Millicent Simmonds is a force to be reckoned with. With just four feature films under her belt, including the astonishingly brilliant A Quiet Place, the eighteen-year-old actor has not only managed to make a name for herself in Hollywood – but also change the industry for the better.
Simmonds, who lost her hearing at 12 months old, never really planned on becoming an actor. Though a drama teacher had encouraged her to get involved with theatre, the film industry suffered from a lack of deaf representation. Still, she jumped at the chance to audition for a major part in Wonderstruck, a mystery drama from director Todd Haynes that centers on two deaf children who run away from home in search of their biological parents. It wasn’t until Simmonds saw herself on screen for the very first time that she realized this was something she could do for the rest of her life.
"It was when I saw the movie at Cannes for the first time…that was the moment," she tells Total Film over Zoom. "You’re with the audience, watching your own acting on screen and thinking ‘Wow, am I good enough to do this? Can I keep doing this?"
It was this lightbulb moment that pushed her to audition for the role of Regan in A Quiet Place, a post-apocalyptic horror thriller helmed by John Krasinski. Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and Lee Abbott (Krasinski) struggle to keep their family alive in a silent world where blind monsters are lured by sound, using American Sign Language as their primary form of communication. Regan, their teenage daughter, wears a cochlear implant – much like Simmonds does in real life.
Simmonds was drawn to the role, not just for the thrill of diving into a new genre, but for the film’s unique nature: Regan’s cochlear implant is used as a weapon to combat the sound-sensitive monsters. "When I read the script, I really loved that part of the story," she says. "I loved the idea of the character using something that was meant to be her vulnerability as the source of her power."
When the film was first announced, Simmonds’s casting made headlines. Even in 2017, it was still common for able-bodied people to take on disabled roles. "John really fought to cast a deaf actress," she recalls. "When I got the part, he sent an email [that read], ‘You’re my daughter. We’re a family now. You’re stuck with me.’" Krasinski and Blunt were committed to mastering ASL, but not just for their roles. "[The cast] was interested in learning how to communicate with me, beyond just their lines," Simmonds says, smiling.
It was important for Krasinski to have a deaf actor play a deaf character, not just for authenticity, but because he was admittedly creating a world he knew nothing about. He told Variety that a conversation with Simmonds and her family led to a very important stylistic choice: when the story shifts to Regan’s perspective, the film goes silent in order to show the audience how she hears and takes in the world around her.
The film’s success prompted Krasinski to write a script for A Quiet Place Part 2, this time with Simmonds as the star. "When I got the call from John about the second movie and him wanting me to be the lead, I was really nervous," she recalls. "I wasn’t sure if it would ruin the first film by doing a sequel - you know, you always hear that a sequel ruins the first film." Luckily, the second installment did the exact opposite: A Quiet Place 2 broke several box office records, and earned Simmonds a nomination for the 2022 BAFTA EE Rising Star Award. She makes history by being first-ever deaf actor to be nominated.
"When I found out I was nominated and looked at the people I was nominated with, I was like ‘Wow, my work is global. The industry is so much bigger than I thought," she says. "It’s such a huge honor. I have kids coming up to me telling me ‘I wanna be like you.’ And those are the moments that really push me to wanna pursue this." It’s the significant impact of her work that led her to be cast as notable figure Helen Keller in an upcoming biopic titled Helen & Teacher. Simmonds makes history once again as being the first deaf actor to ever take on the role of Keller, who became deaf and blind at 19-months-old. Rachel Brosnahan is set to play Annie Sullivan, the teacher who aided Keller in her development and became her lifelong companion.
"To have been asked is such an honor, especially given the legacy of what she’s done for the community. And when [the film] is made, I want to make sure we do it just," she says. "I think she deserves it." Simmonds goes on to explain that the script, unlike previous films like 1962 and 2000’s The Miracle Worker, is a lot more honest.
"[Annie and Helen] had different beliefs and different political views. They were like sisters. They bickered. We want to show that, because there’s not a lot of people who know about that particular side." Simmonds also mentions that the previous depictions of Keller leave out one key factor: "They sort of jump from her being this crazy child to her adulthood. The portrayals of her have really missed when she becomes her own person, and when she makes decisions about what she wants to do with her own life - and how her relationship with Annie changes. That’s what’s missing."
Simmonds explains that production of Helen & Teacher has been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has profoundly impacted the deaf and hard of hearing communities. In an effort to combat this, the actor partnered with fashion brand RafiNova to create a mask with a clear panel. "When COVID came about, it impacted the deaf community significantly because so many of us rely on lip-reading. It was an emergency," she explains. "And it’s not just for deaf and hard of hearing people. It’s for everyone. Facial cues and expressions are important in communication." Simmonds was first recognized for her advocacy and activism in 2019, receiving the Greenwich International Film Festival's Make An Impact Award and again in 2020, with Seventeen recognizing her as one of their 2020 Voices of the Year.
It’s no coincidence that, in the five years since Simmonds’s onscreen debut, more and more deaf actors have found a place in Hollywood. CODA, a drama-musical with an all-deaf cast, won a SAG Award for Best Ensemble and is among the 2022 Oscar nominees for Best Picture. Marvel’s Hawkeye series makes note of the superhero’s hearing aid, and included a deaf assassin named Maya, who will go on to star in her own spin-off show. When asked whether she believes the industry is changing, Simmonds immediately lights up.
"From when I started 5 years ago, there’s so many opportunities now. it’s exciting that I’m not the only one – because the deaf community is so diverse. You can’t have one deaf actor representing the entire community. There’s no one way to be deaf," she explains. "Some deaf people have cochlear implants, some don't, some sign, some don’t, some speak some don’t. I’m really excited for the diversity of the community, that the richness of deaf culture is being seen by the masses."
Simmonds can’t say much about her next project, but it’s her first foray into executive producing. "It’s a TV show called True Biz, adapted from a book written by a deaf author. I’m going to be producing and I’m really excited. I’ve always been curious about what happens behind the camera." The book, slated for an April 2022 release, follows a deaf girl born to a hearing family. "There’s a huge controversy about whether the family should learn sign language or not, but she ends up going to a deaf school and learning ASL anyway. It’s a bit of a romance, a bit of a drama, and it’s definitely made for adults." As for A Quiet Place Part III, the actor isn’t sure whether or not she’ll return. The third installment is still in the early stages of development, and Simmonds has yet to be asked to reprise her role. “We’ll see!”
Simmonds acknowledges that even though she’s accomplished so much in only five years, her career has only just begun. "It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m really trying to go through it slowly. I don’t want to rush," she says. "I want to stay in this moment."
Public voting for the EE Rising Star Award is currently open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA and the winner will be announced at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 13 March 2022.
