Todd Haynes’ recent romantic drama Carol made fans out of quite a few viewers on the merit of cinematographer Ed Lachmann’s gorgeous camerawork, performances of masterly restraint from leads Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, and an ambient atmosphere of unbearable longing and desire. But it had its fair share of detractors, and among them one complaint recurred more frequently than all others: namely, that nothing happened. To quote my own mother, “There was so much staring out of windows, it could’ve been an ad for Windex.”
With his next film Wonderstruck, Haynes will send a very clear message to the player-haters who wished his films were a little more chatty: he doesn’t give a flying fig. His adaptation of Brian Selznick’s 2011 novel will play out in two parts, one focusing on a boy named Ben in 1977 Minnesota and the other featuring Rose, a deaf girl growing up in 1927 New Jersey. Those who found Haynes’ most recent work a little languid will most likely bristle at the news that Rose’s half of the film will be entirely silent, in an homage to filmmaking’s nascency as well as a formal reproduction of her deafness. But for everyone else, most especially young Millicent Simmonds, this is exciting news.
The 13-year-old newcomer has just been announced as the star of Wonderstruck in Deadline, marking both the arrival of a fresh new talent as well as a valuable opportunity for representation of the deaf-actor community. In fact, Haynes’ newest will employ an unprecedented number of deaf actors for Rose‘s half of the film, providing work to performers who face a lot of opposition when searching for roles. Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Jaden Michael, and Haynes’ frequent collaborator Julianne Moore (Safe, Far From Heaven) will also star in the upcoming film.
A Utah native without any major film credits to her name, young Simmonds is expected to make quite a splash both as a new face in the industry as well as an icon for deaf and otherwise sensory-disabled actors. Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin has set a positive example with a string of respectable roles that incorporate her deafness without reducing her to it entirely, but Hollywood’s a big town. There’s plenty of room for actors of every sort, as well there should be.
