Millicent Simmonds, a breakout star in films such as Wonderstruck and A Quiet Place, has made her Broadway debut in Grey House.
In this latest episode of “The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal,” Simmonds sat down with Paul Wontorek to chat about her experiences as a Deaf actor on stage and screen.
The 20-year-old BAFTA-nominated actor never expected her career to take off so quickly. The shortage of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in acting led to her desire to prove she was capable. “I didn’t see a lot of representation,” Simmonds said. “My first exposure [to] a Deaf actor was Nyle [DiMarco] on ‘America’s Next Top Model,’ and I watched all of his videotapes, his YouTube, whatever he was in. But I didn’t think I would be able to succeed in the industry and Hollywood.”
“I’m very fortunate to be able to be where I am today,” she continued. “And it’s not only me. You’re seeing so much more deaf representation onstage, on the big screen, on television.”
Her role of Bernie in Grey House is another step in her effort to break down those boundaries, and the Broadway community has welcomed Simmonds with enthusiasm...READ MORE