“I think when people see the film, they will see the amount of love and sensitivity that was put into it,” Hudson told Kimmel.
Sia’s decision to cast Maddie Ziegler as a nonverbal character with autism, as opposed to a performer on the autism spectrum, caused major backlash.
Telling Kimmel she welcomed the larger conversation, Hudson noted that she felt “terrible” that some people felt left out over the casting and portrayal of Ziegler’s character.
“The spectrum is so wide and should be approached with far more conversation and understanding of how can we be more representative, what are the best ways to do that,” the actress told Kimmel. “We want to tell the best stories we can. There is no one who wants to upset anybody. When people feel upset about anything, it’s our job to listen and encourage more conversation with other people who want to tell these stories.”
Watch the interview below.
