A teen with autism is a feature in a recent Hollywood production.
The movie “Ezra” narrates the tale of a young child who has autism and the implications for his family.
William Fitzgerald, a fifteen-year-old native of New Jersey, is the lead, and Bobby Cannavale and Rose Byrne play his divorced parents.
“If this does get nominated for an Oscar, I might be too overwhelmed to attend. I might just, I might just say, ‘hi’ via Zoom meeting,” Fitzgerald remarked.
The set’s producers claimed that they put a lot of effort into making it more accessible and cognizant of the unique needs of those with autism spectrum disorders.
“I wanted the autism community to see this movie and be like, ‘Yep, you guys got it right,'” said Goldwyn.
Fitzgerald has ADHD and autism spectrum condition, so creating a comfortable environment for him on the set was crucial. David and Laura Fitzgerald, his parents, collaborated closely with the team.
Laura Fitzgerald stated, “They had training for the cast and crew. They always had a quiet room on set so if William needed to take a break, he could step aside and just have a quiet place to regroup,”
A neurodivergent producer and crew members were also brought on by the film’s producers to work behind the scenes.
ASD affects over 5 million adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its unemployment rate is estimated to be 85% by some.
Creating more inclusive work environments and hiring procedures can help attract capable individuals.
Despite having a similar diagnosis, William Fitzgerald claimed that his character and himself are entirely different people.
“This kid’s like the opposite of me,” he replied. “He doesn’t like hugs. … All I know is I gave hugs every two minutes to the cast.”
With an embrace, “Ezra” showed everyone what was possible and embraced William Fitzgerald.
