{"id":5171,"date":"2024-04-24T09:25:57","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T09:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=5171"},"modified":"2026-02-20T13:17:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T13:17:57","slug":"working-as-an-actor-with-multiple-sclerosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/working-as-an-actor-with-multiple-sclerosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Acting with Multiple Sclerosis"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2018Silent Witness\u2019 and \u2018Luther\u2019 actress Maria Miles shares her experience of acting with Multiple Sclerosis.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I was 16, I knew I wanted to be an actress, but achieving my dream wasn\u2019t so simple. I was 18 when my Multiple Sclerosis (MS) began. Mountview Drama School wanted me, so that\u2019s where I studied for three years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my first year, I lost sight in my left eye for a month. Our wonderful GP secretly asked my dad how I was several months later, as sight loss is the first sign of MS. At 19 years old, my parents didn&#8217;t want to worry me, so I just went for lots of tests and it cleared up naturally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, MS didn\u2019t hamper my time at college! It would mainly strike during the holidays when I was with my parents. I was officially diagnosed with MS shortly after my graduation in the late 80s. I was dreadfully upset, but I still continued with my aim to be an actress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was helped by my being cast as \u2018Beatie Bryant\u2019 in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roots<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the National Theatre. A thrilling opportunity but a terrifying prospect. At the start of my career, while it was jolly exciting to be a part of this wonderful profession, it was also very scary. I felt I had to hide my MS from all involved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>The Challenges of Hiding My MS<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the 80s, the industry was far less tolerant than it is now. I told myself that I mustn\u2019t reveal my MS to anyone. I was afraid that I wouldn\u2019t be employed. This really didn\u2019t help my condition, but I ignored it, as I was becoming rather successful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I also had to pretend I could see and focus on one person when my eyesight was misbehaving and guess if I was looking into the camera correctly, too. My eyesight has been badly affected by MS in varying forms \u2013 from clear double vision to temporarily losing sight in one eye.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This continued for many years until I was cast as \u2018Thomasina\u2019 in Tom Stoppard\u2019s glorious <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arcadia<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Both Tom and Trevor Nunn directed the play, and I was having a wonderful time until, out of the blue, a very nasty MS spasm hit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This particular one had affected me many times before, including when I was trying to rehearse <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roots<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the National Theatre. It\u2019s when everything is affected \u2013 my head spins around like the spin-drying cycle on a washing machine. There\u2019s nothing I can do to prevent it. It continues when I lay down to sleep and it\u2019s still there when I wake. It\u2019s like a terrible nightmare you can\u2019t wake up from.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My balance and walking at this time was appalling and I walked like a drunken penguin. Only after a three-week course of steroid tablets was I well enough to go back to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arcadia.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> My understudy, no doubt, was happy for the opportunity, but I felt terribly distraught about not being able to perform and letting people down.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Revealing my MS to the Industry<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arcadia<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, I accepted it was time to \u2018come out\u2019 to the acting world about my great friend MS and take it from there. When I began my \u2018new career\u2019 (so to speak) as an actor with MS, I felt very relaxed. My secret was out and it was so freeing to have nothing to hide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This all sounds quite dramatic, but I never thought of the negative aspects. I\u2019ve always dealt with things in whatever form they choose to manifest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I did &#8216;come out&#8217;, my agent, colleagues, directors and friends were all very supportive. I was so happy and liberated that I no longer had to hide things.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But my circumstances became very different as far as roles go. My walking, balance, etc, meant I could no longer work as I had before. MS roles were all I could do. This was a little limiting, but I&#8217;m very thankful to have been able to experience and demonstrate the whole gamut of emotions in my previous work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since revealing my MS to the industry, I\u2019ve had successful auditions for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skins<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luther<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silent Witness<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doctors<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Holby City<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dublin Murders<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. My agent, Sharry Clark, thought <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luther<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would be too brutal for me, but no, it was great! The directors and crew have always been smashing and the production teams for Channel 4, BBC and ITV have all been excellent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other actors who have to deal with conditions and want to hide this for fear of never being employed must accept there is work for us. Directors are not to be scared or concerned about working with us\u2026 We will not let you down. We will work just as hard, if not harder than others, to prove to ourselves and all that we are still more than capable!