Being Heumann Brings Disability Rights History to the Screen

Apple’s Being Heumann dramatizes a defining moment in the disability rights movement: the 1977 occupation of the San Francisco offices of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Ruth Madeley stars as activist Judy Heumann, whose organizing helped drive the protest against delays in implementing federal antidiscrimination rules for disabled people. Siân Heder, director of CODA, made the film.

The sit-in lasted nearly a month. The occupation became a landmark in the push for disability rights and helped pave the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990. Heumann, known as the “Mother of the Disability Rights Movement,” also worked to advance landmark legislation including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Heder said the occupation offered a rare sense of freedom and community for the activists. People could move in ways they might feel judged for outside, she said, and some did not want to leave when the sit-in ended. Mark Ruffalo plays Joseph A. Califano Jr., the former HEW secretary who initially opposed the regulations.

For Madeley, who has spina bifida, playing Heumann is both a career milestone and a chance to continue her legacy. She said a leading Hollywood role of this kind had not previously gone to a disabled actor. Madeley also hopes viewers can watch the film wherever they are most comfortable.

The film’s creators see its reach as part of its message about accessibility. Heder said humor helps audiences lower their guard, even as the story addresses serious struggles. Madeley said Heumann’s commitment to changing Hollywood remains a mission she intends to carry forward.