'I'm a deaf actress and have been on Coronation Street - but it's not always easy'
26.11.2023 - 11:09
/ ok.co.uk
While representation is improving in television and film, one deaf actress says that more needs to be done to ensure more people like her are seen on screen. Vilma Jackson, 33, who has been on Coronation Street, is working to change the narrative about being Deaf in television and film. The actress and film director played the role of Charlie while she was on the cobbles, a British Sign Language (BSL) tutor, who was supporting parents Chesney Brown (Sam Aston) and Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell) with their deaf son Aled.
Vilma said: ''I was excited to bring British Sign Language (BSL) to mainstream audiences through the TV soap, as it represents a significant aspect of the Deaf community. "I am grateful for the opportunity to take on this role, but I strongly advocate for more deaf actors to be given substantial storylines that go beyond their deafness or disability. Limiting their roles to aspects of their condition can often feel tokenistic.
"It's crucial to provide depth and complexity to characters played by deaf actors, showcasing a broader spectrum of their talents and experiences", she added. "In many narratives, the portrayal of deaf or hard of hearing is often limited to themes of innocence, sadness, and sympathy, which leaves the general public uninformed about our true lived experiences." She says that because the depiction of deaf people is limited, it means that it creates a perception that those in the community are odd or different. Vilma said: "In reality, the hearing and deaf worlds are essentially the same.
We are not different in the ways that matter, the only distinction is our hearing status. Beyond that, there's nothing that sets us apart. "Why can't we see relationship break ups, adventures and
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