The upcoming film “Blind,” starring Alec Baldwin as a novelist who loses his sight in a car crash, has drawn criticism for casting an able-bodied actor as the blind lead. 
 
 The Ruderman Family Foundation, a leading organization advocating for disability rights, spoke out against the film, accusing it of “crip-face” — a comparison to blackface — in having Baldwin portray the main role. The private philanthropic group is known for advocating on behalf of casting disabled actors. 
 
 “Alec Baldwin in ‘Blind’ is just the latest example of treating disability as a costume,” Jay Ruderman, the foundation’s president, said in a statement to the L.A. Times. “We no longer find it acceptable for white actors to portray black characters. Disability as a costume needs to also become universally unacceptable.” 
 
 Last summer, the foundation released findings that reveal although those with disabilities represent almost 20% of the country’s population, 95% of disabled characters on television are played by able-bodied performers. The Ruderman Family also criticized the 2016 romantic drama “Me Before You” for casting Sam Claflin as a young banker who was left paralyzed from an accident. 
 
 The trailer for “Blind” was released Wednesday, and co-stars Demi Moore as a married socialite who cares for Baldwin’s character as part of a plea bargain. The two develop a love affair, leaving Moore’s character to choose between Baldwin’s and her husband. 
 
 The film, directed by Michael Mailer, premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival on Oct. 13. It is scheduled to release worldwide on July 14 by Vertical Entertainment. ||||| LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Groups that advocate for the disabled called on Sunday for a national boycott of the Ben Stiller comedy “Tropic Thunder,” citing what they say is its negative portrayal of people with intellectual disabilities. 
 
 Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller in a scene from "Tropic Thunder". REUTERS/DreamWorks Pictures 
 
 “We are asking people not to go to the movie and hope to bring a consciousness to people about using derogatory words about this population,” said Peter Wheeler, spokesman for Special Olympics, one of 22 disability groups nationwide protesting the satire. 
 
 The film, directed by Stiller, will be released on Wednesday by Viacom Inc’s Paramount Pictures and its DreamWorks unit. 
 
 The groups plan to picket the movie’s premiere on Monday evening in Los Angeles’s Westwood community. 
 
 “That will be the start of a nationwide protest,” said Wheeler. “We will continue to be vocal about the destructive effect of this film.” 
 
 He said the groups are particularly offended by the film’s repeated use of the word “retard” regarding a character, Simple Jack, played by Stiller in a subplot about an actor. 
 
 Representatives of the Special Olympics, the Arc of the United States, the National Down Syndrome Congress, the American Association of People with Disabilities and other groups met with studio executives last week to discuss the film, but DreamWorks did not make any changes. 
 
 Peter Berns, executive director the Arc, said in a memo the groups presented various ideas to the studio, from requesting an apology to fixing the film before its release, to producing a national educational campaign. 
 
 Chip Sullivan, a spokesman for DreamWorks said: “We have had productive discussions with representatives of disability advocacy organizations and look forward to working with them closely in the future. However no changes or cuts to the film will be made... 
 
 “‘Tropic Thunder’ is an R-rated comedy that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses, and makes its point by featuring inappropriate and over-the top characters in ridiculous situations. The film is in no way meant to disparage or harm the image of individuals with disabilities,” he said. 
 
 The film also features Robert Downey Jr. as a white actor who changes his skin color to play a black soldier. 
 
 Sullivan said that prior to the meetings, DreamWorks had taken down an online promotion, removing references to Simple Jack it felt could appear offensive when taken out of context. 
 
 The film was shown in more than 250 promotional screenings around the country since April. ||||| Disabled athletes and models have told Newsbeat how disappointed they are with Brazilian Vogue's publicity campaign for the 2016 Paralympics. 
 
 The fashion powerhouse posted a picture to its Instagram account on Thursday showing able-bodied actors with disabilities Photoshopped in. 
 
 One has lost an arm and the other has been given a prosthetic leg. 
 
 The photoshoot was done to promote the Paralympics with a caption that read "we are all Paralympians". 
 
 I'm more than my disability 
 
 Chelsey Jay from BMA Models is a disabled model and campaigner. 
 
 She told Newsbeat: "The image looks beautiful but what were Brazilian Vogue thinking - it's completely and utterly wrong." 
 
