From dancing penguins to multiverse-hopping heroes, Hollywood occasionally nails neurodivergent representation. Join us as we celebrate characters whose differences aren't just plot devices, but integral parts of who they are. These portrayals show neurodivergence as a strength, not something to overcome or pity.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, where we'll be discussing some of the more accurate depictions of neurodivergence
00:09from both cinema and television.
00:11We'll be looking at all types of neurodivergence, rather than one specific type.
00:1910.
00:20Mumble the Penguin, Happy Feet
00:22One of the most wholesome animated comedies tells the story of Mumble the Penguin.
00:31What you doing with your feet?
00:34They're happy too.
00:35He's an adorable Emperor Penguin, unique for having a passion for dancing, rather than singing.
00:40This makes his childhood particularly challenging, with his teacher and specialist claiming he's a lost cause.
00:47Mumble doesn't fit in, with no penguins except his mother accepting him.
00:52Mumble, what could you possibly be thinking?
00:54I don't know what else to do.
00:56But by the movie's conclusion, they've learned to accept him, even learning his dance moves.
01:01It's a wonderfully sustaining tale, which can easily be interpreted as an allegory for neurodivergence.
01:07The lesson is, that we should encourage children's passions, no matter how different they are.
01:13Tons of fans will argue that Abed Nadir was the best representation of an autistic person in television history.
01:32Well, I only talked to her once while she was borrowing a pencil, but her name is Britta.
01:36She's 28, birthday in October.
01:37She has two older brothers, and one of them works with children who have a disorder I might want to look up.
01:41Oh, and she thinks she's going to flunk tomorrow's test, so she really needs to focus, and she's sorry if that makes her seem cold.
01:46Holy crap.
01:47Unlike the situation in a lot of poor portrayals, his neurodivergence isn't his number one defining personality trait.
01:54For many autistic people, Abed was the first time they saw themselves in a character who wasn't mocked, pitied, or a wildly intelligent savant.
02:02Hey, can I ask you something I always wanted to ask the real Batman?
02:05Yeah.
02:07Am I good looking?
02:09You're a very attractive young man.
02:11I knew it.
02:12On top of this, his unique traits are never softened for others.
02:16He grows, but always stays himself.
02:18Abed's way more than just an awkward autistic sidekick simply there for comic relief.
02:23He is a real-life human being.
02:26His best friend Troy loves him unconditionally, with the pair becoming maybe the most adorable bromance in television.
02:32Troy and Abed in the morning, and we're back.
02:35Look who's here.
02:36Jeff Winger.
02:37Jeff, how do you stay so fit?
02:39Uh, diet, exercise, genetics.
02:41Oh, sure, sure.
02:43Okay, so it seems as though we have a clip.
02:45You want to set it up for us?
02:47Uh, I'd like to, but I don't know what you're talking about.
02:49Okay, we'll just roll it.
02:508.
02:51Charlie Kalmekis, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
02:54Charlie, the main character, doesn't realize it, but he shows signs of complex PTSD, social anxiety, depression,
03:02and possibly autism.
03:04But they say if you make, uh, one friend on your first day, you're doing okay.
03:09Thank you, sir.
03:10But if my English teacher's the only friend I make today, that would be sort of depressing.
03:15Yeah, I see that.
03:17Don't worry, Mr. Anderson.
03:19I'm okay.
03:19The movie is told through letters he writes throughout high school, exploring the difficulties of navigating adolescence.
03:26Charlie begins the movie completely alone, struggling to make meaningful connections, preferring to observe instead of participate.
03:34I don't know what to say.
03:36You don't have to say anything.
03:37He's also painfully empathetic.
03:40So much so, he spends more time reflecting on other people's pain rather than his own.
03:44One of the major plot points is his trauma, which has a humongous effect on his mental health.
03:51By the end, he isn't cured, but he does have people helping him now, making his world a safer one to live in.
03:58But right now, these moments are not stories.
04:02This is happening.
04:04I am here, and I am looking at her.
04:08And she is so beautiful.
04:10Number 7, Matilda Moss.
04:13Everything's gonna be okay.
04:15Kayla Cromer first appeared as Matilda in 2020, and is thought of to be the first autistic actor to play an autistic main character on TV.
