Actor Adam Pearson Wants to Normalize Facial Disfigurement

British actor Adam Pearson says stories about disability that he would like to see in Hollywood.

The 39-year-old, who suffers from neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), plays in Another mana black comedy inspired by his confident personality, written and directed by Aaron Schimberg.

IN movieSet to premiere on September 20, Adam plays Oswald, a facially disfigured actor who is cast as Edward (Sebastian Stan), an aspiring actor with a similar disfigurement, in a stage production based on Edward’s life.

Adam Pearson hopes to dispel the spell of facial disfigurement with his new film, Another man

Image Sources: IMDB

Adam previously collaborated with Scarlett Johansson on the 2014 thriller. Under the skin and Schimberg’s 2019 film Chained for life.

“I enjoy it and luckily people seem to accept what I do,” said the London-born actor, who jokingly calls himself “God’s favourite disabled guy”. People Magazine.

‘I think if I don’t educate, I’m being reckless and irresponsible,’ said the British actor, who lives with neurofibromatosis type 1

Image Source: Adam Pearson

Adam believes that Hollywood writers write “lazy scripts” to tell stories about people with disability.

“I don’t think there are enough disabled voices in the creative process,” he said.

“It annoys me when people pretend they can’t find them. Of course, you don’t have to do that, but don’t be surprised if what you create turns out to be garbage.”

Adam was five years old when he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1, an incurable genetic disease that affects the entire nervous system (brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves) and can cause tumors to form.

NF1 is a common form neurofibromatosiswhich accounts for 96% of cases. It is estimated to affect 1 in 3,000 births worldwide per year, according to Cleveland Clinic.

As Dr. Jaishri Blakeley, director of the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center, explains, the disease has “a variety of symptoms.”

The most common symptoms of this disease are cognitive impairment and tumors of the deep nerves or nerves running to the skin.

Facial hypertrophy is less common, and those who do have it “face a lot of stigma from society,” adds Dr. Blakeley.

Image Source: Adam Pearson

By the time Adam was eight, the tumors had progressed and he was teased at school for his appearance. This continued into high school.

“Always The Elephant Man Or The Hunchback of Notre Dame “I was on TV and the next day I heard that nickname,” he recalled.

“High school was especially painful. I took a deep breath before walking through the gates and tried to hold on.”

In the film, Adam plays Oswald, an actor with a disfigured face who is cast in the role of Edward (Sebastian Stan), an aspiring actor with a similar condition.

Photo sources: Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival

The actor never felt sorry for himself over NF1. “You can get bogged down in, ‘This isn’t fair. Why is life so cruel?’ That doesn’t solve anything.”

People still stare at him on the street, some just curious, others with malicious intent.

“I think an honest conversation can go a long way,” Adam said.

“Curiosity should be met with kindness. All people want is to know that you’re okay and that they’ll be okay, too. After that, it’s easy.”

Image Source: Adam Pearson

He continued, “If people want to talk, let’s talk. I know a few in disabled people community say, “It’s not my job to educate you about disabilities.” But we are the experts.

“I think if I don’t educate, I’m reckless and irresponsible.”

“We wanted to create something that would change the way people think, not what they think, and spark conversation and debate,” said Adam

His appearances on the big screen also fulfill an educational function as they contribute to the destigmatization of this disease.

“My disability has opened more doors for me than it has closed,” Adam said.

“If what I’m doing now means that younger Adam Pearsons don’t have to go through hell at school, or that someone who looks like me can walk into a pub and it won’t be a big deal, then I’ve achieved my goal.”

In February last year, after the film’s premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, Sebastian Stan he defended his co-star from a reporter who used the word “beast” to refer to people with facial deformities.

“I think that’s one of the things the movie says — we have certain preconceived ideas and we don’t really know how to specifically understand the experience,” Sebastian replied.

The article ‘My Disability Has Opened Doors for Me’: Actor Adam Pearson Wants to Normalize Facial Disfigurement first appeared on Bored Panda.