Not all stars' smiles are happiness smiles, it might just be a smile for the cameras. Sometimes we forget that the rich and famous cry too. And the most painful thing in a person's life is the troubles that touched his child. In the world, every 88th child is born with autism, and 1 in 700 is born with Down syndrome. Terrible statistics, which also include star children.
Colin Farrell 
At first it seemed that Colin's son weighing 3.43 kilograms was born a completely healthy baby, later it turned out that James was suffering from Angelman syndrome. He is developmentally retarded, laughs too much and has disturbed sleep. In addition, sometimes James has seizures. Unfortunately, the disease is extremely rare, which is why it is not well understood and cannot be treated. However, Colin does not consider his son disabled.
“Only once did I remember that my son is a little different from everyone else, that he has some developmental disabilities, something that prevents calling him normal - that was when I saw him next to his peers. But I don’t think about it for a long time, ”says Colin.
Irina Khakamada 
Irina Hokomada, a talented business coach, designer and former politician, also had a daughter with Down syndrome. In addition, the girl was overtaken by another terrible disease - blood leukemia, which she coped with thanks to a course of chemotherapy. Irina devotes a lot of time to her daughter and believes that they are best friends. Also, in 2006, she founded the Our Choice interregional social solidarity fund to help people with disabilities of all ages.
Fedor and Svetlana Bondarchuk
Due to premature birth, the daughter of Fedor and Svetlana Bondarchuk was born with Down syndrome. Basically, Varya lives abroad, where she receives the necessary treatment and education. Svetlana does not lose heart, and in one of the interviews she said: “Yes, we have a child with certain problems, but something terrible can happen to anyone at any moment. Nobody is safe. Living in misery and despondency is wrong.”
Lolita
Initially, doctors diagnosed Lolita's daughter with Down syndrome, then they changed it to a more comforting "autism". Today, the girl is 16 years old, she, despite certain health problems, goes to a regular school and does not lag behind her peers.
“She constantly works with a psychologist, draws, plays music, her breasts began to grow, pimples appeared on her forehead. Fortunately, Eva is not yet interested in boys, but the guys are very interested in her ... My daughter and girlfriend have it, ”Lolita said in an interview.
Konstantin Meladze
Konstantin Meladze's son, Valery, was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old.
“This is not a sentence, this is a shooting, after which you were left to live. This is a serious disease that has not yet been cured. It is being corrected. I'm talking about a severe form of autism. These kids can be trained. I think that parents who are faced with a similar problem are familiar with the feeling of fear, helplessness in the face of grief, and shame. Our society does not accept, does not recognize “others”. But when the first successes appear in a child, hope and faith wake up - and then a new starting point for true victories and bright pride in your child begins, ”says Yana, ex-wife Konstantin Meladze.
It is very important for people with disabilities to be represented in the media, as well as to have the opportunity to express themselves creatively. According to the Ruderman Family Foundation, although real life 20% of the population are disabled, as less than 2% of TV characters are shown disabled.
If you have a child with Down Syndrome or love someone with an extra chromosome, you may understand why it is so significant to see people with Down Syndrome and other disabilities in show business.
The first time I saw a person with Down Syndrome on television, it was Chris Burke on Life Goes On. At the time it seemed that sole actor with Down syndrome, but later in our favorite series or films, more and more actors with this diagnosis began to appear.
Here are 25 Actors With Down Syndrome:
1. Liam Bairstow
Bairstow's talent was discovered by the producers of Coronation Street during a master class for actors with disabilities. They were impressed with Bairstow's abilities and offered him the role of Alex.
2. Edward Barnabell
Barnabell has been acting since 2000, predominantly in plays. He is best known for his role as Billy in The Simulator. Barnabell will fill in for actress Jamie Brewer when necessary in Amy and the Orphans, in which case the play will be called Andy and the Orphans.
3. Trevor Barella
Barella is a young actor who starred in the movie A Normal Life. He plays Nathan, the younger of two brothers. The film tells about the relationship of brothers and about family life.
4. Richard Beckett
Beckett is a British theater actor best known for his role in the drama series No Offense. Speaking at various venues, he describes himself as an amazingly talented theater actor with a less talented selfish companion - a friend named Richard.
5. Stephen Brandon
Brandon is a British actor who was discovered during master classes at the Mushroom Theater Company. Then he was invited to play the lead role in the film "My Feral Heart".