04:23I don't even know how to flirt.
04:26You're supposed to ask questions about themselves and pretend that they're smarter than you.
04:31Did you see that on YouTube?
04:32Yes!
04:33This adds an element of authenticity to everything, from her tone of voice to the way she stems.
04:38Cromer made her into a shining example of representation, one that's deeply underrated.
04:44People tell me I'm gifted, and I usually believe them, but I can't be sure, because sometimes people lie.
04:50By the season's conclusion, Matilda finds herself a neurodivergent girlfriend, a wonderfully heartwarming plotline.
04:58She's not a trope, but a real teen, who just happens to be autistic.
05:02It was also groundbreaking for addressing both autism and sexuality head-on, as opposed to the stereotype of autistic characters having no concept of sexuality.
05:11But to find love, you have to make yourself vulnerable.
05:156.
05:16Marry Temple Grandin
05:17Temple Grandin
05:19Claire Danes portrayed the real-life character in this 2010 biopic.
05:23Are you a cowboy?
05:25Excuse my niece.
05:26That's not how we greet people, Temple.
05:28You know better than that.
05:31Hello, I'm Temple.
05:32It's very nice to meet you.
05:33Hello, I'm Temple.
05:34It's very nice to meet you.
05:35If you don't know her, Temple Grandin is a trailblazer of autism and neurodiversity.
05:40Growing up in an era with completely different attitudes, Danes doesn't turn in a simple Hollywood performance, but instead, carefully study Temple's speech and mannerisms.
05:51The result is one of the most loving and respectful performances of neurodivergence in cinema.
05:56You learned it?
05:59I just looked at it.
06:01Then I have the page in my mind and can read off the page and see pictures and connect them.
06:05So many portrayals focus on overcoming divergence, but in Temple Grandin, she succeeds because of her autism.
06:14Her traits help her make a name for herself in the livestock industry, seeing that no one else can in a way no one else does.
06:21In the end, the world adapts to her, not the other way around.
06:25A beautiful message.
06:27They knew I was different, but not less.
06:31I had a gift.
06:32I could see the world in a new way.
06:34I could see details that other people were blind to.
06:37Number 5.
06:38Percy Jackson
06:39Percy Jackson and the Olympians
06:41The Lightning Thief
06:42Portraying neurodivergence as a boon rather than a crutch is something cinema still struggles with.
06:48Despite this, one representation we can celebrate is Percy Jackson, whose neurodivergent traits are why he's heroic.
06:55I'll give you a hint.
06:58You have something in common.
07:10Percy.
07:14Percy's?
07:15Percy lives with ADHD and dyslexia, which presents difficulties in a classroom environment with the results that he gets kicked out of schools.
07:23A standard neurodivergent childhood.
07:26Eventually, these traits are revealed to be signs that Percy is a literal demigod.
07:31Yes way.
07:33Yep.
07:34You're a demigod.
07:35Two points for Percy Jackson.
07:38Look, don't worry, but you're not alone.
07:40There's hundreds in the world.
07:42The message isn't to look at how brave he is, despite his divergence.
07:46It's that his divergence is a part of his bravery.
07:48For many children, seeing their struggles validated through Percy was amazing, giving ND children a hero to root for, without becoming someone different.
07:58You two really want to come?
08:01Yes!
08:03Okay.
08:04I guess we're all going.
08:05Number 4.
08:06Woo Young Woo.
08:08Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
08:10Do you like whales?
08:11Attorney Woo does, and she would love to talk to you about them all day.
08:15In South Korea, and most of Asia, autism is still stigmatized and barely represented.
08:21This made Woo a trailblazing character, becoming a turning point for how autistic women are portrayed, especially outside of the West.
08:39Too many autistic characters fall into the emotionless robot stereotype, but Woo is the total opposite.
08:45She's intelligent, honest, loyal, and passionate, reflecting real-life neurodivergence.
08:57The series shows her struggling with ableism, infantilization, and disbelief in her skills, but inspiringly pushes back, growing with her differences, not against them.
09:08She's brilliantly lovable and relatable to millions.
09:11She's so smart.
09:22Number 3.
09:24Dory.
09:25Finding Dory.
09:27While not explicitly diagnosed, Dory is a beautiful portrayal of a character with cognitive differences.
