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Pei Tebow

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Aug 2, 2024, 9:02:50 AM8/2/24

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As an actress herself, she had been excited at the prospect of a new and extended take on the story, to be made in an era when opportunities for and the rights of marginalised people are at least on the agenda.

If it transpires that this is indeed what has happened, it will be far from the first instance of a major Hollywood production bypassing the opportunity to cast actors with dwarfism in roles for which they are, at the very least, objectively the right size.

Taika Waititi\\u2019s long-gestating remake of the cult movie Time Bandits has come under fire from the granddaughter of one of the original\\u2019s cast members for failing to provide onscreen opportunities for little people.

Abbie Purvis, whose grandfather Jack played Wally in Terry Gilliam\\u2019s 1981 hit, has slammed the planned 10-part Apple TV+ series for after an initial cast announcement that was big on average-statured actors but short on little people. (It should be noted, though, that future cast announcements could well include short-statured performers.)

Advocacy group Little People America (LPA) defines dwarfism as \\u201Ca medical or genetic condition that usually results in an adult height of 4 foot 10 inches (147 cm) or shorter among both men and women\\u201D. The average height of an adult with dwarfism is 4 foot, the LPA claims, \\u201Cbut typical heights range from 2 foot 8 to 4 foot 8.\\u201D

While none of the character names so far announced correlate to the original bandits \\u2013 leaving open the possibility that those roles are yet to be assigned \\u2013 at least one comes close: the new series has a Widgit, to be played by Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, whose height is recorded as 5 foot 8 inches (172cm), while the original film had a Fidget, played by the 3 foot 8 inch (112 cm) Kenny Baker.

Taking to TikTok to voice her frustration, Abbie Purvis said \\u201Cfor a generation that is so big on talking about inclusivity and diversity and making sure everyone\\u2019s heard, this whole casting choice just seems absurd\\u201D.

The announced cast of Apple\\u2019s Time Bandits series includes Lisa Kudrow as Penelope; Kal-El Tuck as Kevin; Charlyne Yi as Judy; Tadhg Murphy as Alto; Roger Jean Nsengiyumva as Widgit; Rune Temte as Bittelig; Kiera Thompson as Saffron; and Kiwi actress Rachel House as Fianna.

She said Apple\\u2019s cast announcement appeared to indicate \\u201Cthat what was once a story that centred a group of disabled individuals is now a story that has chosen to deliberately exclude disabled actors\\u201D.

In 2012, Snow White and The Huntsman attracted the opprobrium of activists and short-statured actors for its use of average-sized people in the roles of the dwarves. That film\\u2019s actors said they had \\u201Crevelled in the novelty\\u201D of playing at dwarves, .

\\u201CPersonally I don\\u2019t think they should have that privilege until I\\u2019m cast in a rom-com and, thanks to CGI, can revel in the novelty of playing an average-height woman,\\u201D she told this masthead at the time.

Nor has Amazon\\u2019s big-budget Lord of the Rings production found space for dwarf actors in its cast, despite the fact that dwarves comprise an entire race and major storyline in The Rings of Power.

Discovered in 2016, a roughly Earth-sized planet orbiting our nearest neighboring star might be habitable. This artist's impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the solar system. ESO/M. Kornmesser hide caption

This story is part of Short Wave's Space Camp series about all the weird, wonderful things happening in the universe. Check out more from the full series.