If Danny had been in a wheelchair permanently on CSI:NY, I doubt anybody would have commented about an abled actor playing the role - as in life, someone who is 'abled' can become 'disabled', and such a storyline and situation is important to put out there. But that's very different than casting Person A to play a disabled character when there are a lot of disabled actors out there who could not only act as well as him/her but also bring an authenticity to the role - and visibility to talented disabled actors who deserve jobs. This is especially true when there are so few roles for disabled actors (since Hollywood doesn't seem to cast many disabled people unless the role specifically calls for it - never mind that many people in our everyday lives just happen to be disabled. I can think of Dr Giles in the first season of CSI:NY as an example of a character who just happened to be disabled and was also played by a disabled actor, but he disappeared after a few episodes).
So yeah, I'd say it's a completely different situation. In some cases, they'd have to cast a non-disabled actor (such as when the character is disabled in the present but there might be flashbacks showing the character before they ended up in the wheelchair, etc), but in cases where the character is and always will be disabled, it's disappointing that we don't see Hollywood using more disabled actors to fill those roles.
PerfectAnomaly said:
But I'm also an advocate for the best actor getting the job. It's a fine line with me. Kevin Rankin played Herc, a quad rugby player, on "Friday Night Lights" and was brilliant in the role. He's an able bodied actor, but I couldn't imagine anyone else playing Herc.
I adore Kevin Rankin - just from the little bit I've seen of his roles, he plays a wide variety of characters (including gay, trans and disabled people). Because I think he's great, I can't imagine anybody else taking his place (I obviously love Tyler on Trauma, otherwise I wouldn't have tracked down some of Kevin's other roles :adore
- but at the same time, to be fair, if they'd cast a gay/trans/disabled actor in his place in the roles I've seen, I never would have known the difference* - and I'm sure whoever they cast would have done a fantastic job.
But I'm selfish, so I wouldn't want to see anybody else in Kevin's place. I want him to guest star on all of my shows.
I'm already mentally casting him on CSI:NY as someone awesome - hey, a girl can hope. Trauma will only last for so much longer.
*Although I guess I probably wouldn't have seen some of his roles at all since I only watched the episodes because he was in them.