6. Jamie Brewer
Brewer as an actress became known for her role as Adelaide in the popular TV series " American history horrors." She has acted in dramas, musicals and comedies. Brewer is the star of the new avant-garde play Amy and the Orphans.
7. Chris Burke
Burke began his acting career with the ABC TV movie Desperate (1987). The producers of the TV company were impressed by his talent, and they began to shoot the popular series "Life Goes On" ("Life goes on"), creating for Burke the main role of Corky. Burke was the first actor on the network's television series to have Down syndrome.
8. David DeSanctis
Desanktis - an actor who glorified famous movie"Where the Dream Lives" He plays Produce, a man who works at a small grocery store and befriends a former baseball star.
9. Andrea Faye Friedman
Friedman is a talented actress who has starred in TV series and films. She played the role of Amanda in the series Life Goes On. Friedman voices the role of a character with Down syndrome in Family Guy. She can also be seen in separate episodes of the TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Ambulance" and "Save Grace", as well as in many other television series and films.
10. Kennedy Garcia
Photo: facebook.com/kennedyjean04
Garcia is a dancer, model and actress who made her film debut in Pure Country 2. She appeared in commercials for The Bounty, an episode of Sesame Street, and the music video for Earl Arnold's "What About Them."
11. Sarah Gordy
Gordy is a British actress, dancer and model. She is best known for her role as Lady Pamela Holland in the 2010 BBC television series Up and Down Stairs. She also starred in episodes of Call the Midwife, Holby City and Doctors. Gordy took part in short films, played in radio shows, commercials and many theatrical productions.
12. Amber House
House is best known for her role as Grace in the film The Senior Prank (Touched by Grace). In this film, Grace became a friend of a newly arrived girl in the city and played an important role in her life.
13. Tommy Jessop
Jessop is a gifted actor who has appeared in several TV movies, radio shows, movies, documentaries and starring on stage. At the Southampton International Film Festival and the Manchester Film Festival, he won Best Leading Actor in a Short Film for his role in Down and Out.
14. Daniel Laurie
Laurie is a British actor best known for his roles in Call the Midwife and Stella.
15. Crystal Hope Nausbaum
Nausbaum has had roles in the films and TV series The Rainbow Kid, Blood Honey, Between the Lines: Pretty Lake High - Yearbook Assignment, and The Secret Keeper's Daughter.
16. Lauren Potter
Potter rose to fame playing the role of Becky Jackson in the hit TV series Losers. She also appeared in the films Guest Room and Mr. Blue Sky" and in some other films. Potter is known as an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.
17. John Franklin Stevens
Perhaps Stevens is best known for his speeches in defense of the rights of people with Down syndrome: his recent speech in Congress went "viral". Stevens is also an actor, his most notable roles are in the films Dawn and Touched by Grace.
18. Brad Silverman
Photo: facebook.com/brutalbarrett
Silverman has starred in I'm Sam, Quantum Leap, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
19. John Taylor
Taylor played in the films "The Simulator", "Dorian's Sadness" and "The Seventh Sign".
20. Sofia Sanchez
Sanchez was born in a small town in Ukraine. Her parents abandoned her and she spent the first 14 months of her life in an orphanage. After that, she was adopted. Sanchez is an actress and model. She has acted in plays, commercials for Build-A-Bear and Target, and in an episode of the TV series "Switched at the Maternity Hospital".
21. John Tucker
Tucker became famous as the star of the reality show "Born This Way" ("Born This Way"). He also starred in the Amazon "pilot" "Love You More", but the project was not approved for filming the series.
22. Blair Williamson
Williamson has guest starred on Clinic and The Protector, and has appeared on ER, Parts of the Body, C.S.I. Crime scene". Movies include "My Antonia" as well as many independent films and short films.
23. Ricky Whitman
Whitman has appeared in Airwolf, California Highway Patrol, and the TV movie Marian Rose White. He died of Alzheimer's disease a month before his forty-fourth birthday.
24. Ashley Wolfe
Wolfe starred in the film Mr. Blue Sky. This is the role of a woman with Down syndrome who falls in love with an ordinary man, and they have to fight the world to get their relationship recognized. She also appeared in the movie Jewel.
25. Luke Zimmerman
Luke rose to prominence as Tom Bowman on the ABC Family series Secret From My Parents. He can be seen in the film "Adi Shankar's Gods and Secrets" and the TV series "Old Age Is Not a Joy" and "Losers", as well as in other projects.
