Sia Responds to Criticism for Portrayal of Autism in Upcoming Film 'Music'

Sia is reacting to criticism of her upcoming movie.

The “Chandelier” superstar responded to some social media outcry following the release of the trailer for her upcoming movie, Music, which stars Kate Hudson and Maddie Ziegler.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Sia

“I want you to work every day knowing that we’re trying to show love for all of the caregivers, and for all of the people on the autism spectrum, that this movie is for them. If we can keep our egos out of it, that would be great,” Sia said while making the film.

She called Maddie “the most professional person I’ve ever worked with” during a recent Variety interview, describing her character “non-verbal and she has a little echolalia who can repeat what you say to her, but she doesn’t generate her own language.” She also admitted she was scared to address her diagnosis directly at first “because if I made it clear [what her diagnosis was, then I might offend somebody.]”

Following the trailer’s release, Sia faced some criticism for casting non-autistic actress Maddie as a character with autism, as well as partnering with Autism Speaks, a company that has faced controversy and condemnation for alleged exploitative practices in the past.

“Grrrrrrrrrr. F–kity f–k why don’t you watch my film before you judge it? FURY,” she wrote on Twitter on Friday (November 20).

“I cast thirteen neuroatypical people, three trans folk, and not as f–king prostitutes or drug addicts but s as doctors, nurses and singers. F–king sad nobody’s even seen the dang movie. My heart has always been in the right place,” she wrote.

“Duh. I spent three f–king years researching, I think that’s why I’m so f–king bummed,” she said in response to being asked if she researched the autism community beforehand.

“Autism speaks came on board long after the film was finished, four years in fact. I had no idea it was such a polarizing group!” she went on to explain.

“Several autistic actors, myself included, responded to these tweets. We all said we could have acted in it on short notice. These excuses are just that- excuses. The fact of the matter is zero effort was made to include anyone who is actually autistic.
#NothingAboutUsWithoutUs,” one person wrote.

“Maybe you’re just a bad actor,” she responded to the actor.

“I love Maddie Ziegler, don’t get me wrong, but you need to consult actual autistic people and have autistic people play autistic people,” another person wrote.

“I did try. It felt more compassionate to use Maddie. That was my call,” she said.

Click here to find out more about the film.

Click inside to see Sia’s response…