The to be, or not to be, of acting autistic.

Abstract

There are an increasing number of autistic characters seen in film and television, and an increasing number of autistic individuals entering the workforce. At the intersection of media and employment, only a small proportion of autistic characters are played by autistic actors. This study examines the experiences of professional autistic actors who have played autistic characters in film and television. Secondary aims examine autistic actors' impressions of autistic representations. Using thematic analysis grounded in transformative and postpositivist frameworks, nine autistic actors participated in interviews and discussed their experiences as professional actors, and their reactions to autism portrayals. Qualitative analysis of interview transcripts revealed three salient themes: (1) advantages and disadvantages of disclosing autism, (2) professional networks, and (3) windows and mirrors. Actors described trying to balance a desire to distance themselves from their diagnosis with a desire to build their resume and take advantage of opportunities specifically available for autistic actors. Actors benefited from professional support networks who were knowledgeable about autism and who advocated their inclusion and employment. They appreciated seeing autistic characters on the screen, but also expressed concerns with inauthentic casting and overrepresentations of stereotypical and misleading portrayals. Actors' recommendations for future autistic characterizations are described.Lay abstractAutistic characters are becoming more common in film and television, and a growing number of production companies are making efforts to hire autistic actors to play autistic characters. The purpose of this study is to learn about the experiences of professional autistic actors who have played autistic characters in professional media productions. We also explored autistic actors' impressions of the autistic characters they have seen on screen. We interviewed nine professional autistic actors, who discussed their experiences as professional actors playing autistic characters. Interviews revealed the following themes, including (1) the advantages and disadvantages of disclosing autism, (2) professional networks, and (3) windows and mirrors. Throughout the interviews, the actors discussed instances when they needed to identify as being autistic to take advantage of autism-focused employment opportunities, and other instances when they felt more comfortable not identifying as autistic. Actors' professional support networks were knowledgeable about autism and advocated for the inclusion and employment of autistic actors. They appreciated the growing number of autistic characters on screen but hoped more production companies invest in authentic casting initiatives. Actors compel production companies to move away from overplayed stereotypical and misleading portrayals. The actors' recommendations for future autistic characterizations are described.