Ellen Stumbo
Translation: Olga Lisenkova, original: themighty.com
Down syndrome did not prevent the Spaniard Pablo Pineda from getting higher education, as well as become a film actor: he played a major role in feature film"Me too" (2009).
Pablo Pineda is a convincing proof that even Down syndrome is not a final sentence for a person (like, probably, any disease or disability in general). A lot depends on the courage of the person himself, his willingness to fight for himself and his future, as well as, of course, on the love and help of his loved ones.
What is Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is a congenital genetic pathology in which a person has one extra chromosome: instead of 46, there are 47 of them in the chromosome set of the cell: one chromosome, namely the 21st, is represented by three copies instead of two.
This syndrome was first described in 1862 by English doctor John Down, misclassifying it as a form of mental disorder. Signs of people with Down syndrome are a flat face with slanted eyes (this pathology was even called “Mongolism” for quite a long time), an open mouth, a small nose, a short wide neck, a flat nape, low muscle tone, etc.
In the early 20th century, with the advent of eugenics, people with Down syndrome began to be forcibly sterilized in many US states. The same thing was done first in Nazi Germany, and then they were completely destroyed in order to “purify the Aryan race” as part of the T-4 killing program (“Action Tiergartenstrasse 4”).
It is recognized that the birth of a child with Down syndrome (an average of 1 birth in 700-800) can be affected by the age of the mother. Very often, such children are born to women over 35 years old. Usually people with Down syndrome are called "children of the Sun" - for peacefulness and kindness, the absence of any aggressiveness.
In Russia, about 2,000 children with Down syndrome are born every year, and 85% of them turn out to be superfluous in their family: their parents refuse them. In Europe and the US, if prenatal diagnosis diagnoses a baby with Down syndrome in the womb, more than 90% of mothers will have an abortion. Doctors have been sounding the alarm about this for a long time, but so far it has not been possible to cope with the problem.
Pablo is the first
Meanwhile, it is a delusion to believe that such children are not taught. They do have delays in intellectual and physical development varying degrees of severity. These may be problems with speech and hearing, the development of fine motor skills and communication skills. However, they can still develop: learn not only to walk and talk, but also to read and write, like other children, albeit with a lag.
A striking example of the learning ability of people with Down syndrome is the Spaniard Pablo Pineda, who was born in 1974 in the Spanish city of Malaga. He grew up in a family where, in addition to him, his two older brothers were brought up. Pablo became the first person in Europe with Down syndrome who was able to get a higher education. He graduated in 1999 from the University of Malaga with a degree in Educational Psychology.
The fact that he was not like everyone else, the boy first learned from his teacher at the age of seven, when he had to go to school. "I am stupid?" Pablo asked him. "No," shrugged his interlocutor. "Can I go to school?" He answered in the affirmative, although at that time it was unusual. It is today that 85% of Spanish children with Down syndrome go to general, non-specialized schools. Then Pablo became one of the very first such children who studied in a regular school along with the rest of the children.
Pablo remembers the school with gratitude. In one of the interviews about school years he said this: “School is the best time. It was a wonderful, interesting, but also tough experience that enriched my life incredibly. It was especially difficult when I was a teenager.”
Fortunately for him, his parents took great care of his development and did a lot of work on him. Pablo himself says this about this: “I grew up in a cultured family, with daily newspapers and a library, curiosity woke up in me very early ... In general, such a child should be brought up as a child, and not as a “disabled person”: he needs to be educated. Parents should talk to him, because the worst enemy of children with Down syndrome is silence ... Parents should always be with them, they should show that this is their child. Children with Down Syndrome do not need to be overprotected: they need constant mental and physical stimulation and learn on their own.”
Another secret to Pablo's success is hard work. For example, he said that he works out 6-7 hours a day. At the same time, Pablo explained that for him this is largely a necessity: after all, people with Down syndrome study and assimilate educational material are harder than usual.
In his early youth, Pablo wanted to become a lawyer or a journalist. However, in the end, he chose the profession of a teacher at the university. For some time after graduation, Pineda worked in the municipality of the city of Malaga. Now he is busy teaching at a school in the Spanish city of Cordoba.
At the 2009 San Sebastian International Film Festival, Pineda won Best Actor in Me Too, where he played a university teacher with Down syndrome. It can be said that in the film, Pablo largely plays himself.
We bring to your attention excerpts from one of the interviews with Pablo Pineda, where he talks about his life and how, in his opinion, society should treat people with Down syndrome.
