Sia snaps at autistic actor who questioned why no autistic people were included in her new film

[Jordan Miller]

Sia clapped back at an autistic actor who was willing to act in Sia's new film, but was ultimately not included.

Sia has a new film and album on the way, both titled Music. It stars Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr. and Maddie Ziegler.

Here's a short synopsis via Variety:

Quote

Hudson plays the free-spirited Zu estranged from her family, who suddenly finds herself the sole guardian of her half-sister, played by Ziegler, a teenager on the autism spectrum, who learns that life’s obstacles can be made easier with a little help from their neighbor, Leslie Odom Jr.

Variety promoted Sia's new song from the film, "Hey Boy," and it lead to a really awkward series of events... I-

 

I literally gasped when I read her reply.

How do we feel about this, Exhale?

[1inamillion]

I love Sia but I'm somewhere in the middle because I dont know if they auditioned autistic people or not

If yes, then I'm all the way with Sia and he's just as bad as she says

If no, I don't know maybe they should give an inside perspective of the disabled too

But I love her

[PrettyGorl]

Good for her. Twitter users need to stop acting entitled to everything. Im gay I don’t care if a gay man plays a gay man as long as they are quality and not offensive.

[Haha-Hehe-Haha-Ho]

Yikes. I get that people are quick to pounce on any perceived slight to pc culture but this was not a very diplomatic way of handling this. Even if they legit are a bad actor, it's generally a bad move to respond to criticism with a counter attack; She should have just been transparent about the issue, or even just ignored it. 

[redacted statement]

Movies are there to give their viewers a fantasy, and the point of an actor is to step into the shoes of a character. I'd understand wanting the creators of the movie to consult actually autistic people, so that the portrayal is as realistic as possible, but I don't think they have an obligation to cast or even consider autistic actors. The only case in which this would, in my opinion, be an obligation is race.

[redacted statement]

Not trying to say these people are in the wrong, as I'm not autistic and don't understand the struggle (if anything, I don't think there's a right or a wrong in this situation). However, I found the profiles of some of these people to be borderline annoying:

 

They're so quick to slap 86 labels on themselves and then wonder why people find them annoying - none of this stuff says anything about who you are as a person. Stop, you're so much more boring than you'd like to think... 

[bitbitboi]

My question is: Why did Sia have the need to tell a story about an autistic person? Maybe she already knows people with that disability? If that's the case, I imagine she has close experiences and also talked to that person while making the film.

I understand how important representation is, but also each one has freedom to do whatever they want without asking others for permission. I can't believe these people feel entitled to tell an artist what to do or how to do it. Make your suggestion, and that's it, but don't demand s hit, unless you do it yourself.

[sugarspiceandnice]

I know that obviously it’s not the first time something like this has happened.

 However I don’t think that this user was at all disrespectful? They asked really valid questions. I like Sia a lot, and have before this diamonds and this is acting fame came along. I loved her stuff with Zero 7, huge fan........

but really LOL? You’re making a film about people with autism and cannot answer whether autistic people will be featured or if any of the proceeds will go towards an organization to assist people with autism? 
why are you being a b**tcch, Sia? LOL. don’t tell a story about autistic people if you’re just doing it for the aesthetic. It is dumb of her and honestly, I couldn’t care less about her loyalty to the dance mom girl. She’s an adult and can get her own roles now lol

[OnlyBeyonce]

gen zumba toddlers are so trash

The whole point of acting is trying to be an another person
How dumb can you be if you ask that? we need to cast real aliens? we need to cast real serial killer? we need to cast real nuns?

[thebritmaster]

The way she clapped back  

I just became a Sia fan 

[thebritmaster]

29 minutes ago, OnlyBeyonce said:

How dumb can you be if you ask that? we need to cast real aliens? we need to cast real serial killer? we need to cast real nuns?

Watch Hollywood start casting actual ****s in the next WWII flick  

#nothingaboutuswithoutus 

[LeglessJamie]

I mean Brokeback Mountain was about closeted gays that aren't even gay in real life...I don't see anyone complaining about that and as long as they play their role as they should, I think it's fine. PS: I LOVE Brokeback M.

 

HOWEVER... her response was uncalled for. 

[Marlean]

Actors are just doing that, ACTING. I don't think anyone should feel the pressure to include ANYONE in their creative output unless they wanted to. Otherwise should you be forced to hire a crappy actor if that was the case, if this person was the only one trying out for a role? I don't think so. Was Sia blunt about it? Yes. Had the other person probably written several stuff before Sia replied: Probably. 

 

[Stefani]

Good for her. Being autistic doesn't mean that you get everything you want; if the actor in question wasn't chosen to be part of the movie, then clearly their acting wasn't very good. Sia suggesting this doesn't seem like an "ableist" thing to me; she's simply not taking any **** from an entitled person.

[redacted statement]

4 minutes ago, Stefani said:

Good for her. Being autistic doesn't mean that you get anything you want; if the actor in question wasn't chosen to be part of the movie, then clearly their acting wasn't very good. Sia suggesting this doesn't seem like an "ableist" thing to me; she's simply not taking any **** from an entitled person.

Exactly! Sia might have been too rash and blunt, but everyone is so entitled these days. 

[The Exhale Psychic]

Being Autistic myself i would have loved for an Autistic actor to be apart of this, to give insight on what its really like. but hopefully sia does this justice

[Invitation]

That movie looks like trash, and idk why they're portraying autism like that in the trailer. It's very inaccurate in most cases.

[Invitation]

Just now, Britney-fan12332143 said:

Being Autistic myself i would have loved for an Autistic actor to be apart of this, to give insight on what its really like. but hopefully sia does this justice

Have you watched the trailer? I don't think it represents a lot of autistic people.

[The Exhale Psychic]

3 minutes ago, Invitation said:

Have you watched the trailer? I don't think it represents a lot of autistic people.

I am now not happy with this and i am making a topic about this

[Invitation]

1 hour ago, sugarspiceandnice said:

I know that obviously it’s not the first time something like this has happened.

 However I don’t think that this user was at all disrespectful? They asked really valid questions. I like Sia a lot, and have before this diamonds and this is acting fame came along. I loved her stuff with Zero 7, huge fan........

but really LOL? You’re making a film about people with autism and cannot answer whether autistic people will be featured or if any of the proceeds will go towards an organization to assist people with autism? 
why are you being a b**tcch, Sia? LOL. don’t tell a story about autistic people if you’re just doing it for the aesthetic. It is dumb of her and honestly, I couldn’t care less about her loyalty to the dance mom girl. She’s an adult and can get her own roles now lol

this looks like a lock for Razzies. There’s a reason why this film was made years ago and only released now - because it’s bad. I don’t know about Maddie’s acting in other films, but her performance looks like a parody.

Autistic people aren’t entitled to be given a job, but how can anyone watch this trailer and still think she has done even research to make a movie about it?