Abigail Breslin: Helen Keller Controversy

Abigail Breslin is an actress well beyond her years and the recent news of the 13-year-old landing the role of Helen Keller in Broadway’s revival of The Miracle Worker this winter proves it.

But her casting is upsetting several blind and deaf advocacy groups. Sharon Jensen, executive director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, an advocacy group for blind and deaf actors, among others, said in an interview late Wednesday that her organization strongly opposed a decision by the producers to not audition actresses for the part who shared Helen‘s disabilities.

Sharon shared via the New York Times, “We do not think it’s O.K. for reputable producers to cast this lead role without seriously considering an actress from our community. I understand how difficult it is to capitalize a new production on Broadway, but that to me is not the issue. There are other, larger human and artistic issues at stake here.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK of the casting of Abigail in The Miracle Worker?