Pablo Pineda: we should be seen as ordinary people
– What do you remember about school? Was it difficult to adapt?
- I remember the school period as useful enough for me. The difficulties I encountered were often caused by distrust and fear on the part of senior teachers. They were prejudiced and took it for granted that I would fail in my studies. But I got lucky. I was supported by young teachers. They approved my stay at the school and insisted that I stay.
With early childhood I have always studied at the state educational institutions. I must admit that because of Down syndrome my path was not covered with roses, and I had problems with integration.
– How do you fight for your integration? What is the most difficult thing here?
– From the very beginning until today, I have to constantly prove and show what I am capable of. It is very difficult, it is a very difficult struggle, the most difficult in my life. I always have to go one step ahead. I've hit "no" hundreds of times, but I've learned to fight and get "yes." Some things offended me. For example, they told me that my case was artificial, that it was a substitution, that I had a “mosaic” form of the syndrome (a variant of Down syndrome, in which only some, and not all, cells of the body contain tripled chromosome 21 - ed.).
- In your opinion, are young Spaniards able to truly integrate a person with Down syndrome into society?
I have many friends and have great memories of school. Children are more tolerant, more solidary. As a teenager, it was more difficult for me. The guys at the institute were not so understanding ... Well, okay, in any case, the good outweighs. Everyone has their own experience. Everything happened to me, but, in general, my student life was happy.
– How did you get involved in the work?
– … I am a certified teacher in the field special education in the direction of "pedagogical psychology". I'm the only person with Down syndrome who has managed to make a career. I consider myself lucky, I do not sit without work. For almost a year I worked in the department of social welfare of the Malaga city hall, then in a project for socialization and involvement in professional activity people who are on the verge of marginalization… I really enjoy working.
- Do you understand that most people with Down syndrome do not have the same opportunities for a self-sufficient life?
- I feel my exceptional position and I think that several circumstances contributed to this: firstly, I myself very clearly saw myself as such. In addition, my parents helped me with all their might. They believed in my strength and always supported me. They once and for all decided for themselves that I was absolutely normal in everything and did not distinguish between me and my brothers. Of course, this was not easy for me.
– So you think that parents play a key role in the development of a person with Down syndrome?
- The most important, without a doubt. But, unfortunately, many parents who have a child with Down syndrome instantly lose hope, do not invest in it as they should, because they simply do not realize its capabilities. This is where I differ from most guys with Down syndrome. At the same time, it is very important not to overload such children with care, they must be given the freedom to develop.
– Have you had moments when you wanted to quit everything, moments of complete loneliness?
Yes, in my second year of undergraduate studies. Everything was going against me that year. The teachers were full of prejudices, I suffered from classmates, they looked down on me, contemptuously ... that was still the situation. I didn't tell my parents anything. As a result, I endured everything and came to the conclusion that I was able to overcome everything myself. In general, I began to live on. It's funny that in the worst moments of my life, I always meet someone who helps me and supports me. I always have a guardian angel.
– What is your goal for the near future?
- I have always believed and still believe that my goal is to fight for the liberation of society from prejudices and stereotypes. Our voice must be heard by society, we must be seen ordinary people. Until now, I sometimes ask myself if society really understands me. It seems to me that people with Down syndrome are not yet sufficiently understood and appreciated as individuals. Ignorance and often ignorance reigns in this topic. In general, the road ahead is long, you have to prove a lot.
– What is your advice to a person with Down Syndrome who is having difficulty tolerating their condition?
– My advice is to never lose your presence of mind, to feel strength and courage in yourself, to accept yourself as anyone and love yourself. In no case be afraid, do not envy anyone and discard complexes! We must fight with all our might. Surely, you have some abilities, and they need to be cultivated. For example, I manage to write well and study well, but then a bear stepped on my ear. Everyone decides for himself what to develop.
Can you remember a day that fills you with pride? The day when you felt that your efforts were not in vain?
- I can, and not one such day. Once, when students of a professionally oriented course were awarded for the successes, I was awarded a special award. I was bursting with pride when I saw a crowded assembly hall in front of me, heard applause and shouts of approval. It was truly an indescribable feeling. Another time I did an internship at school, and they gave me an incredible honor, prepared a bunch of surprises, poems in my honor. I still get goosebumps when I remember…. At the end we all cried!
The appearance in the family of a child with special needs - with special needs, handicapped or multiple violations - a gloomy lottery of fate, from which no one is immune. AT last years society turns its face to families with such children, is engaged in their social integration.
