ABC is known for creating hit family comedies that showcase people of different backgrounds, religions, and class. And tonight, they continue that mission with the premiere of Speechless. About a family who has a son with cerebral palsy, this is no very-special-episode series made just for the sake of having more diversity on its network. Speechless is a truthful, hilarious—and yes, poignant—look at what life is like for the DiMeo family.
In fact, the series is actually based on the family of the show's creator, Scott Silveri (who, by the way, honed his writing skills on a show called Friends—maybe you've heard of it?). About a Boy alum Minnie Driver stars as Maya, a no-nonsense married mom of three, and Micah Fowler, the incredible actor who plays Driver's son JJ, has cerebral palsy.
Still, Driver was a tad nervous about taking on the role, but not for the reasons you might expect. Read on to find out why.
Glamour: You just mentioned that you were very nervous about this script. How come?
Minnie Driver: Everyone was very nervous about the script. People loved it, but they were nervous that [my character] was not likable. That was a big consideration. But the people that I work with, they said, "Listen, she’s not likable, but you have to read it because it’s so good. There’s a way you can do this." I could see immediately what they meant. I know it’s so weird, but them letting me be English had a huge amount to do with being able to get away with saying slightly more unfavorable things and being sort of more of a dick. [Laughs]
Glamour: I don’t think she’s a dick at all. She encounters a lot of idiot people and responds accordingly.
Minnie: Right. I don’t think she just…she advocates, and she doesn’t need the people in society who are putting up what she perceives to be walls for her son. She’s not scared of tearing them down. She’s not scared of getting up in their faces, which is only exactly what I’ve experienced with these worrier moms who are like, “You’re not thinking about whether this person is going to like me when you’re there going, ‘You’re using a garbage ramp to wheel my son in and out of school.’ That is so disrespectful and awful!” It was interesting, but I also knew it would be difficult to make that funny and also real and also emotional and moving and grounded in the moments that needed to be there. It continues to be a really challenging role.
Glamour: Micah, who plays your son, was cast before you. What was that first meeting like?
Minnie: He’s a light, Micah. He is. I’m not saying that in any way that is patronizing. I’ve called him an inspiration before and it’s just the worst thing you can about him, but he is!
Glamour: Why is that the worst thing you can say about him?
Minnie: Because it sounds super patronizing, like, "He’s an inspiration." But he is! He always has something positive to say. He is grateful, he is funny, he has a smile on his face. He shows up with the attitude that I wish I could meet every day with. It’s what I encourage my son to do. My son often laughs at me when I’m going, "Go on out there and have a great day!" He’s like, "Really? Take a look at yourself. You just swore at the cat." [Laughs]
Glamour: At the TCAs, during your panel, it was surprising for some to hear Micah speak because in the show…
Minnie: He’s non-verbal.
Glamour: Will that stay that way?
Minnie: Yes. The more relaxed Micah is, the more fluid his speech is, like with any of us. So what you do—and what I’ve realized—is that the expectation of which the speed of a conversation takes place, that goes out the window. You just stop and you listen. It takes a while, but he forces you to be so present in yourself and in the moment. Maybe that is why Micah is as great as he is because he is so present. It’s just his experience, but it did take a few conversations for me to say [to myself], "OK, just sit back and just wait." And also, "Don’t anticipate and finish the sentence [for him]. Let him say what he’s going to say." It gets more fluid, and there are days when it’s not, but we have a laugh. We have a real laugh.
Glamour: How do you communicate between scenes? Does he use the board that we see in the series?
Minnie: No, he never uses a board. Micah only speaks. Sometimes it takes a long time, and we don’t get to finish it between takes. The [other] kids [on the show] have such a shorthand with him now. They’re so tight with him. Mason, Kyla, they are so tight.
Glamour: The females on ABC’s comedy lineup have such unique roles, whether it’s Beverly Goldberg on The Goldbergs…
Minnie: Or Tracee Ellis Ross on Blackish…
Glamour: Or Constance Wu’s character on Fresh Off the Boat. So why do you think we need a character like yours—Maya—on television today? Why is she important?
Minnie: She’s telling a story that millions of women go through this experience. But beyond the level of special needs, she is, like so many women, trying to keep the plates in the air. You haven’t seen a family that is as economically challenged because all of those families that you mentioned have money.
Glamour: Well, on The Middle, you have Patricia Heaton’s character. Her family doesn’t have much money.
Minnie: Yes! But to be representing that giant kind of portion of society…[like this family on Speechless], who says, "We don’t have money. We don’t live in a nice house. We don’t have nice stuff. We break all the nice stuff. We accrue crap, and we keep the plates in the air and keep it going. We don’t stop for the stuff that we don’t have, we just keep going with the stuff that we do…" I think that’s a very important story to tell, and that it also isn’t the main focus. It’s just part and parcel of these people’s lives. I think that’s important to represent…not that there’s anything wrong with the amazing way that the family lives in Blackish or The Goldbergs or Fresh Off the Boat. ABC supports the telling of all of our stories.
Glamour: What do you want viewers to say after watching Speechless?
Minnie: I hope they think it’s a really funny show to watch that whether they consciously know it or not, makes them feel more comfortable with the notion of disability. But first and foremost, I hope people laugh because that’s what they are tuning in to see.
Speechless airs tonight, September 21, on ABC at 8:30 P.M. ET.
