'Elle' and the Open Casting Call Opportunity for Disabled Artists (with a Sabrina Carpenter Chaser)
Elle Woods is and will always be one of my idols. I was in middle school when the first Legally Blonde movie came out, so part of my attraction to her might’ve been that I loved pink (and still do). The movie might’ve also been the catalyst of my obsession with being in a sorority in college for which it owes me an apology.
Either way, Elle has indisputable privilege hers is an underdog story at its core.
When I saw that Prime Video and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine were holding a virtual open casting call to find the young Ms. Woods for the upcoming prequel series, Elle, I squealed inside.
So, for Disability Employment Awareness Month, I wanted to tell the world why it was such a huge and wonderful opportunity for the disabled community via a mainstream brand, but the pitch didn’t sell (because I’ve seen zero brands acknowledge it at all, let alone in a real way).
For The Rolling Byline, I wrote a letter to every disabled woman who saw that open casting call and didn’t think to submit a video.
Dear Rolling (or otherwise disabled) Elle Woods,
Elle Woods deserves all of your admiration. She’s a sparkly, pink, bedazzled underdog who breaks through barriers with a smile and doesn’t even think about sticking a diamond-clad middle finger in anyone’s face after she does it.
She follows her heart and trusts her intuition while defending her clients, friends, and anyone else who genuinely needs her help. At first glance, she’s easy to write off, but her enemies usually regret it and her favorite form of revenge is justice.
Elle is abled and has privileges (including but not limited to Pretty Girl privilege) — but her journey also has similarities to some disabled ones. I still remember the look on some high school teachers’ faces when I got an A on a test (“What, like it’s hard?”).
She’s a fictional icon and if you’re a disabled actor or even just a dreamer like me, it’s natural to be sad you’re not going to be cast as Elle Woods in Elle, even though Prime Video and Hello Sunshine are holding an open casting call.
Reese Witherspoon is able-bodied and Elle didn’t have a disability in the films, so the teenage version of her isn’t going to have a visible (or probably indivisible) disability.
But when I heard the open casting call news, I was excited for you. Yes, you. The disabled girl, boy, or gender-nonconforming person who is a decade (plus) younger than me and reading this letter.
I’m not a teenager and I can’t pass for one, but maybe you can. And open-hearted, open-minded Elle wouldn’t think twice about having a disabled friend or friends in any other minority group while in high school in the ‘90s.
She’s the opposite of a mean girl. Plus, the fact that she wouldn’t think twice about her friends’ identities would make a complex storyline (because it’s a problem she’d hopefully fix).
By the time this letter goes live, there will only be a few more days to submit audition videos to FindingElle.com.
I had to write this letter and publish it somewhere to tell every disabled, queer, gender non-conforming, racial, or ethnic minority to put themselves on tape after they’re done reading.
An open casting call provides a unique opportunity to get your face in front of casting directors. Whether this was intentional or not, during Disability Employment Awareness Month, the casting team behind Elle gave disabled people a chance to get in the metaphorical room—and we need every opportunity we can get.
You’re not going to be cast as a member of the Woods family — but maybe you’re talent catches someone’s eye and you’re cast as a friend, a rival, or something in between.
I have no idea how one goes about getting cast on a television show in Hollywood. But I know that allowing someone to tape an audition wherever they want makes the process accessible and equitable.
Maybe a close-minded casting director (‘s assistant, let’s be realistic) exits out of a video if the person on tape doesn’t look like a young Witherspoon. But a good one is always searching for talent — and knows a star when they see one.
So, go shine! Elle Woods would demand it of you (and provide hair, makeup, and styling services for free).
Short N’ Sweet Post-Script
I saw Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet Tour at Madison Square Garden on September 29. As a freelance writer transitioning out of a weekend position, I felt endorphins from the luxury of being able to schedule something fun on a weekend and scoring one of the hottest tickets of the fall late when the wheelchair user hack came through.
When I decided to launch The Rolling Byline, writing a review of the show for this week seemed like a must.
But then I got there and Sabrina’s set was only an hour and my seats, although good, didn’t allow me to see any of the nuances that make reviews worth reading.
So, to stay on theme, I wrote a few short notes on the Short N’ Sweet Tour instead of lengthy prose. And, where better to put a few thoughts about Sabrina Carpenter than on a post about another iconic blonde?
It’s sexy but I don’t get all the controversy. I never did get to see the Onyx Hotel Tour, but Short N’ Sweet was tame compared to photos I saw of Britney.
The house set and production vibe are perfectly vintage.
She makes a big deal about not doing the “Nonsense” outros with audio clips about how people only come to the shows for them, which is well, nonsense.
I love that she performs every song on Short N’ Sweet, but she definitely could’ve added some deep cuts to extend the set.
After seeing her live, my favorite song of hers is “Because I Liked a Boy” but I wish she’d done “Exhale.” I’m always seeking peace and I love a ballad.
She sings, but there’s definitely a backing track at least sometimes — everyone who dances uses them.
The End.