Hollywood’s diversity push snubs actors with disabilities

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood’s move toward diversity has largely ignored a big group: people with disabilities.

According to industry insiders and observers, the groundswell of change and explosion of content hasn’t created significantly more work for actors with disabilities or authentic on-screen depictions.

There are some high-profile successes, among them little person Peter Dinklage of TV’s “Game of Thrones.”

But one study found that in 900 recent films, less than 3 percent of characters with speaking parts had a disability. This compares to the nearly 20 percent of Americans with some form of disability.

Another study looked at the 10 top-rated broadcast and cable shows airing in 2016. It found a near-absence of characters with disabilities played by actors who have disabilities.