These processes are also taking place in Russia, albeit unevenly; in the fall of 2017, a certain lady on television reported that "special children" are born from "drunken conceptions", which is both factually false and insulting. In response, a flash mob #yanealkash began in social networks, in which the mothers and fathers of the children told about their families. Among celebrities, there are also many such families. We invite you to read about them.
Evelina Bledans
Actress and TV presenter Evelina Bledans is raising her son Semyon with Down syndrome. Bledans became the first Russian celebrity who openly and proudly declared that she had " sunny baby". She participates in the work of a specialized charitable foundation, works with her son and says a lot in an interview that raising a special baby is not a sentence, but simply different living conditions. In 2017, Evelina Bledans divorced her husband, but this, according to her, did not affect the child in any way.Danko
Singer Danko is married to model Natalya Ustyumenko. The couple is raising two daughters, and the youngest Agatha was born with cerebral palsy - children's cerebral palsy. There were complications during childbirth. The result was a difficult diagnosis. The editors of uznayvse.ru clarifies that Danko does not live with his family, but regularly visits his wife and children. Natalya devotes almost all her time to rehabilitation classes with her youngest daughter. 
Irina Khakamada
The second child - daughter Masha - Irina Khakamada gave birth at the age of 42. As it sometimes happens, she had a girl with Down syndrome. It was in 1997, so in the maternity hospital Khakamada was persuaded to abandon the child. However, conditions in Russian orphanages are such that the mother decided not to leave the girl. AT adolescence Masha suffered from leukemia, but she was saved. In 2017, the girl turned 20 years old, she has a boyfriend - a young man with the same diagnosis. 
Anna Netrebko
Opera diva Anna Netrebko gave birth to her son Thiago in 2008 in Vienna. The boy's mother noticed something was wrong by his three years, when Thiago still did not begin to speak. It was only then that doctors diagnosed him with a mild form of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Anna decided to find specialists abroad, and not in Russia, and took her son to New York - the field of therapy and integration of such children is well developed in the USA. 
Sergei Belogolovtsev
TV presenter Sergei Belogolovtsev's youngest son Zhenya was born significantly ahead of schedule and with heart failure. In addition, after the operation, he developed cerebral palsy. For several years, the parents hid the diagnosis of their son from the press and the public, but later they spoke about the features of Zhenya. The young man himself graduated from a school for gifted children (with cerebral palsy often the intellect remains intact) and hosts the TV show "Various News" on one of the TV channels. 
Tatyana Yumasheva
The daughter of the first President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, Tatyana, gave birth to a son, Gleb, in 1995. The boy was born with Down syndrome. For many years, the press did not report the features of the child in order to divert unsolicited attention from the family. However, the editors of the site note that Tatyana Yumasheva recently wrote about her son herself - she said that Gleb swims well, remembers and loves many pieces of music, and also plays chess well. 
Lolita Milyavskaya
Rumors about the features of Lolita's daughter, born in marriage to Alexander Tsekalo, began to circulate almost from the moment she was born. They also wrote that she had Down syndrome, and that the girl was autistic. Lolita Milyavskaya herself denied these speculations. According to the singer, Eva, born in 1999, was born very premature, and her features are connected precisely with this. At birth, the girl weighed a little over one and a half kilos, she barely managed to get out. 
Konstantin Meladze
The son of producer Konstantin Meladze was born in 2005 and until recently the family hid that the boy was diagnosed with autism. Details difficult life the boy's mother told the autist only after her divorce from her husband (Konstantin left Yana for the singer Vera Brezhneva). According to her, parents should not repeat her mistakes and consult doctors as early as possible - if ASD is diagnosed in time, the ability to compensate for it is much higher (at the same time, we note that in Russia for a long time children under three years of age were not diagnosed with autism in principle). 
Svetlana Bondarchuk
The daughter of Fyodor Bondarchuk and his wife Svetlana lives away from her parents in London. According to Svetlana Bondarchuk, she studies and undergoes rehabilitation there. British specialists in working with special children suit the couple more than domestic ones. The girl Varya was born in 2001 a little ahead of schedule, the peculiarities of her development are connected with this. 
Raising a child with special needs is not an easy task, even for parents with opportunities. However, it also happens that quite ordinary children of stars do not stand the test of parental glory and indulge in all serious. We invite you to read about the most unlucky children Russian celebrities.
