Disabled Actor Cast as Lead in New Movie

DEC 20th, 2006 - Disabled actor Eddie McGee stars in horror film THE ANGEL for Paul Hough Entertainment, Inc. Eddie McGee, who lost a leg to cancer when he was twelve, has struggled to overcome adversity and has landed the lead role in Paul Hough s THE ANGEL, which recently finished post-production and is heading on the film festival circuit.. Eddie, who became one of the world s most famous amputees when he won the CBS show BIG BROTHER, has recently also completed filming for both Law And Order and Guiding Light. Usually I get cast as a returning soldier, who s lost his leg in battle. But Paul (Hough) wouldn t have any of that. said Eddie, from his New York home. Paul cast me first in Chris Jericho s music video Enemy , which was censored for MTV. In it I played a man who leaps out of a wheelchair and climbs 20 stories using only his hands and arms - and pure determination - only to commit suicide. We certainly got some hate mail for that. Paul (Hough) believes that the disabled shouldn t play traditional disabled roles, and in the Angel I take on a role involving action and wire-work-stunts. It s incredible, and will paint disabled actors in a whole new light. Hough laughs and adds Eddie isn t disabled. Anyone who s met him will tell you that. He s an incredible actor and I m honored he accepted the role. Hough is not afraid of controversy. His internationally released multi-award winning documentary about backyard wrestling The Backyard was slammed by Jan Stuart of Newsday: The pint-sized version of World Wrestling Entertainment on display here is sport as child pornography, one in which the participating minors and their sanctioning parents are complicit. yet championed by Dave Kehr of The New York Times: It s an astounding anthropological study of that strange tribe known as the American teenager. For Hough, The Angel will be equally as controversial. I m sure there will be those who feel that Eddie shouldn t play the role I ve cast him in. Well, I honestly don t think that continually casting disabled actors as disabled characters is good for society in general and I hope with films such as The Angel, that doors will start to open for disabled actors for other, non-traditional roles. Seriously, why is it that Eddie and others like him have to make a living playing an Iraq war veteran? For a screener or booking info please contact: Paul Highlander PaulHighlander1@yahoo.com myspace.com/theangelmovie Paul Hough Paul Hough Entertainment, Inc. 818 599 0751 myspace.com/theangelmovie S. Tzirlin is a freelance writer dedicated to keeping up with the latest news from the entertainment world.