Stargate Universe is already raising the eyebrows of multiple organisations casing a global outcry for the recent casting call.
Featured below is the casting call:
[ELEANOR PERRY] (35-40) and quite attractive. A brilliant scientist who happens to be a quadriplegic. Affected since childhood, her disability has rendered her body physically useless. However, after being brought on board the Destiny as the only person who may be able to save the ship and her crew from certain annihilation, she is given temporary powers that enable her to walk again and to finally experience intimacy.sptv050769 .Strong guest lead. NAMES PREFERRED. ACTRESS MUST BE PHYSICALLY THIN. (THINK CALISTA FLOCKHART).
Critics have challenged what appears to be an insensitive description of a disabled person, such as calling her body “Physically Useless†and suggesting that she would never experience true intimacy throughout her life without the full use of her extremities.
In response to the global outcry Executive producer Brad Wright has released a statement intended to help clear up matters in a recent online community posting.
Recently, a casting breakdown was released to agents for a upcoming character in our television show, Stargate Universe. The character, Doctor Eleanor Perry, is a brilliant scientist at the top of her field, who also happens to be a quadriplegic. As part of a science fiction conceit that is core to our series, Perry’s consciousness is temporarily exchanged with one our series main characters, Camile Wray, who is a lesbian.
In the course of the story, Perry has the experience of being able bodied for the first time since she was a child. At the same time, Wray, temporarily encumbered by Perry’s physical disability, experiences the unconditional love of her life partner.
The language of the breakdown was insensitive and inaccurate, and we sincerely apologize to those who may have been offended. The audition pages that have been under scrutiny were from an early draft and released out of context. It is our desire and intention to portray both characters with dignity and respect, while remaining mindful of the ethical issues we’re raising.
You can read more on the response and out cry here »
I am so disappointed with everything I have heard about SGU so far. i can't believe SGA was dumped for this CRAP. To TPTB you have made a huge mistake and you are going to loose all us loyal fans. I'll give it 1 season before it's dumped.