Actors across the country compete yearly for one of the 106,800 job opportunities available within the entertainment industry. They dream of earning the role as the dashingly heroic lead or the beautiful love interest in a movie, tv show, or play. Although they may not always get the job, majority of actors have the opportunity to audition for all types of roles. This is a privilege that the little people acting community sadly do not have. For decades the little people community within the entertainment industry have found themselves for a lack of better words “shortlisted,” when it comes to the certain types of roles that are offered to them. While regular sized actors are given the opportunity to audition for top billing roles, little people actors are usually only offered the goofy sidekick role of a creature or magical being.

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“Those types of roles make it difficult for me to work as an actor who portrays an everyday person and just be able to tell everyday stories,” said entertainment personality Rance Nix. While the major studios are trying to a bit more progressive today by cutting little people actors from starring in these typical stereotype roles, they may actually be doing more harm than good. This display of progressiveness by the entertainment industry is taking away much needed paying jobs from little people actors. Instead of doing their research and trying to portray little people in a more respectful and positive light, the entertainment industry seems to have cut them out altogether. This begs the question, which is worse, getting typecast into a degrading and humiliating role with no real substance, or not getting casted at all?

The issue at hand

Rance Nix speaks on the treatment of little people actors when portraying sterotypical roles. (Photo courtsey of Rance Nix)

In a world where the entertainment community is getting more and more progressive, little people are still getting the short end of the stick. “It is disgusting that we have not kept up with the other groups that have gotten accurate representation, there is no excuse,” says Little People of America Public Relations Director Jennifer Crumly. For decades little people have been typecast in demeaning and degrading roles. This includes leprechauns, elves, Oompa Loompas, munchkins, dwarves, etc. For the most part, these roles usually hold no real substance or value and are only there for little people to be portrayed as silly or clownish. “Those depictions of little people have caused harm,” said actor Aubrey Smalls. When it comes to auditioning, little people are rarely given the opportunity to audition for a regular role, majority of the time they are sent to try out for roles that call for an actor with a unique face or interesting features. The entertainment industry rather cast little people actors in demeaning roles like an elf or dwarf than give them the opportunity to play a doctor or a lawyer. This long history of placing little people actors into stereotypical roles has kept them from achieving the same equal status as regular sized actors. “The biggest gripe is that actors with dwarfism are not given opportunities for the most part to tell stories that have nothing to do with their height,” says Nix.

Jennifer Crumly gives her thoughts on the controversy surrounding "Snow White" and "Wonka." (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Crumly)

With already limited roles offered to little people, the entertainment industry continues to disrespect them. 2023 was a big slap to the face for the little people acting community as two huge motion pictures in “Wonka” and “Snow White” both known for casting little people, decided to replace them with regular sized actors. In an attempt to be progressive, both Disney and Warner Bros. have completely opted out of casting little people in the roles of the seven dwarves and the Oompa Loompas. “They have no connection to little people or dwarfism, yet are willing to use the image of dwarfism,” said Smalls. While this does break the typical stereotype of little people as magical creatures, it is also taking away roles and paying jobs from little people actors. “What work will you give us?” says Nix. “You won’t hire us for normal stuff, and now you won’t hire us to play dwarves or Oompa Loompas.” Even though these major studios have the money and resources to devote time to creating fully-fledged out characters for a little people, they still choose to treat them as second-class citizens. “We’re like a minority of a minority,” said Crumly.

Aubrey's story

Being an entertainer has been in Aubrey Small’s bones from a very young age. Growing up, Smalls found himself in and out of surgeries as a result of his type of dwarfism. With these surgeries came a lot of free time recovering in bed and taking part in physical therapy. It was during these long bedridden days that Smalls fell in love with movies. He would spend hours watching old classics and musicals such as “The Sound of Music” and “Mary Poppins.” He quickly grew fascinated with the performing side of entertainment and decided to pursue a career in it.

He would kick-off his career in entertainment in the big top, of all places. During his time in the circus, Smalls had a variety of skills from performing magic to balancing spinning plates. It was during this time that Smalls began to experience objectification. People began to book him for events not for the performer he was, but to make fun of him for being a little person. Smalls decided he was in much need of a career change, and decided to become an actor. “Acting was honestly one of the first loves I ever had,” said Smalls. Going into the acting community, Smalls thought that things would be different and that actors would be more accepting. He quickly realized this was not the case. “People see little people in entertainment and they think we are there to be laughed at,” says Smalls.

Aubrey smalls recounts a horrible audition experience. (Photo courtesy of Aubrey Smalls)

During his time as an actor, Smalls has dealt with much discrimination because of his status as a little person. He has experienced everything from being yelled at to having people laugh at him to his face. Through meeting and speaking with other little people actors, Smalls has discovered that these types of occurrences happen way too often. Fed up with the treatment and lack of representation for little people within the entertainment industry, Smalls decided to take the matter in his own hands. Smalls has begun working on a documentary titled “Dear Average Height people,” that will help educate people on dwarfism and provide creative approaches for little people to tell their stories. The production will predominantly be made up of little people both in front and behind the camera, with many of them being people Smalls has met along his acting journey. The documentary has become Small’s pride and joy and he claims it to be a love letter from the dwarfism community. “I hope it educates people, but also that it is fun,” said Smalls.

How to solve the problem

The solution to this issue is simple, provide the little people community with the same accurate representation as everyone else within the entertainment industry. Ways of doing this are by adding more little people behind the scenes of productions with little people actors. Who better to write the role of a little person than a little person. They can help develop meaningful characters for little people, as well as help studios dodge potential issues that may be disrespectful. “The biggest issue is we need casting companies, directors, and writers to start being more open to little people,” says Smalls.

Along with accurate representation, a union to supervise the treatment of little people on set would be helpful. At the moment SAG does not offer a community that looks for equal treatment of little people actors. Most importantly the entertainment industry just needs to open all its roles to everyone including little people. They like everyone else can play heroes and people in positions of power in plays, TV, and film. “It would be great if art could truly imitate life in the future,” says Crumly