Visible difference continues to be used as a sign of evil and villainy on stage and screen, negatively impacting the visible difference community, especially around Halloween.
This damaging stereotype is often seen in Halloween costumes, not only through the characters people dress as – e.g. Joker and Freddy Krueger – but also in the fake scars, burns and other prosthetics sold in shops.
That’s why, we’re asking casting agents to do their bit towards positive change by diversifying the actors they hire and breaking down stereotypes in the media. Read our letter:
Dear Casting Agents,
Visible differences – scars, marks, burns, and conditions that affect one’s appearance – should never define a character. Yet far too often, film and TV cast people with visible differences as villains, reinforcing harmful stereotypes that shape how society views the visible difference community.
This isn’t just lazy storytelling; it has real-world consequences that influence how people with a visible difference are treated. And that can impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing. That’s especially true at this time of year when we celebrate Halloween – we often hear comments like “it’s a bit early for Halloween”, or “no need for a mask”.
It’s time for hurtful comments that associate difference with evil to end. We hope you’ll play your part.
People with a visible difference can play villains. They can also play the hero, the love interest or the family member. But we rarely see that.
In a recent survey, just 17% of respondents had seen someone with a visible difference cast as the hero. And over half of those surveyed feel people with visible differences are inaccurately represented in film and TV, showing a persistent lack of range and opportunity. (Focaldata 2024).
We want more roles to be open to people with a visible difference, reflecting the reality of their lives and breaking the damaging link between difference and evil.
Casting agents have the power to change this. You can help change that by:
- actively casting people with visible differences in a wide range of roles – heroes, love interests, family, and friends
- challenging harmful stereotypes in scripts, briefs, and character descriptions
- championing authentic representation behind the scenes by involving people with lived experience in shaping storylines and characters
The ‘I Am Not Your Villain’ campaign, launched in 2018 with support from the BFI, challenged the industry to stop using visible differences as shorthand for evil. Now, we’re asking you to continue this positive change by ensuring representation is accurate, diverse, and meaningful.
Thank you for supporting the lives of people with a visible difference.
Signed,
Changing Faces, the charity for everyone with a visible difference.