Representing The Autism Spectrum on Television

TO ART BONITA DOT ORG. THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING PROGRAM TO PIT HAS GARNERED PRAISE FOR ITS REALISTIC MEDICAL PORTRAYALS. IT HAS ALSO BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION OF CHARACTERS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH AUTISM. ONE OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE SHOW IS PLAYED BY FORMER CAPE CORAL RESIDENT. TELL ANDERSON WGCUS DAYNA HARPSTER CAUGHT UP WITH ANDERSON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HER CONNECTION WITH HER ON-SCREEN PERSONA. >> I AM JOINED BY ONE OF THE STARS OF THE HIT HBO SERIES, THE PIT TAL ANDERSON, WHO PLAYS BECCA KING TAUB. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> HI, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP WITH WGCU OH, I LOVE HEARING THAT. THAT'S GREAT. >> YOUR CHARACTERS, A SISTER TO ONE OF THE MAIN DOCTORS IN THE SERIES AND IS A CHARACTER WITH AUTISM. THE WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PORTRAY THIS CHARACTER ON THE PROGRAM? WELL, FOR ME PERSONALLY UP, I MEAN, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF JOY. >> ASSOCIATED WITH BEING PART OF WELL WRITTEN AWARD-WINNING. >> AND WHILE RECEIPTS SHOW, BUT THIS SHOW IS SPECIAL FOR A LOT OF OTHER REASONS. THE STORY'S TOLD ON THE SHOW ARE ALL WAS THAT ADDRESS ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE, OBVIOUSLY. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY ALSO SHINE A LIGHT ON CHALLENGES THAT REAL PEOPLE FACE AND WHEN YOU SEE THAT ON SCREEN, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES A VOICE TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE EITHER BEEN SILENCE OR WHO HAVE LIVES A LONG TIME IN THE SHADOWS. YOU KNOW, MY CHARACTER THAT THE IS AN ADULT DISABLED, AUTISTIC WOMAN WITH HIGH SUPPORT NEEDS. WHO HAS WON LOVING FAMILY MAN, YOU KNOW, FAMILY MEMBER WHO KIND OF HAS ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING SURE SHE'S SAFE AND HAPPY IN THE WORLD, WHICH IS OUR SISTER AND SHE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE NORA DIVERGENT. SO THIS IS A STORY ABOUT TO REAL PEOPLE AND THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO OVERCOME TO TRY TO LIVE THEIR BEST LIVES. SO. IT MEANS A LOT TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT GOT TO LIVE ON SCREEN AND TO GIVE HER PART OF MILL STORY, A VOICE FOR ALL OF US AND WHO CAN RELATE TO HER. >> AS SOMEONE WHO HAS AUTISM, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO HAVE THIS REPRESENTATION IN THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING SHOW? >> YOU KNOW, I TALK A LOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION IN GENERAL, BUT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THAT'S THE I'M A PART OF YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TURN ON THE TV OR GO TO THE THEATER, YOUR WHOLE KNOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND YOU NEVER SEE SOMEONE ON SCREEN WHO WAS LIKE YOU IT'S IT'S REALLY TOUGH. IT MAKES YOU FEEL INVISIBLE AND ALONE. SO WHEN YOU CAN RELATE TO. >> YOU KNOW, RELATE DIRECTLY TO A CHARACTER LIKE SO MANY ARE >> DR KING AND THAT CUP. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IF THAT CHARACTER HAPPENS TO BE ON A SHOW AS RECOGNIZED IN THE IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED AND WATCHES THE PETTIS, THEN IT REALLY STARTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST PERSONALLY MORE YOU RELATE TO THOSE CHARACTERS, BUT NOW THE REST OF THE WORLD SEES THOSE CHARACTERS ALSO. AND THAT'S AND THAT'S TRUE REPRESENTATION. IT'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY. BUT THE SHOW, I THINK WELCOMES THAT RESPONSIBILITY WITH OPEN ARMS AND THEM. THEY ARE REALLY TOUCHING PEOPLE WITH THESE STORIES AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT. >> HOW ARE YOU PERSONALLY LIKE OR EVEN NOT LIKE YOUR CHARACTER BACK? A KING ON THE PIT. WELL. YEAH, AND I OUR DEFINITELY NOT THE SAME PERSON. >> I LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND I DRIVE. BUT >> WE DO SHARE A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON LIKE. WELL, WE'RE BOTH AUTISTIC AND EVEN THOUGH OUR LEVEL OF SUPPORT NEEDS IS DIFFERENT. WE BOTH STILL NEED SUPPORT FROM A LOT OF PLACES AND PEOPLE TO FUNCTION AND BE A SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL SO. AUTISTIC. ADULT WOMAN. AND AT ONE TIME WERE OFFICE OF YOUNG GIRLS AND WERE MISUNDERSTOOD PROBABLY NEED EXTRA HELP ON SCHOOLWORK AND, YOU KNOW, FELT LIKE WE WERE DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE. YOU ALSO HAVE YOUR SECOND BOOK COMING OUT THIS MONTH. CAN YOU SHARE WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT? >> YES, SO THE BOOK THAT COMES OUT THIS MONTH IS THE SECOND BOOK OF THE OLD TELL SERIES, WHICH CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK CREATED BY MYSELF AND THE ILLUSTRATOR MICHAEL RICH, WHITE. MICHAEL IS AND AWARD-WINNING HOLLYWOOD ARTISTS. AND WE MET WHILE WORKING ON A TYPICAL WHERE WE BECAME FRIENDS AFTER REALIZING HOW MUCH WE EAT HAVING COMMENT. SO THE FIRST BOOK IS CALLED O-TOWN. NOT TODAY. THE SECOND BOOK OLD TOWN, NOT LIKE THAT IS A SEQUEL TO THAT BOOK. SO IT WE FOLLOW IT. WE FOLLOWED THE CHARACTER. TELL WHO IS NON SPEAKING TO SCHOOL? THE BOOKS IN HIS SERIES ALL MODELED THE LEAD, THE EXPERIENCES OF MICHAEL AND MYSELF. SO AS CHILDREN, WE WERE BOTH CREATIVE, FELT MISUNDERSTOOD AND JUST WANT TO EXPRESS OURSELVES IN A WAY THAT WAS USUALLY VERY DIFFERENT FROM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN TOWN OF LIKE THAT TELL FINDS OUT THAT WHEN YOU DON'T SPEAK A LOT OF PEOPLE STEPPED IN TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO. YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT. SO. IN THE END, HOW ALSO DISCOVERS THAT? ITS OK TO BE DIFFERENT AND THAT THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY OF DOING THINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, MICHAEL OWEN, I CREATE THESE BOOKS. SO KIDS WHO MAYBE FEEL LIKE WE DID WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES AND CHARACTER AND BE ENCOURAGED TO EMBRACE THEIR DIFFERENCES. >> YOU CAN CATCH HAL ON THAT HIT STREAMING ON HBO. MAX. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.