After 'CODA,' How Is Hollywood Faring on Disability Representation? – TheWrap

After ‘CODA,’ How Is Hollywood Faring on Disability Representation?

The Best Picture win was a watershed moment, but the disability community is still fighting for systemic change

Emilia Jones and Troy Kotsur in CODA (Apple)

Kristen Lopez

January 6, 2025 @ 4:19 PM

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If one were to ask the average media viewer about disability at the Academy Awards, they’d probably refer to Marlee Matlin winning the Oscar for Best Actress for the 1986 feature “Children of a Lesser God” and the 2021 feature “CODA” winning Best Picture. But to the disabled community, these two wins illustrate the highs and lows of the con- tinued struggle for representation on-screen.

Though one in four people have a disability in the United States, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that number is not reflected in entertainment. According to a 2024 study from USC Annenberg, 2.2% of all characters in the films of 2023 had a disability, a 0.3% increase from the previous year. And according to GLAAD’s 2022 “Where Are We on TV” report, only 2.8% of all series regulars were characters with disabilities. So, this raises [...]

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