“Introducing, Selma Blair” Bringing “Huge Sense Of Pride” To The Disability Community

“Introducing, Selma Blair” is currently streaming on Discovery+ and in theatres. This earnest documentary gives us a peek into the life of one of Hollywood’s favourite stars. In a raw, honest and critically acclaimed documentary directed by Rachel Fleit, in her feature film directorial debut, we get an inmate look at Blair’s new chapter with Multiple Sclerosis. “Disabled people like to have fun too” Blair states at the beginning of the movie, which gives us a great insight into her remarkable attitude as she embarks on this journey. Blair was initially diagnosed in 2018 and speaks openly about the struggles of getting diagnosed. When she finally received a name for her symptoms it was a “relief” after years of not being taken seriously and experiencing gaslighting by the health system. Sneha Dave, Executive Director of the Health Advocacy Summit and its program the Crohn’s and Colitis Young Adults Network says “medical gaslighting and patient blaming is something we hear about far too common, this documentary should be shown to all future medical professionals as a way to understand what medical gaslighting is and the impact it has on patients and their loved ones.”

Blair gives disability style, celebrity presence and an incredibly honest portrayal of disability, it is a reminder that disability does not discriminate.”If something as simple as using a cane, which I never minded, cause to me it’s, well it is useful but it’s a really cool prop” Blair mentions in the film. It comes across as though Blair’s diagnosis has permitted her to live truthfully. Blair shows that being disabled can sometimes be anything but glamorous, but that does not mean disabled people can’t be glamorous.

Troy Nankin, Blair’s Manager and Producer of “Introducing, Selma Blair”, and Michael Liddell, Producer, put a focus on the accessibility of all the theatres the project is played in, making sure the film was fully accessible to the disabled community was a priority for them. Dominick Ławniczak Evans, a disability activist and filmmaker was also hired to consult on disability and access for the documentary. This allyship comes across in the film and whilst Blair has had conflicts with her biological family, predominantly her mother, and says in the film “my mother really tethered a darkness to me” and “only my suffering could please her” — the family she has behind her due to her career is a special one. During the film, we learn more about the precious bond between her and her son Arther Saint Bleick. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight Blair says “it makes me feel better knowing Arthur has a say — not a say, really, but is included.”

Andraéa LaVant, who is disabled and leads LaVant Consulting, Inc., a social impact strategy and communications firm dedicated to shaping the way the world reaches, views, values people with disabilities, attended the Los Angeles premiere of “Introducing, Selma Blair” and said “I had a flood of emotions, but one of the first I felt was a sense of relief. All too often, when it comes to the representation of disability in the media, I find myself holding my breath waiting for something to go wrong. I’m waiting to hear an ableist phrase or to watch a narrative that inaccurately depicts disability or focuses solely on their disability. Throughout I,SB, I felt so much happiness, and relief, seeing disability presented in its rawest and most beautiful form, without apology, and without pity. I literally let out a sigh, already recognizing that this film has the power to continue to shift society’s perceptions of disability and build more connections and stronger communities among people with disabilities.”

This film is more than just a documentary about a star, it impacts society and the way we think about, and treat disabled people. LaVant says “Disabled people rarely have opportunities to see themselves represented in the media, especially authentically. We’re generally deduced down to objects of pity or brokenness or even inspiration, but all without getting to see the nuances of our humanity… the multi-dimensional aspects of who we are and how our intersectional experiences impact our day-to-day lives. This film gives colour to the wholeness of disability. It reminds us, as a disabled community, that we are valid, not despite our disabilities, but in connection to them because we are human. It displays the fact that there is no one way to exist as a disabled person, and that the way we cope with or process through or embrace our disabled identities won’t look the same for everyone, even when we share the same diagnosis. Even still, it’s a reminder that every day within our disabled bodies won’t look the same, and that’s ok. Not only do we as a disabled community need these reminders, but non-disabled people do as well.”

Fleit built a unique bond with Blair, and having lived disability experience may have been one of the most important reasons for this, LaVant mentions “there’s nothing quite like connecting with another person who has been deeply impacted by multiple forms of oppression. I have no doubt that Rachel’s personal lived experience impacted her connection to Selma and vice versa. While their paths haven’t been identical, the mutuality they both share in feeling “othered” likely formed a bond behind the camera that supported the on-screen success of the documentary.”

Dave says “Having lived experience is unmatched. Words cannot do enough to explain the experience of living with a disability in a society that has traditionally viewed it as something to pity. I truly feel like this documentary could not have been created in a more authentic and real way.” 

LaVant worked on the Oscar-nominated, Crip Camp as Impact Producer. Whilst “Crip Camp” and “Introducing, Selma Blair” are very different, both focus on disability. “Crip Camp continues to break down so many barriers when it comes to disability representation in media and film, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that team. That said, I see I,SB as the perfect segue from Crip Camp. Crip Camp shares a historical narrative that centres themes of community, joy, equality, and much more. It evokes so many feelings for everyone who watches and for many of us with disabilities, leaving us with a huge sense of pride. I,SB so wonderfully picks up where Crip Camp left off, diving deep into the complexities of the disability experience, including those connected to chronic illness. It covers topics we don’t discuss enough, like grief, pain, medical trauma, and more. It also builds upon what we see in Crip Camp and brings perspectives into the present- day. For example, Selma’s experiences with her family and friends are so similar to the ways many disabled people interact with their support systems. This film undoubtedly has the power to prompt actionable change in Hollywood and beyond, particularly as relates to how disability is portrayed in the media.”

Dave mentions that this film “helps to bridge the gap between the chronic illness and disability communities. Through my work, it seems like there is a gap between the chronic illness and disability communities, and I am hoping that this film shows how vast the definition of disability is.”

After asking various attendees of the premiere what their favourite part of the film was, they all said the humour. It is a great reminder to search for joy, life and laughter even on the most trying of days. Another attendee and disability ally, Actor and Producer James Ken Blackmon mentioned “She began to leave antiquated perceptions of what the talent in the entertainment industry should look and feel like. Selma finds herself connecting with a community that has always been present in Hollywood but is just now beginning to get a real chance to shine, the disabled creatives that have worked so hard over the years.”

This film brings much-needed attention to an overlooked community and LaVant commented that one thing we can all learn from this film, non-disabled or disabled, is to “remember to LIVE.”

Dave concludes, “disability is not something that should be pitied, it is a huge part of some people’s identity. I feel like disability has always been seen as sympathy or inherently awful and it is clear that Selma has proudly embraced this part of her identity. This is a huge step to bringing more visibility to dynamic disabilities. Selma is going to show a whole generation that it is ok to grieve a life that you envisioned for yourself and that everyday is a learning experience. Selma is someone who has such a major platform and I feel that more people, particularly younger people with disabilities will see Selma and feel a little more comfortable being themselves in a society that is still learning to accept.”

Just announced, Blair has written a memoir titled Mean Baby, coming out of Knopf Press in April 2022. According to People Magazine Mean Baby, subtitled “A Memoir of Growing Up,” the author recounts never-before-shared details from her vibrant, sometimes dramatic life, specifically: “a childhood spent in worship of her mother, adolescence of love and pain, her destructive ways of coping with an illness she did not know she had, her life as a model and muse, her struggles and successes in Hollywood, and her battle with depression as a young mother. Mean Baby will be available in April 2022.