Favourite Disabled Characters: Hollyoaks’ Brooke Hathaway

In July 2018 the character of Brooke Hathaway joined Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, I tuned in to see what she was like.
Like many autistic people I was delighted when Hollyoaks announced they were introducing an autistic character, Brooke Hathaway, and that she would be played by Talia Grant, an autistic actress. Hollyoaks didn’t cast an autistic actress by chance, they conducted a nationwide search in conjuction with the National Autistic Society to find an autistic actress to play Brooke.
I haven’t been a regular viewer of Hollyoaks for a few years, being somewhat outside their demographic (SPOILER: I was within their demographic when the show began in 1995). But I was interested to see what Brooke was like so I checked out a number of episodes since Talia’s first appearance on 10th July. And I was very pleased with what I saw.
In true soap fashion Brooke’s arrival is anything but ordinary. She takes interest in Nancy Osbourne’s tutoring session to meet Nancy and persuade her to meet with her mother Fran. In 2007 Fran killed Nancy’s sister Becca, now she’s dying and wants Nancy’s forgiveness. Shortly after they meet, Fran dies, leaving Brooke alone, Nancy decides to foster her.
I really liked the way they did Brooke’s first scene. They amplified the everyday sounds around her and showed the sensory overload distressing her. But unlike other shows that have tried similar things Hollyoaks actually shows Brooke coping with it. Like many other sensible autistics, she simply puts her earbuds in and switches on some music. Hollyoaks really showed they have done their research on autistic people, not on autism.
When I started watching there was something I couldn’t put my finger on, something different about Brooke, then I realised there was no weird voice, no blank expression, it was completely natural. There were obvious signs she’s autistic, but it wasn’t turned up to eleven like I’ve seen on other shows, it’s a natural part of Brooke, just like it’s a natural part of Talia.
Talia is great as Brooke, not just because she’s autistic, she’s also a great actress who gives real heart to everything Brooke does. She has an incredibly expressive face which makes her incredibly watchable, and at the same time mocks the stereotype of the expressionless, emotionless autistic.
I’ve campaigned against disabled mimicry for years but watching Talia as Brooke I really saw what a difference it makes. It was the first time I’d watched an autistic character and believed they experience the world in some of the ways I do.
One thing I really like is the way they handle Brooke’s directness. It would be really easy to make this a source of comedy, which they don’t, neither do they make a big drama of it. Sometimes Brooke looks a bit embarrassed or unsure, or quickly checks that she hasn’t said something to hurt anyone, but nothing more.
Brooke being autistic isn’t a big deal to others either. When Fran tells Nancy Brooke’s autistic, her reply is “I figured”. There’s no big drama over taking care of an autistic teenager, Nancy’s husband Darren is reluctant and is a bit of a prat about it. But it was nice to see in the years I haven’t watched Hollyoaks that Darren Osbourne hasn’t changed much. And his reluctance has more to do with the affair he’s having, than Brooke, or her being autistic.
I don’t know if it was deliberate by the Hollyoaks writers or not but they’ve put Brooke in a family with disability at its centre. Nancy has multiple sclerosis and Nancy and Darren’s son Oscar is deaf (as is the actor playing him). But they never feel like “the disabled family”. Disability is just part of their lives.
One of the biggest differences I noticed about Hollyoaks since I last tuned in was how disability was woven into the fabric of the show. Along with Talia and Noah Holdsworth who plays Oscar, there is also wheelchair user Amy Conachan who plays science teacher Courtney Campbell. There are several other character who have mental illness or chronic illness. If it doesn’t add up to one in five, the proportion of disabled people in the UK, it must be close. And none of it felt like plot devices, it was all just part of who they are.
And it’s the same with Brooke. Her storylines have revoked around family, friends and relationships. I love Brooke’s relationship with her foster mother Nancy, in some ways they are very similar. The stunt that Brooke pulled to meet Nancy felt like something a young Nancy would’ve tried.
My only slight disappointment is we’ve seen Brooke develop romantic relationships but not any friendships, particularly with other girls. But hopefully that will change soon.
That this is my only criticism shows how well Hollyoaks writers have done so far and how great Talia is. And I can only see this having a positive effect on the wider autistic community, particularly autistic women and girls.
One of the reasons I was so pleased about with the casting of Talia as Brooke is that not only do we get a young autistic woman, we get a young woman of colour too. A group I don’t think I’ve ever seen represented on screen before. Not only will it be good for young autistic women to see themselves on screen, but it could also help many young women start the diagnostic process. Being autistic is still regarded as something predominantly male and there is still a problem of under diagnosis in girls and women. If just one girl watches Brooke and seeks a diagnosis then it will be a great thing.
Usually when I watch a show to see what I think of an autistic character my most positive response is it didn’t make me want to put my foot through the TV. Most of the time it’s a list of how bad it is and what harm it could to autistic people. To watch a show and not only like it but want to watch more is a completely new experience for me. So well done Hollyoaks and Talia.
And to everyone else who makes television and film, this is how you do it, you now know how it can be done and there is no excuse for getting it so badly wrong.
Hollyoaks is broadcast at 6:30 pm on Channel 4 Monday – Friday. Catch up on All 4 available on Android and iOS. In the US, Hollyoaks is available on Hulu.
