The untitled Pet Sematary prequel adds actor, disability-inclusion advocate and double-hand amputee, John W. Lawson, to its growing cast.
Written and directed by Lindsey Beer, Lawson was cast in the film as a character named Stanny, a role that was rewritten to accommodate him, as the character was not originally written as an amputee. According to Variety, his casting makes this Pet Sematary prequel one of the first major horror films to cast a double amputee in a starring role. "I have myoelectric hands… or what people commonly call 'cyborg,'" Lawson jokingly told Variety. "But most of the time, it's just my hooks."
Lawson, who has uncredited roles in shows like American Horror Story and Westworld, didn't hear that the character had been reworked for him until after his second audition. "And when I got the new sides," Lawson said, "they had completely written the role for the character to be an amputee. Which was freakin' awesome. Because it was not [an amputee role before] in any way. That, to me, was a real turning point, not only in casting but in the mindset of Hollywood."
According to Beer, Lawson's audition brought "a layered range of both aggressiveness and vulnerability" to the character. "His character is hiding a secret, and has led a difficult life that puts him on the offensive with our main character, young Jud Crandall," she said in an email. "[Lawson's] performance really brought humanity and nuance to the role."
Paramount+'s Pet Sematary prequel film is based on the 2019 film adaptation of the 1983 horror novel by Stephen King. While details about the prequel are scarce in its early development, Lawson joins a growing cast, that already included Pam Grier, Forrest Goodluck (The Republic of Sarah), Jack Mulhern (Mare of Easttown), Natalie Alyn Lind (The Gifted), newcomer Isabella Star LeBlanc and Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher), who will play the younger version of Jud Crandall, portrayed by John Lithgow in the 2019 film.
Beer explained that, when developing her projects, she tries "to be as inclusive as possible" which includes "creating meaningful roles for [disabled people.]" She explained in an email, "But we had not originally envisioned a double amputee for Stanny's character. [Lawson's] unique circumstance led to some interesting changes in the backstory and actions of his character, and all for the better." Beer, who wrote the film's latest script with screenwriter Jeff Buhler, is also developing the logistics of the role with Lawson, who will be using his own prosthetics for the film.
"I wanted to make sure he got to weigh in about whether or not he wanted his character to have a prosthetic limb, or whether he preferred not to," Beer said.
Lawson expressed hope that his role in Pet Sematary will "open more opportunities for an old guy who happens to be missing hands" and that "this will be a door open for the PWD [Performers with Disabilities] community. That when this is released and everybody sees, that it's like, 'You know, there are more ways that we can cover disability in front of the camera than what has been done for the last 30 years.'"
The untitled prequel will premiere on Paramount+ and does not yet have a release date.
Source: Variety
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