2:42
- culture
- March 27, 2019
Lupita Nyong'o faces backlash for 'Us' voice
The inspiration for one of her characters' voices was a neurological disorder.
So just seeing that Lupita told Variety that her performance in #UsMovie was based on spasmodic dysphonia. Black horror has to confront the tethering (pun intended) of disability and fear. Good place to start is letting disabled people create their own representation.
— meatier shower (@zeke_nug) March 22, 2019
Please.
— TheDisabilityEnthusiast (@twitchyspoonie) March 27, 2019
Wearing disability as a costume, especially as a shorthand for \"creepy\" in a horror movie is not a sign of good acting. I'm really tired of people thinking imitating a disability is the height of acting. I'm really tired of us being used as horror movie tropes & villains. https://t.co/jJwTAiMuBB
Please comment on the voice of the main character...she is mimicking a neurological disease that destroys my life and thousands others. Spasmodic Dysphonia, Google it...she is using Robert Kennedy as her model. Have some class Peele.
— Cathy graham (@GrahamCgram51) March 25, 2019
Kimberly Kuman, executive director of the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association, also weighed in on Nyong'o's strategy of getting into character.
\"I think the biggest challenge is that it’s being associated with the terms 'creepy' and 'haunting', and the reality is once the movie is over, there still living with this voice disorder,\" she told \"Good Morning America.\"
Nyong'o previously said she drew inspiration from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s voice, as he has lived with the neurological disorder for over 20 years.
While Kennedy Jr. first tweeted that he didn't know what to make of the action, he later said he appreciated the actress raising awareness to the disorder.
\"I'm grateful to Lupita for shining the spotlight on an injury that's been starved for attention,\" Kennedy Jr. said in a statement to \"GMA.\" \"In my discussions with her I've been impressed with by sensitivity and sincerity.\"
Kuman also wants to use the increased attention surrounding the disorder to raise awareness.
\"We would like to make this a positive outcome,\" she told \"GMA.\"
\"Again, this is not how we would have wanted to raise awareness about spasmodic dysphonia, but it's an opportunity that we're going to take full advantage of.\"
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