happens when you know you’re right for a part, but the role goes to somebody else?
As an actor, this is very often the case with most roles. When an actor receives a call to go to an audition, he or she will receive “sides,” or a small breakdown of the script which may or may not even be the final copy of the screenplay to memorize before they go for their audition. The role will specify the age range (i.e., 30-45 years old), gender, race, and other factors that the director or producers are looking for from the actor. Although there may be some flexibility in how the role is cast, more often than not, the director has the last word in who makes the final cut. And of course, this can be very frustrating if you actually meet all of the requirements, have a great audition, and still don’t succeed in nabbing the role.
One of my favorite examples of this happened to me in the past decade when I auditioned for a television series called Legit, in which they were looking for an actor who could play a character with a disability. The character in question was named Billy Nugent, and he had muscular dystrophy. I was told that I was in the running for the part along with at least two other actors. As I’m an actor with a facial paralysis thanks to growing up with Moebius syndrome, it was incredible to think that I might have a shot at a major role on a television series.
Only it didn’t pan out that way. Another actor named DJ Qualls beat me to it. As far as I know, the actor doesn’t have any noticeable disability in real life, but he was convincing enough in his audition that he got the part. Congratulations were certainly in order for him; the show lasted for three seasons, which I’m sure gave him a leg up when it came to finding more work later in his career. While I hold no ill will towards DJ, I was reminded yet again that simply having the right stuff doesn’t necessarily ensure that you’re the best fit for the part. And while Hollywood has made strides in auditioning more actors with disabilities to play characters with disabilities, this doesn’t mean that the actor meeting those requirements will get the role.
In fact, it’s still very common for able-bodied actors to play parts that are written for people with disabilities. The reasons vary, but in most situations, the producers are looking for a name actor to fill the part. The challenge, therefore, is in cultivating performers with disabilities who can eventually become name actors themselves. There are plenty of examples of this such as Peter Dinklage, Marlee Matlin, Linda Hunt, and Troy Kotsur, to name but a few. But in order for this to happen, authenticity in casting must take priority, because authenticity always matters.
As public speakers, we have an enormous advantage compared to our thespian brothers and sisters: We can create our own speeches and thus tell our own stories. And we do so with our own voices, hearts, and minds. We aren’t at the whim of casting agents or producers. We don’t need to worry about television or movie ratings or the politics of Hollywood. And we have the option to be honest about who we are. The key to remember is that we don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to tell our stories. Authenticity always matters. And no one has the right to tell your story but you. When you take the time to be true to yourself, then your personal role can become much clearer.
I acknowledge that I can’t necessarily advise people on how to create their own stories as each person’s situation is unique. I’m also mindful of the fact that not everyone chooses to share their story. The best advice I can offer is that the story will tell itself when it’s ready. I’ve seen this many times when I’ve watched speakers both old and new take the podium and reveal parts of themselves I would never have guessed at. Yes, it’s possible some of them might embellish the truth, and especially in Table Topics, you have the opportunity to outright lie if you want to. But being able to hear someone else’s story is what inspires us to tell our own. Authenticity matters not only in what we say and how we say it. It matters because it allows others into our space in a way that affirms them. It matters because it inspires people to discover or own parts of themselves they may have neglected or thought others would shame them for. And finally, authenticity helps affirm the worth of what you bring to the table. Maybe you won’t be the right person for every part, but as a public speaker, you can decide how to best use your gifts and experience to your advantage.
https://d7toastmasters.org/project/voices-april-2023/
Freedman on the Go 