An actor based in Northamptonshire is lending support to a campaign by the charity Changing Faces aimed at shifting how the entertainment industry portrays people with visible differences. Robert Rhodes, known for television appearances including roles in Silent Witness, House of the Dragon, and BBC One’s The Rapture, has spoken out about the need for more authentic representation in media. Rhodes was born with a large facial birthmark and underwent multiple surgical procedures as a child to address the condition, leaving him with scarring.
The campaign centers on a petition calling for the film and television industries to cease using scars, burns, and other visible differences as visual shorthand for villainous characters. Research conducted by the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England has indicated that exposure to villainous characters with visible differences on screen correlates with more negative perceptions of people with these characteristics in real life, according to the charity.
Rhodes emphasized that while scars and visible differences may sometimes be associated with trauma, individuals living with these conditions experience the full range of human emotions and achievements. Fellow actor Beau Bradfield, who has facial scarring, highlighted the importance of seeing people with visible differences portrayed as multifaceted characters, including in positive roles such as heroes, parents, and love interests, particularly for younger audiences who share similar characteristics.
According to Changing Faces, approximately 4.9 million people in the United Kingdom have a visible difference. The charity has begun collaborating with the Creative Diversity Network to incorporate visible difference as a formal category in diversity monitoring and reporting systems. Bailey Frances, a casting director from Cambridge-based Shakyra Dowling Casting, noted that casting professionals can challenge initial character briefs by questioning whether visible differences are essential to storytelling or whether alternative interpretations might yield more nuanced characterizations. She indicated that actors presented for roles that do not strictly match written descriptions but fit the character effectively frequently secure positions.
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