MICHAEL SHEEN SHINES IN MUSIC WITHIN, STUDIES CEREBRAL PALSY

Michael Sheen portrays a man with cerebral palsy who inspired Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Queen star Michael Sheen takes on the most challenging physical and emotional acting job in his career, playing Art Honeyman, the man with cerebral palsy who inspired The Americans with Disabilities Act lobbyist Richard Pimentel to action in the film Music Within.

For the role Michael first had to master the physical library of mannerisms so to speak afflicting people with cerebral palsy.

“I started by reading up on cerebral palsy obviously and getting as much video footage of various people and I started going to a day center in Santa Monica for people who were living with cerebral palsy and hung out there. And then I got sent a wheel chair so I could get comfortable in the wheelchair and then practice at home and go around Santa Monica in my wheelchair.”

It wasn’t until Michael met the real person he was playing that he realized the challenges went way beyond the physical.

“And then when I actually got to meet Arthur, Art Honeyman who I play in the film and spent time with him, then I started to get much more specific about the character. And that’s when I realized the biggest challenge to play this character was not about the cerebral palsy but was about the qualities that he has as a man. He was amazing and clever, sharp, irreverent, passionate, funny, charismatic, charming and all these things. To be able to get those qualities come through when you’re very limited in what you can use to express yourself, because of the cerebral palsy and how it affects your body.”

Michael is currently shooting Frost/Nixon reprising his stage role as David Frost on the screen. Music Within which also stars Ron Livingston as Richard Pimentel, the man who single-handedly changed the negative perceptions of people with disabilities is currently playing in theaters.