Hugo Weaving Stars In A Short Film That Aims To Remove The Stigma Attached To Autism
"Autism doesn't discriminate."
Actor Hugo Weaving has appeared alongside his teenaged nephew, Ky Greenwood, in a four minute short film about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The film is called Living with Autism — Ky’s Story, and explores the various challenges faced by people living with autism, along with those faced by their families.
“It doesn’t matter what colour your skin is, or where you live, or whether you’re rich or poor,” explains Weaving. “Autism doesn’t discriminate.” The actor goes on to talk about the social hurdles faced by the approximately one in every 100 children, including his nephew, who are diagnosed with ASD.
The short was developed by mental health service providers Sentis, and screened earlier this week at Gold Coast University Hospital. Speaking to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Weaving downplayed the role his celebrity may have lent the project, while praising the film as “a wonderful piece of work.”
Greenwood mirrored his uncle’s sentiments, telling the paper that the film was “really good,” and that he hoped “people will understand me now – that I’m different to everyone else.”