Film Casting & Portrayal

Clive Mason and Heidi Koivisto-Robertson investigate recent and historical portrayals of deaf characters in mainstream cinema. From Charlie Chaplin's early silent movies to new films like The Tribe, we look at how deaf people have been portrayed on the silver screen with varying degrees of accuracy. Plus, we explore the issue of whether hearing actors should be chosen to play deaf characters. With our own mock casting session, we'll see whether deaf actors can compete with their hearing counterparts to secure leading roles.