"The Upside" starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart is about a quadriplegic man (Cranston) who strikes up an unusual friendship with a recently paroled ex-convict (Hart).
While the movie appears to be good (I haven't seen it but will one day!), Cranston has faced some backlash for playing a disabled character when there were talented disabled actors that could play the role. This is nothing against Cranston, but I believe that Hollywood needs to start casting those talented actors who have disabilities.
While a few shows such as "Glee" have cast actors with disabilities, they didn't have the main role. Shows like "Atypical" recently made that decision in the show's second season and added some supporting cast members who are on the spectrum.
While "Atypical" does have a good storyline, it has been criticized for not casting someone who is on the spectrum and are also being criticized for a lack of diversity with them casting a white male because sometimes autism is categorized as being white and male when everyone should know that autism does not discriminate. So kudos to them for not only casting actors on the spectrum but also having a diverse crowd as well.
"The Good Doctor" is a great show, and Freddie Highmore is a fantastic actor. The fact that he hasn't gotten an Emmy yet is really bothersome. There have also been some people who were critical of the casting because it wasn't a person who was on the spectrum. However, they did cast someone with autism as a guest role in an episode that shines a light on how autism is with a child.
Going back to "Glee," they also had a character named Artie Abrams who was in a wheelchair, but in real life not only was he not in a wheelchair but also a very good dancer as well. They did cast an actress who is actually in a wheelchair for a guest role later in the series, along with a character named Becky who has Down syndrome. Additionally, they made Sue Sylvester's sister a character with Down syndrome along with her baby, but they had limited roles. Even though Becky had a bigger role, she was never the main character.
I will give "Breaking Bad" credit for casting an actual actor who has cerebral palsy in the role of a character who has a disability.
What Hollywood needs to do is go beyond casting same people to play the roles of the disabled when there are plenty of actors with a disability out there that are looking for their big break. So, Hollywood please give them a chance, give them something to star in, give them the opportunity to shine!