Marissa Bode, who plays the character Nessarose in the film “Wicked,” took to TikTok to address the derogatory comments made about her character and her disability. Bode explained that while she is fine with jokes about her character, she is not okay with aggressive comments and jokes about Nessa’s disability. She emphasized that disability is not fictional, and the comments made about her and her character are deeply uncomfortable.
Bode also shared her frustration with the ableist jokes she has received, even before being cast in “Wicked.” She highlighted the harmful impact of such comments on real disabled people, including herself. She urged non-disabled people to do the work of dissecting and unlearning their ableism, emphasizing the importance of listening to disabled voices.
The actor, who made her feature film debut in “Wicked,” expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent physically disabled individuals by playing Nessarose. Bode hopes that her role will pave the way for increased representation of disabled talent in the industry. She concluded her message by emphasizing the importance of listening and understanding one another, echoing the themes of “Wicked.”
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