As the first actual wheelchair user to play Elphaba’s sister Nessarose in the 21-year history of “Wicked,” Marissa Bode is all too familiar with the challenges of representing the disabled community. It’s not enough that she take up the mantle of this character; she must also defend Nessa from the internet. In a video posted to her TikTok page Friday, Bode drew a hard line in regards to treating those with disabilities with respect.
“This goes so far beyond me, Marissa, just needing to ignore comments on the internet. These comments do not exist in a vacuum,” said Bode. “Aggressive comments of wanting to cause harm and push Nessa out of her wheelchair, or that she deserves her disability, are two very gross and harmful comments that real disabled people, including myself, have heard before.”
In her description of the video, Bode wrote, “Representation is important but that’s not the only thing that will save the disabled community. I need a lot of y’all (non-disabled people) to do the work. To dissect and unlearn your own ableism. Listen to disabled people. Follow other disabled people outside of just me. Read up on the disability rights movement/watch the documentary ‘Crip Camp’! I understand no one likes feeling like they’re being scolded. But true progress never comes with comfort. And that’s ok.”
Bode started the video by acknowledging how it’s “OK to not like a fictional character” like Nessarose, but that “disability is not fictional” and making fun of those with a disability is “a low-hanging fruit that too many of you are comfortable taking.”
“Thankfully, I’m at a place in my life today where I can recognize these jokes about disability are made out of ignorance,” Bode said. “I couldn’t say the same about Marissa 10 years ago, and it would have affected younger me a lot more, and I’m worried that a younger version of myself is somewhere on the internet and is harmed by these comments.”
Bode brought the discussion back to the central conversation in “Wicked.” She said, “Lastly, I want to say one of the major themes within ‘Wicked’ is having the ability to listen and to understand one another. And I truly hope that is something a lot of you can practice more and take with you.”
Watch Bode’s entire TikTok below.
