Miss-Delectable
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To play a deaf child, cast a deaf child
When the makers of Orphan were casting their new horror thriller, their biggest concern was to find a young actress capable of playing a hearing impaired child. And then eight-year-old Vancouverite Aryana Engineer entered the picture, and their problem was solved. Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra had already cast 12-year-old Isabelle Fuhrman in the role of an adopted child who reveals herself as a homicidal monster. Collet-Serra knew it was crucial to cast the right young actress as the younger, profoundly deaf sister. Aryana was "very natural," even though this is her film debut, said the director. Aryana is hearing impaired and fluent in both sign language and lip-reading. Collet-Serra says Aryana rose to the emotional demands of a role which -- among other things -- required her to cry. The director suggested Aryana imagine that her cat, Cinders, was sick. "And she cried immediately. At the same time she was able, while crying, to perform a scene -- to immediately go from there still keeping this emotion. When she did that, I knew we had our little girl."
That's what all other directors should do- employ a deaf child or adult to emulate a deaf character.
When the makers of Orphan were casting their new horror thriller, their biggest concern was to find a young actress capable of playing a hearing impaired child. And then eight-year-old Vancouverite Aryana Engineer entered the picture, and their problem was solved. Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra had already cast 12-year-old Isabelle Fuhrman in the role of an adopted child who reveals herself as a homicidal monster. Collet-Serra knew it was crucial to cast the right young actress as the younger, profoundly deaf sister. Aryana was "very natural," even though this is her film debut, said the director. Aryana is hearing impaired and fluent in both sign language and lip-reading. Collet-Serra says Aryana rose to the emotional demands of a role which -- among other things -- required her to cry. The director suggested Aryana imagine that her cat, Cinders, was sick. "And she cried immediately. At the same time she was able, while crying, to perform a scene -- to immediately go from there still keeping this emotion. When she did that, I knew we had our little girl."
That's what all other directors should do- employ a deaf child or adult to emulate a deaf character.