Regan and Representation
Regan is deaf, uses American Sign Language and is played by Millicent Simmonds, a deaf actor. Her character is central to both films. That representation matters, and it deserves careful discussion rather than automatic praise or criticism.
Why representation matters
Deaf characters are often played by hearing actors, written as isolated or pitied, or used as a plot device. Casting a deaf actor and making signing part of the film's visual language gives deaf audiences a rare central character. Representation can broaden what audiences see as normal and give deaf students a figure to recognise.
Regan's agency
Regan is not passive. She watches, investigates, argues, takes risks and drives part of the plot. Her deafness is part of how she experiences the world, but it is not her only characteristic. She is also a daughter, a sister, a young person who wants to be trusted. Ask students to list the choices she makes and what they reveal about her.
ASL as visual language
American Sign Language is a complete language with its own grammar, rhythm and expression. In the films, signing is part of the visual composition: hands, faces and eyelines carry meaning. Students should understand that ASL is not English performed with hands, and that captioning or interpretation is part of access, not an afterthought.
The cochlear implant debate
The films use Regan's cochlear implant as a plot device: feedback from the device becomes a weapon. This is effective storytelling, but it also raises questions. Does the story suggest that deafness is a problem to be fixed? Does it make Regan's value depend on her device? Does it show the device realistically? Students can discuss these questions without dismissing the film. A text can be moving and still have limitations.
Representation is not a tick
One character cannot represent every deaf person. Deaf communities are diverse; people use different languages, technologies and identities. A film can be a meaningful step without being the final word. Ask students to consider what the film shows, what it leaves out and who had a hand in making it.
Classroom care
Do not ask deaf students to speak for all deaf people or to explain their experience to the class. Discuss representation as a textual and industrial question: who is cast, who is consulted, what story is told and what assumptions the film makes. Provide captions and interpreters as needed, and check that discussion formats are accessible.
Discussion questions
- How does the film show Regan's interior life without spoken dialogue?
- When does the film treat Regan as a person, and when does it risk treating her as a symbol?
- What does the cochlear implant plot device suggest about technology and disability?
- How would the films change if Regan were not deaf, or if a hearing actor played her?
- What would a more fully realised representation look like?
Respect and analysis can coexist. It is possible to value a representation and still ask what it leaves out. Careful critique is a form of respect.