Neurodiverse TV

Hollywood has made significant steps towards achieving greater diversity and inclusivity in recent years, but now producers and casting directors are breaking new ground in neurodiversity—an area that has historically been overlooked. Increasingly, audiences are recognizing a range of neurological abilities as just another variation of the ‘normal’ human experience. However, until recently, media portrayals of these conditions have been almost non-existent, and frequently inaccurate.

The previous void of neurodiverse onscreen talent reflects a broader workplace trend. Global data shows that unemployment rates for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which according to the CDC now affects about 1 in 54 children, are as high as 85 percent. Casting for the roles of characters with specific conditions has historically bypassed neurodiverse actors in favor of stars such as Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump or Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. Of the 61 Oscar nominees and 27 winners playing a character with a disability in the history of the Academy Awards, only two were authentically depicted by an actor with a disability, according to an open letter signed by dozens of celebrities asking the entertainment industry to be more inclusive and work towards normalizing physical and neurological disabilities.

While Love on the Spectrum aims to educate viewers and eliminate stigma around autism, PBS’s new Hero Elementary gives neurodiverse young audiences a superhero role model to aspire to. The show focuses on a group of friends that includes AJ Gadgets, a fictional animated character with autism who embarks on science-driven adventures. The direction of the character was crafted in consultation with a 27-year-old with ASD, Dennis Taylor, who worked with the show’s Emmy-winning writer Christine Ferraro. (Ferraro also helped bring to life Julia, who, in 2017, became the first muppet with autism on Sesame Street.)

Earlier this month, Beacon College, a private university in Florida designed for neurodiverse students, launched A World of Difference on LakeFront TV. The show is designed to inspire, educate and raise awareness around the achievements and capabilities of those with differences in thinking and learning.

These efforts also extend beyond the world of television. In January, Universal Music in the UK published a handbook called Creative Differences which outlines what it’s like living with neurodiverse conditions and educates employers in the creative industries on integrating and supporting neurodiverse talent throughout all aspects of employment. The manual has a foreword by Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, who is dyslexic, and is peppered with accounts of neurodiverse employees’ experiences in spaces ranging from museums to music. Designed to be accessible for everyone, Creative Differences features a muted color palette, larger fonts, and illustrations by Megan Rhiannon, who herself has autism.