Casting Call for Feature Film

Casting a blind teenage role
Hi. My name is John August. I’m a screenwriter and novelist. Some of my credits include Go, Big Fish, Charlie’s Angels, the 2019 version of Aladdin and the Arlo Finch books.

I’ve written a new movie that I’m planning to direct. It’s called The Shadows. It’s a thriller. The main character is a 15-year-old girl named Abby. She’s smart, resourceful and anxious. Her fight-or-flight instinct is always on. She has very little chill.

Abby is also blind. She’s been totally blind since birth.

I need to find a blind actress who can play this role. That could be tricky, because it’s not like there’s a list out there. So I’d love your help.

If you’re a teenage girl with blindness and a strong interest in acting, you can read the audition scenes and put yourself on tape. You don’t have to have acting experience, but you definitely need enthusiasm and authenticity.

If you’re anyone else, you can help by passing along this casting call to anyone you think might know an Abby. Friends, neighbors, teachers, your cousin on Facebook. My hunch is that the actress I’m looking for doesn’t think of herself as an actress, because she hasn’t had a lot of opportunities. This could be her chance, and I don’t want her to miss it. So please pass along this link.

The Role
Abby Larson is the central role in the story. She’s fifteen and in foster care. She reads a ton — both books and people’s motives. Her unstable childhood has left her wary. She doesn’t trust anyone but herself.

In terms of other movies, the best comparisons are probably Natalie Portman’s role in The Professional or Haley Joel Osment’s role in The Sixth Sense. It’s a challenging part, but one that could be spectacular with the right performer.

The role is written to be 15 years old. Not 10, not 20. She’s definitely a teenager.

She’s American. Any English-speaking person is welcome to audition. If accents become an issue, we’ll figure it out. Same for race and ethnicity. Please don’t assume you’re not who I’m looking for.

That said: this is a blind character. Sighted actors should not audition for this role. There are plenty of other parts for sighted actors, both in this movie and, well, all the other movies ever made.

If I can’t find the right actress to play Abby, the project won’t go forward.