09:34Now count to 10.
09:361, 2, 3.
09:39Dory struggles with short-term memory loss, causing her to frequently forget what she's
09:51doing, often right in the middle of a task.
09:54Despite her disorientation, she's portrayed as a compassionate and lovable character.
10:02In Finding Nemo, Dory is the comic relief.
10:09But in Finding Dory, her full backstory is revealed.
10:13Even though she's a fish, it feels remarkably realistic.
10:16In the end, she saves the day not by becoming neurotypical, but by using her unique personality.
10:23All of this makes her one of the most deeply human fish in cinema history.
10:27Yeah, I did it.
10:332. Amélie Poulain
10:36Amélie, the titular character is never labeled or diagnosed as neurodivergent, but despite
10:42this, her character deeply resonates with the neurodivergent community.
10:46She possesses a rich imagination, allowing her to see magic in the most mundane objects.
11:05Amélie struggles to communicate, loves to observe, and expresses affection through puzzles
11:10rather than words.
11:12She's overflowing with empathy, but expresses it in a unique way.
11:16We can't praise the movie enough for how Amélie finds love without needing to change.
11:29She doesn't have to fix her quirkiness or become extroverted.
11:33Instead, she finds love by being her true self.
11:36It makes for a magnificent movie.
11:39With a representation, films still fail to match over two decades later.
11:43Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:54Joe Hughes, the A-Word, a portrayal which is often too real.
11:59Can you see anything else, Joe, on the picture?
12:04Maybe not a door this time.
12:08You're a sad, strange old man.
12:13Toy Story
12:14Julia, Sesame Street
12:17A heartwarming character from children's TV.
12:20Oh, who's this?
12:21Oh, this is our friend, Julia!
12:24Oh, hi, Julia.
12:25I'm Big Bird.
12:27Nice to meet you.
12:28Oh, Julia?
12:31Julia's just concentrating on her painting right now.
12:34Stevie, I Used to be Famous
12:37Netflix actor Leo Long has autism
12:39and made Stevie wonderfully authentic.
12:42When I first read the script,
12:44I saw a tremendous opportunity for all disabled people.
12:48Access to all areas is amazing.
12:50It's about opening barriers for disabled actors.
12:53The whole cast, as we see it.
12:56Monumental for all three leads having autism in real life.
13:00That you have people looking out for you.
13:02I have Ewa Tomi.
13:04Thanks for the jacket.
13:05Jack.
13:06See you at the party.
13:06Diane Nguyen
13:09Bojack Horseman
13:11Anyone with complex PTSD
13:13understands Diane's hunt for good damage.
13:16That means that all the damage I got
13:18isn't good damage.
13:20It's just damage.
13:21I have gotten nothing out of it
13:23and all those years I was miserable was for nothing.
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13:42Number 1.
13:43Evelyn Kwan Wong
13:44Everything Everywhere All At Once
13:47Everyone with ADHD knows the struggles
13:50of feeling like you're in multiple worlds at once.
13:52Evelyn struggles to focus on just one thing,
14:01feels overwhelmed by everything,
14:03and finds herself falling short in every reality.
14:07This is arguably the most accurate portrayal of ADHD in cinema history,
14:12using a sci-fi multiverse as a phenomenal metaphor.
14:15See what?
14:19I'm no good at anything.
14:22Exactly.
14:23I've seen thousands of Evelyn's,
14:25but never an Evelyn like you.
14:28You have so many goals you never finished,
14:31dreams you never followed.
14:33You're living.
14:35You're worse than you.
14:36Instead of her learning to focus,
14:37she instead embraces her differences,
14:40learning to love her ADHD self,
14:42instead of hating it.
14:44Fascinatingly,
14:45one of the directors heavily researched ADHD for Evelyn,
14:49causing him to realize he had it himself.
14:52We also forgot to mention,
14:54it's the most visually stunning ND representation.
14:57Here, all we get are a few specks of time
15:03where any of this actually makes any sense.
15:06Are you neurodivergent?
15:18And if so,
15:19which fictional character did you relate to the most?
15:21Let us know in the comments below.
15:23Was there any place
15:25where one small penguin without a heart song
15:28could ever truly belong?
15:32Do you agree with our picks?
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