Casting Choice Dismays Blind And Deaf Actors

Casting choice for the role of Helen Keller in the Broadway revival of the play "The Miracle Worker" dismays blind and deaf actors.


The newest revival of the play will still focus on Helen Keller's relationship with her teacher Anne Sullivan. The producers seem to have the perfect cast in Abigail Breslin, a 13 year-old Oscar nominee. However, the casting decision has prompted blind and deaf actors to complain that the early life of blind-and-deaf hero Helen Keller should also be played by a member of their community — a real blind-and-deaf child actor, that is.

"We do not think it's OK for reputable producers to cast this lead role without seriously considering an actress from our community. I understand how difficult it is to capitalize a new production on Broadway, but that to me is not the issue. There are other, larger human and artistic issues at stake here," says Sharon Jensen, executive director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts in an interview with the New York Times.

But the show's producer, David Richenthal, explains that the production was unable to find a blind or deaf child actor with the "star power" to bring in enough of an audience to justify the show's large budget:

"It's simply naïve to think that in this day and age, you'll be able to sell tickets to a play revival solely on the potential of the production to be a great show or on the potential for an unknown actress to give a breakthrough performance. I would consider it financially irresponsible to approach a major revival without making a serious effort to get a star."

To give support for the blind and deaf community, the producers hope to find a blind or deaf actress to play Abigail Breslin's understudy, stressing however that they will not make any promises.

The original Broadway production of "The Miracle Worker" was in 1959, which starred Patty Duke as Helen Keller. Later TV and movie versions of the play had Patty Duke, Melissa Gilbert, and Mare Winningham for the role of Helen Keller. None of these former child actors were real-life blind and deaf.

Child Actor Of "Slumdog Millionaire" Is Homeless

"Slumdog Millionaire" won eight Oscar awards but the child actor who helped the film depict the real life of India's shantytown still lived in the slums of Mumbai.


Azharuddin Ismail is the 11-year old child actor who played the young Salim, elder brother of the film's central character Jamal. His 9-year old younger sister, Rubina Ali, played the young Latika who's Jamal's love interest in the award-winning movie.

After the success of Slumdog Millionaire, the family of the Indian child talent has been promised to be rehoused. This, however, did not come to realization - until their shanty was torn down by Mumbai authorities on Thursday to prepare for the coming monsoon rains.

Azharuddin's mother, Shamim Ismail, mournfully recalled, "They came and destroyed the house when my son was sleeping. Now we don't have any place to go so we're sitting here right now with our belongings. I hope someone from the government will help us." She added, "We were promised that we will get a government flat but we have still not got anything yet."


Meanwhile the child actor Azharuddin, who's known to his neighborhood as Azhar, seemed to cling on to his innocence and doesn't care much about his being homeless despite international stardom - he was playing with chickens as television news crews and photographers watched.

Haley Joel Osment: Child Actor Who Grows Up

It's not easy to remain in showbiz when you are a child actor. One day, you grow up and outgrow your cute role. As they said, “Once in demand, they find more doors closed than opened as attention shifts to the next 'It' Kid.”



Haley Joel Osment was a phenomenal child actor way back in the 90s. He was famous for portraying the role of a child who sees ghost in the "Sixth Sense," where he won an Oscar nomination. It was in the film where he spoke the famous quote, “I see dead people!”

Now at 20, not many people (especially the younger generations) are familiar of Haley Joel Osment. It does not mean though that he has leave acting for good. Two years ago, he enrolled at New York University's theater program to hone his craft. And today, Haley Joel Osment made his Broadway debut in a revival of David Mamet's "American Buffalo."

Unlike some movie stars who struggled to act in live audience, he was well-praised by critics who sees him as a "a phenomenally gifted actor,” instinctive, smart, one who asks the right questions and takes risks. The former child star has found also the theatre experience invigorating.

"There's so much to learn about acting and performance in general. ... I mean, acting is a very complex art, and there are a lot more theories and methods and techniques to it than I think anybody would think. ... Some of our best respected film and stage performances come from people like (Marlon) Brando and everything, and they studied their entire lives.”

Once compared to Daniel Radcliffe who made an edgy shift to theater performance in “Equus” from his lovable “Harry Potter” character, the grown-up Haley Joel Osment was quoted as saying he was "never interested in the business of promoting myself. I really don't care if people know who I am or what's said about me. I'm just here to do a job.” “He's got it a lot tougher than I do, 'cause there's merchandise out there with him on it," he added with a laugh.

Haley Joel Osment believes that good film roles are scarce for actors in his age group. While he dreams of directing someday, he seemed to be complacent with his acting career at the moment. His advice to grown-up child actors:

"You always have to avoid working for the sake of putting yourself out there. I've been very happy with the way things have gone throughout my life, and I have my dad (actor Eugene Osment) to thank for this, because the standard has just been, `Is it a good story? Is it something that I care enough about doing to do? And is it the right type of character, too?”

Child Actor Success Story

New Faces Child Actor Dylan gets modeling and acting jobs - and fans!

Dylan Michael Patton , a New Faces member since 2000, proves that career ladders can also be climbed by children.

His mother signed him up to New Faces as an experiment. Her child, Dylan, was an actor but hadn't had success in showbiz yet. Skeptical but also very curious, she signed her son up for an online portfolio at New Faces. The rest is history.

Dylan got castings from international markets and was able to climb at the ladder of success. Dylan now has many commercials and has modeled for companies such as Target, Lands End, GUESS, Nike, Parisian, Quick Silver, O'Niell, JC Penney and many others.

He has had interviews on national television shows and landed great roles in Disney productions. Recently, Dylan booked a starring role in a feature film called Crab Orchard – a family drama starring Ed Asner and Judge Reinhold. The contact was made possible through his New Faces portfolio.

What's more to come for Dylan? He will become top teen male model for the European market. He will be doing work for GAP, GUESS, Colors, Nike and many other international companies.

Mothers surely know best.
Read more about Dylan's success in acting and modeling.