Sia’s new film Music, has been under extreme scrutiny and is turning out to be one of the most controversial films being discussed in the last year. Whether you have seen posts on Instagram, TikTok, or have had in-depth conversations about the controversy, all conclusions lead to the fact that Sia is not only refusing to have proper representation of the autistic community, but rather is making a mockery of this community. For those that may not know the premise of the film, it centers around Music (Maddie Ziegler), a young nonverbal girl on the autism spectrum, as her recently sober half-sister Zu (Kate Hudson), becomes her sole legal guardian.
The initial controversy began when many people questioned why Sia had made the decision to hire a neurotypical actor to play a neurodivergent character back in November when the trailer was first released. Although Maddie Ziegler has been a part of Sia’s projects in the past, her portrayal of someone on the autism spectrum was seen as disrespectful, untrue, and a clear form of ableism in Hollywood. This ultimately leads to a larger question that needs to be addressed in the film industry: Should neurotypical actors be allowed to play neurodivergent characters? The short answer is no, but history has shown that this hasn’t always been the case. Actors like Eddie Redmayne and Dustin Hoffman have received awards and accolades for their performances for such roles. Although, some of us may love these characters and the movies that portray them, that doesn’t dismiss the fact that Hollywood has a long history of turning away neurodivergent actors from taking on these roles.
In response to many people’s criticisms of Sia’s decision, she tweeted that: “[She] actually tried working with a beautiful young girl non-verbal on the spectrum and [the girl] found it unpleasant and stressful. So that’s why [she] cast Maddie.”
Firstly, Sia’s response seemed more of a justification, rather than an acknowledgment of another form of ableism in a film that claims to speak for the autism community. One individual tweeted “Several autistic actors, myself included, responded to these tweets. We all said we could have acted in it on short notice. These excuses are just that — excuses. The fact of the matter is zero effort was made to include anyone who is actually autistic.” Sia then replied: “Maybe you’re just a bad actor.”
Ultimately, the decision for Sia to tweet this to the individual was harmful and further proves that she hadn’t made much of an effort to seek out those who would be able to provide an authentic representation of the character. Prior to the movie being released, there had been a whole lot of criticism which did not bode well with Sia. She took to Twitter: “I cast thirteen neuroatypical people, three trans folk, and not as f****** prostitutes or drug addicts but as doctors, nurses and singers. F****** sad nobody’s even seen the dang movie. My heart has always been in the right place.”
Furthermore, Sia announced that she had partnered with Autism Speaks, one of the largest autism organizations in the country. By disclosing this partnership, Sia most likely hoped to ease some of the criticisms of the lack of accurate representation within the community, when in reality it did the opposite. This is because Autism Speaks is notoriously known for not helping autistic people and those on the spectrum. Their main purpose is to “end autism,” which buys into a desire for an ableist society and a rejection of anything that opposes the “norm.” Overall, this organization uses fear tactics in their marketing campaigns and masks it as autism awareness. The fact of the matter is that the autism community is one that is enriching, beautiful, and something that should be celebrated. Sia’s decision to partner with this organization is further evidence that she did not do enough research when making this film.
It was even reported that Maddie Ziegler had felt uncomfortable taking on the role as she did not want others to think she was making fun of individuals within the autism community. Since the release of the film, the criticism has only worsened. The film also includes scenes where Ziegler’s character is put into restraints, which is something that is extremely opposed within the autism community. Following criticisms of this disturbing scene, Sia took to Twitter to apologize and announce that she plans to have a warning prior to the movie as well as to remove the scene in further printings. Despite many petitions to have this film canceled, Sia had announced that they do indeed plan to go through with the release of the film. Sia’s film was even nominated for two golden globes, despite the ongoing criticism.
Although it may seem intriguing to watch this film due to the controversy and curiosity, I urge you against that instinct. I understand that desire because we all do it – watch videos on the recent celebrity drama and gossip. But the thing is when you watch this film, you are ultimately supporting it and dismissing the harmful nature of this film. I hope this article allows you to have a clearer understanding of how these ableist actions can be damaging to a community that deserves better.