A concerned parent has appealed to film directors and producers to avoid casting persons with dwarfism in roles that portray the consumption of hard substances such as alcohol and drugs, following a viral video of actor Don Little on set appearing to drink alcohol and smoke a lit substance.
He argued that young children who come across such content might misunderstand it and assume that other children are engaging in such acts.
Samuel Fahren Otoo, a parent on Facebook, took to the social media platform to express his concerns. In a post that has gone viral, he wrote:
“It is my wish that movie writers and producers make a conscious effort to avoid portraying actors with dwarfism as characters who are seen smoking or drinking. I had to explain to my curious son that the actor is an adult but has dwarfism, which affects his growth blah blah blah. Here he was saying why is this small boy smoking which is not good for his health. At least I was happy with the knowledge that smoking is bad but dwarf na beer na cigarette nso den? Stop rough”.
Experts in the field of disability and media representation have weighed in on the issue. A disability rights advocate, notes that the portrayal of individuals with dwarfism in media is often problematic.
“In many cases, actors with dwarfism are cast in roles that reinforce negative stereotypes about people with disabilities. It’s not just about avoiding smoking and drinking, it’s about creating characters that are complex and multi-dimensional, rather than relying on tired tropes and stereotypes.”
The issue is not just about the portrayal of individuals with dwarfism, but also about the lack of representation in media overall.
“People with disabilities are underrepresented in media, and when we are represented, it’s often in negative or stereotypical ways. We need to see more diverse and inclusive representation in film and television, and that includes people with dwarfism in a wide range of roles and contexts.”
Watch the video of Don Little below;
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian film industry has faced criticism for its handling of disability representation.
In recent years, there have been several instances of actors with disabilities being cast in roles that are not suitable for their abilities.
In one notable case, an actor with a physical disability was cast as a lead character in a film, only to be replaced by a non-disabled actor at the last minute.
This is what Ghanaians are saying
PARROT300:
This isn’t a joke. It affects little kids because they always think this 43-year-old who stands 3.5 feet tall is a kid.
Bawa Samuel:
That’s because they failed to train them and lack proper teaching and upbringing. And why would little children watch such movies when there are cartoons and educational movies?
MANSION:
This is a valid point. A lot of kids see them as their age mate; hence, they might end up portraying their styles, actions, and behaviours.
Chingy Lorrenzo:
I believe what he is saying is true and should be looked into, or something should be done.
FlyGhana:
If your child go smoke, he/she go smoke.
Starboi Zamani:
Ghana dier Gyiemi nkoaaa.
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