Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

John Krasinski Insisted on Hiring a Deaf Actress to Play His Daughter in 'A Quiet Place'

John Krasinski Insisted on Hiring a Deaf Actress to Play His Daughter in 'A Quiet Place'
Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images

Most people know John Krasinski best as the actor who played affable paper salesman Jim Halpert on The Office. However, A Quiet Place, which premiered on April 6 in the United States, is Krasinski's directorial debut, and the film is already making waves: it led the box office with a gross of $50 million on its opening weekend, and has enjoyed positive reviews from critics and audiences alike (it has a 97% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes).

When he was in the process of casting his first feature film, Krasinski had more than a good story in mind—he was also very conscious of accurate representation in his casting. In the film, Krasinski's character's daughter is deaf, and the director insisted she be played by a deaf actress.


During the casting process, Krasinski pushed for deaf actress Millicent Simmonds.

Simmonds made her debut in 2017's Wonderstruck, which was also acclaimed by critics. Though only 14 years old, she's already an advocate for the deaf community. In October 2017, she told People:

I want to see more deaf people have the opportunity to become actors. And I want [hearing people] to know that it's okay to learn ASL. 98, maybe 99% of deaf children with hearing parents, their parents do not learn sign language and the children are forced to speak and lip-read. At my school, I see all the deaf children who are frustrated because their parents don't sign and they don't communicate with them well. The oral approach to lip read and speak is very anti-sign language and I want to say, learn sign language first. It's very easy for everyone to learn. No one is judging you and it'll be an amazing experience.

Scott Beck, one of the film's writers, told Huffpost what it was like having Millicent on board.

We always had a deaf character in the script, but John really pushed for them to hire Millicent. She came to set and taught everyone sign language. It was really amazing and brought an extra depth to the film.

In A Quiet Place, monsters roam a post-apocalyptic world and hunt anything that makes even the quietest sound. Simmonds plays the daughter of Emily Blunt and John Krasinski (who happen to be married in real life), who must raise their two children in complete silence while also preparing for the birth of a third.

If your a fan of suspenseful thrillers OR deaf representation in modern films, 'A Quiet Place' might just be the film for you!

H/T - Huffpost, People

More from Trending

Screenshot from Kelli Klement's TikTok video; Child stressed out on flight
@kelliklement8/TikTok; Cunaplus_M.Faba/Getty Images

Dad Sparks Debate After Leaving Young Son Alone To Sit Between Two Strangers On Flight

Can we all agree that parents who leave their children in the care of women, simply because they're women, are among the biggest "parenting fail" candidates?

TikToker Kelli Klement recently boarded a flight and sat down in a row of three seats, with another woman sitting at the other end of the row, leaving the seat between them empty.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump signing executive order flanked by children "signing" the same thing
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Ripped For Using Children As Props In Bizarre Signing Ceremony To Dismantle Education Department

President Donald Trump was criticized after he used children as props during a dystopian signing ceremony to officially begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education (DOE).

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the DOE—an apparent attempt to bypass Congressional approval, which is required to formally shut down a federal agency.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Adding Another Mind-Boggling Rule For 'Real Men'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, who is apparently an authority of what it means to be a manly man, gave jazz hands to make a point about how "real men" should or shouldn't wave.

The target of his ridicule was Tim Walz, the enthusiastic Democratic Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate who often greets the public by raising both hands in the air to wave.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of crowd at town hall and Rep. Mike Flood
@MorePerfectUS/X; KETV NewsWatch 7

GOP Rep. Goes Viral For His Response To Crowd Chanting 'Tax The Rich' At Town Hall

Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood was criticized following his incredulous response to a crowd that chanted "Tax the rich!" during a town hall meeting.

The Columbus High School auditorium hosted the town hall on Tuesday evening, drawing "nearly 380" attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha. The event was lively, with Flood facing both sharp criticism over Trump administration policies and some appreciation for showing up in person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Awkward Typo In Elon Musk's Bizarre 'Education Department' Trump Meme Is A Total Self-Own

Billionaire Elon Musk was widely mocked after he celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order to begin to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by posting a meme of Trump at the department's grave, only for an awkward misspelling to get all the attention.

Polling indicates that eliminating the Education Department is largely unpopular, with 60% of registered voters opposing the move, according to a Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10. Support stands at 33%, with opposition particularly strong among Democrats—98% oppose it, while just 1% support it.

Keep ReadingShow less