Liz Carr says disabled actors ‘must be seen’ to change discrimination they face
EXCLUSIVE: The Silent Witness actress, due to star in a Hollywood film next year, is also in new series CripTales written, directed and performed by disabled actors
Her big acting break came in Silent Witness and now, eight years later, Liz Carr is starring on the big screen.
The actress says it’s vital disabled actors are seen on TV and film to change the discrimination they face everyday.
“My life can be difficult, I need a hand to do lots of things I can’t do for myself. But those things still don’t mean I can’t be a Hollywood actress,” Liz says defiantly.
She stars in the Paramount blockbuster Infinite, out next May, alongside Mark Wahlberg and says landing her first film is a dream come true.
“I’m still blown away that I’m in it, it’s like the stuff of dreams. Imagine you’re a little kid and you’re going to see an exciting, explosive film and then there’s a wheelchair user – with a kick-ass wheelchair I may add – and doing some amazing things. We all should see that.
“No longer am I a victim in a hospital bed or someone on a walking frame struggling. But it doesn’t change who I am. If it can open doors for more of us, that can only be a good thing.”
The 48-year-old, who grew up in Birkenhead, Merseyside, discovered her talent for acting after going to a drama workshop run by Coronation Street actress Cherylee Houston, who is now a close friend.
“I went to something Cherylee was running and she was just brilliant. Now we are great friends, she is incredible and a really great actor.
“On the course she ran drama games and it clicked for me. I had gone to night classes in drama before and they were all inaccessible to me, no one wanted to pair up with me.
“But all of the acting workshops with Cherylee were accessible, so now we were playing about being different characters being silly and I thought, ‘Oh my god, I can do this’.”
It wasn’t until her early thirties realised she wanted to be an actress professionally, something she wishes she realised earlier in life, but since starring in Silent Witness from 2012 – 2018 her career has rocketed.
Though like everybody else, things have come to a standstill this year and Liz is taking her doctor’s advice, staying at home as much as possible.
She revealed she hasn’t been to a shop since March.
“I was due to have a consultation in March and they said not to come in and everything was moving to phone appointments.
“We knew about covid but it hadn’t really impacted us yet. I had a good chat with my consultant and I asked if I should be careful.
“He said I should maybe lie low for 18 months until there’s a vaccine.
“It wasn’t easy news, but it helped me know. I feel like I am in a lucky position, I have a safe place to be, a home, a partner who I love, cats, Netflix. It could be much worse.”
On Monday Liz is all over the box; appearing on Who Do You Think You Are? and then starring in CripTales, a new six-part series of film monologues.
The series is written, directed and performed by disabled actors and marks 25 years of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Liz’s episode is a dark-comic film about a woman convinced that her neighbour is cheating the benefits system.
“Everybody has a story and being a disabled person means you have a unique story. These six monologues are them,” Liz says.
“So much is not known about disability and so much feared. I can understand that because if we’re not everywhere, if access and attitudes means we don’t get to mingle and be in the same places as everyone else, then how do you know who we are?”
MirrorCeleb