A former Coronation Street star has slammed the new remake of the Roald Dahl's The Witches for "using disability to highlight a character as a baddie."
Melissa Johns, a campaigner for disability on screen and stage, shared a photo of Anne Hathaway in her role as the Grand High Witch on social media.
In the film and the 1983 novel by Roald Dahl witches have claws and they can be identified by their three-finger taloned hands which they hide by wearing five-finger gloves - reports the Manchester Evening News.
But Melissa took issue with this and tweeted: "Why missing fingers?? Here we go again...
"Using disability as a costume and to highlight a character as a 'baddie'.
"Children with limb differences rarely get to see themselves represented truthfully. But instead get shown as scary monsters? Not what we need #TheWitches."
One follower agreed with her and said: "Melissa is suggesting that maybe disability shouldn’t be used as a thing to scare and segregate.
"It’s a fairly basic principle to grasp. In doing this, children who don’t have 10 fingers may now be deeply affected. They could also become subject of name-calling."
But another follower replied: "I can't remember if in the book the witches had missing fingers but I do remember they were bald and wore wigs.
"Are you suggesting that we change the story? Shall we do that with all books to films?"
Melissa pointed out: "If we see people with disabilities/differences playing ALL the other parts too - the hero, the lover, the clown, the business person, the agent, then yeah, they can play 'baddies' too.
"But when it’s just used as a villain indicator. There’s the problem."
Melissa, who plays Hannah Taylor in BBC drama Life, also played Imogen Pascoe in Coronation Street in 2017.
She is an ambassador for disability in the arts and advocates for better representation of disability on and off screen and stage.
Before Corrie Melissa starred in BBC dramas The Interceptor, Silk and Casualty.
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In one of her online acting profiles she said: “I was lucky enough to be born with only one arm so I get to enjoy half price manicures and can afford to lose the ‘other glove’.”
She added: “I, like many disabled actors, are continuously fighting to change the way disability is seen in this industry.
“For me, having a disability has never been a disadvantage. Unless I’m trying to cut steak or tie up my hair.
"For me it’s about experiencing situations differently to people without disabilities and therefore having a different take on the world.
“It’s about showing that talented disabled performers can be raw, gritty, vulnerable, beautiful, sexy, real and it coming from a very personal and unique place.
"So its not a disadvantage.
"It’s an ability to see things from a completely different angle and take on characters in different way.”
Melissa is a friend of Corrie favourite Cherylee Houston, who plays Izzy Armstrong in the ITV1 soap, and they are co-founders of the pioneering drama project Triple C - The Creative Confidence Collective - launched so the next generation of budding actors don’t meet blocks to the arts.