 Chelsey suffers from a condition called Pots (Postural tachycardia syndrome ) which affects her walking and standing up. 
 
 The 25-year-old was suddenly unable to walk three years ago after she stood up and fainted. 
 
 "Brands want to start embracing disability but they don't know how to go about it. They are making things worse. 
 
 "The media think that it's OK to pretend that able-bodied people are disabled and that's not OK. 
 
 "As a disabled model it's almost impossible to get work, unless it's for a specific disabled role. 
 
 "I want to be cast as a girl with brown hair not a disabled girl. There is so much more to me than my disability." 
 
 Cleo Pires and Paulo Vilhena are the able-bodied actors who appear in the pictures. They are ambassadors for the Brazilian Paralympic Committee. 
 
 The idea was for them to play the role of Paralympic table tennis player Bruna Alexandre and volleyball player Renato Leite. 
 
 Pires has posted a video on Instagram defending the photos in which she says: "As ambassador, we lend our images to give visibility [to a cause], and that's what we are doing, my God." 
 
 I think it's fine 
 
 Samantha from VisABLE talent agency is a former wheelchair tennis player from Brazil and friend to volleyball player Renato Leite. 
 
 She doesn't see anything wrong with the picture: "They are promoting the Paralympics and that's what's important. 
 
 "They [Paralympians and actors] did the photoshoot together and they are actors, they were pretending to be Renato and Bruna. 
 
 "The actors open up the Paralympics to a different audience. We are all one - it doesn't matter, we are all together on the issue of supporting disabled athletes." 
 
 I am shocked and upset that Vogue Brazil would think it is acceptable to use photos of able-bodied models instead of Paralympic athletes or disabled models Racheal Lathan Ex Paralympic swimmer 
 
 I am proud of what I have achieved 
 
 Former Paralympic swimmer Rachael Latham said: "After London 2012, people's attitude about disability, and the perception of the Paralympics, changed. 
 
 "Everyone within the world of disability sport hoped that this would continue through to Rio in 2016, but this article is actually taking a step back from the progression that has been made. 
 
 "The Paralympics is about showcasing disabled athletes who have trained to be the best person they can be. Allow them to do that by using actual Paralympians, not able-bodied models. 
 
 "As a former Paralympic athlete myself, I am proud of what I have achieved and who I am. I know current Paralympic athletes feel the same and they want opportunities to promote this to the world." 
 
 According to Sport England only 17% of disabled people take part in weekly sporting activities. 
 
 More than two-thirds of people believe attitudes towards disabled people have improved since the London Paralympic Games in 2012, 
 
 Speaking to HuffPost UK, a spokesperson from Vogue Brasil said the campaign had not been created by Vogue. 
 
 "Vogue respects the opinions of readers who disagreed with the campaign format, but reiterates its commitment to promote the importance of Paralympic Games. We will continue to support all of the Paralympic committee initiatives that can increase the number of attendees at the Paralympic Games." 
 
 Newsbeat has contacted Vogue and is waiting for a response. 
 
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– A disability rights organization that often takes Hollywood to task for casting able-bodied actors to play the physically challenged is slamming the upcoming movie Blind. The Ruderman Family Foundation faulted Alec Baldwin's portrayal as a novelist who loses his sight in a car crash, reports the Los Angeles Times. Calling the casting of a blind character by an able-bodied actor "crip-face," President Jay Ruderman draws a direct parallel to blackface. Baldwin's casting "is just the latest example of treating disability as a costume," he says in a statement. "We no longer find it acceptable for white actors to portray black characters. Disability as a costume needs to also become universally unacceptable." Neither Baldwin nor director Michael Mailer have commented. Blind co-stars Demi Moore as a married socialite who falls for Baldwin after she begins reading to him as part of community service. Vertical Entertainment released the trailer Wednesday, notes Variety, and the film is set for release on July 14. Last July, the Ruderman foundation released a report showing that although disabled people comprise 20% of the US population, some 95% of disabled roles on TV go to able-bodied actors. Marlee Matlin later told a Ruderman-organized conference, "There is something wrong with this picture," she said, per the Times. "We as an industry keep talking about diversity … but, sadly, when we start speaking about diversity, disability seems to be left out far too often." (One very real struggle for Baldwin: Lyme disease.)