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Succeeding as an Actor with MS<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those working with disabled actors, the wheelchair is a type of industry \u2018shorthand\u2019 \u2013 a visual cue for the viewer with no explanation of disability required. I mean no disrespect, but thankfully, I am not in a chair yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is, however, difficult to explain how MS affects each person. Sometimes, MS sufferers use wheelchairs quite rapidly following diagnosis, which is a terrible tragedy. Others, like me, walk in an awful manner, needing a stick or two, a disabled walker or direct assistance from a reliable spouse or friend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slurred speech, whether slight or more noticeable, can also be mistaken for something else. There is an array of other issues, as it is with folk dealing with diverse neurological conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MS can be so varied. It\u2019s not a condition that\u2019s instantly recognisable. Sometimes, only the crazy walking can acutely advertise the disability, such as walking with a wide gait and one\u2019s arms out for balance. I just need a stick and someone\u2019s strong arm when walking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disabled actors now have the opportunities to play larger roles. I was given a fabulous role in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silent Witness<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which proves just that!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the years, I\u2019ve completely lost the use of my arm and my leg, but thankfully not when I\u2019ve been working. My fabulous parents were there to take me home and look after me. You name it, I\u2019ve lost it. It\u2019s a \u2018multiple condition\u2019, after all. It hasn\u2019t all been a loss, though. 18 years ago, I also met my wonderful husband.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My first role as an MS character was in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skins,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> followed by a role in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luther<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the awesome Idris Elba. Idris was so nice \u2013 he even waited behind to congratulate me on my performance! There was nothing to fear as the cast and crew in both productions were truly supportive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In all the MS roles I\u2019ve been offered, I\u2019ve been very well cared for and had everything prepared for me. Although it\u2019s been difficult, my MS hasn\u2019t stopped me from being fortunate enough to work with fabulous directors such as Stephen Soderbergh, Sir Peter Hall, Edward Hall, Sir Trevor Nunn, Patrick Garland, Simon Curtis, Declan Donnellan, Simon Langton and John Schlesinger. I\u2019m so happy to have worked with these extraordinary people!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An honourable mention must also go to my wonderful agent, Sharry Clark, who has been so marvellous and supportive over our many years together. She always ensures I have the correct support when I&#8217;m working, a car to pick me up and bring me safely home and the correct support on set.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strangely, it does all feel rather marvellous. Having worked for so long and with such remarkable people, I don\u2019t feel any pressure or panic to get the next job or to make a point to others \u2013 or indeed myself! I feel so much more relaxed and calmer, which is superb for an MS state of mind. I\u2019ve finally accepted that MS and acting \u2013 while not conducive chums \u2013 are inexorably intertwined with me!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I hope all disabled actors will be as fortunate as I\u2019ve been. Actors with MS, given the right support, are capable of doing more than one thing. All they need are the right opportunities to convey their talents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember: self-belief is essential and trusting in your acting gifts is required by all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take a look at our website for <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">industry news and advice<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tag=interview\">interviews with casting directors, agents and actors<\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><em><span class=\"imgLeft imgLeftSmall\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image-replace hoverZoomLink\" src=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MM-headshot-small.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/spotlightuk\/image\/fetch\/w_{width},c_limit\/https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/MM-headshot-small.jpg\" \/><\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maria Miles is an actress best known for her theatre performances in \u2018The Wild Duck\u2019 (directed by Sir Peter Hall), Cheek by Jowel\u2019s \u2018Don\u2019t Fool With Love\u2019, \u2018Arcadia\u2019 (directed by Trevor Nunn), \u2018King Lear\u2019 in New York (directed by Patrick Garland), \u2018Cain\u2019 (directed by Edward Hall) at Minerva Theatre Chichester, and her TV performances in \u2018The Cinder Path\u2019, \u2018Cold Comfort Farm\u2019 and \u2018Cadfael\u2019. She was also the voice of \u2018Juliet\u2019 in Arkangel\u2019s unabridged production of \u2018Romeo &amp; Juliet\u2019, opposite Joseph Fiennes.<\/span><\/i><\/em><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headshot credit: Sheila Burnett<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018Silent Witness\u2019 and \u2018Luther\u2019 actress Maria Miles shares her experience of acting with Multiple Sclerosis. When I was 16, I knew I wanted to be an actress, but achieving my dream wasn\u2019t so simple. I was 18 when my Multiple Sclerosis (MS) began. Mountview Drama School wanted me, so that\u2019s where I studied for three [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5178,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[83,96,82,50,81,47],"class_list":["post-5171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-industry","tag-acting","tag-diversity-inclusivity","tag-first-person","tag-television","tag-theatre","tag-wellbeing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Maria Miles - Acting with Multiple Sclerosis | Spotlight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Actress Maria Miles on the challenges of acting with Multiple Sclerosis, and her roles in \u2018Silent Witness\u2019 and \u2018Luther\u2019.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/working-as-an-actor-with-multiple-sclerosis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Maria Miles - 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