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There is an erroneous opinion that people with Down syndrome are absolutely not adapted to life, they can neither study, nor work, nor achieve any success. However, this is not at all the case. Our heroes act in films, teach, walk the catwalk and win gold medals!
Among the "children of the sun" there are talented actors, artists, athletes and teachers. Read our selection and see for yourself!
Judith Scottsad and amazing story Judith began on May 1, 1943, when twin girls were born into an ordinary family from the city of Columbus. One of the girls, named Joyce, was born completely healthy, but her sister Judith was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
In addition to this, while still a baby, Judith fell ill with scarlet fever and lost her hearing. The girl did not speak and did not react in any way to the remarks addressed to her, so the doctors mistakenly believed that she had a profound mental retardation. The only person who understood Judith and could talk to her was her sister Joyce. The twins were inseparable. The first 7 years of Judith's life were absolutely happy...
And then… her parents, under medical pressure, made a disastrous decision. They gave Judith to an asylum for the feeble-minded and abandoned her.
Joyce broke up with her beloved sister for a long 35 years. All these years she was tormented by longing and guilt. What Judith was going through at this time, one can only guess. At that time, no one was interested in the experiences of the "mentally retarded" ...
In 1985, Joyce, unable to endure many years of moral torment, tracked down her twin and took care of her. It immediately became clear that no one was involved in the development and upbringing of Judith: she could not read and write, she was not even taught the language of the deaf and dumb. The sisters moved to the Californian city of Oakland. Here Judith began attending an arts center for people with mental disabilities. A turning point in her fate occurred when she got to a class in fiber art (the technique of weaving from threads). After that, Judith began to create sculptures from threads. Any objects that appeared in her field of vision served as the basis for her products: buttons, chairs, dishes. She carefully wrapped the found objects with multi-colored threads and created unusual, unlike sculptures. She did not stop this work until her death in 2005.
Gradually, her creations, bright, powerful, original, gained fame. They fascinated some, others, on the contrary, repelled them, but everyone agreed that they were filled with some kind of extraordinary energy. Now Judith's work can be seen in museums of outsider art. Their prices reach up to 20 thousand dollars.
Her sister said of her:
“Judith was able to show the whole world how someone who was thrown out of society in the trash can come back and prove that he is capable of outstanding accomplishments”Pablo Pineda (b. 1974)
Pablo Pineda is an internationally renowned Spanish actor and teacher. Pablo was born in the Spanish city of Malaga. AT early age he was found to have a mosaic form of Down syndrome (that is, not all cells contain an extra chromosome).
Parents did not send their child to a specialized boarding school. He successfully graduated from a regular school, and then entered the university and received a diploma in educational psychology.
In 2008, Pablo starred in leading role in "Me Too" touching story love of a teacher with Down syndrome and healthy woman(film translated into Russian). For the role of the teacher, Pablo was awarded the Silver Shell at the Saint-Sebastian Film Festival.
Pineda currently lives and teaches in his hometown of Malaga. Here, Pablo is treated with great respect. A square was even named after him.
Pascal Dukenne (b. 1970)
Pascal Duquinne is a theater and film actor with Down syndrome. With early years he became interested in acting, took part in many theatrical amateur productions, and after meeting with director Jaco Van Dormal, he received his first film roles. The most famous character embodied by him is Georges from the movie Day Eight.
At the Cannes Film Festival for this role, Dukenne was recognized as the best film actor. Later, he starred in "Mr. Nobody" in the episodic role of the double of the protagonist, played by Jared Leto.
Now Dukenne is a media person, he gives numerous interviews, starred in television programs. In 2004, the King of Belgium consecrated him a Commander of the Order of the Crown, which is equivalent to a knighthood.
The paintings of the American artist Raymond Hu delight connoisseurs. Raymond draws animals in traditional Chinese technique.
His passion for painting began in 1990, when his parents invited the artist to his home to take some private lessons from him. Then 14-year-old Raymond painted his first picture: flowers in a measuring cup. Painting fascinated him, he moved from flowers to animals.
Maria Langovaya (born in 1997)
Masha Langovaya is a Russian athlete from Barnaul, world champion in swimming. She took part in the Special Olympics twice and won gold both times. When Masha was little, her mother did not even think of making her a champion. It’s just that the girl was often sick, and her parents decided to “harden her up” and sent her to the pool. Water turned out to be Masha's natural element: she loved to swim and compete with other children. It was then that her mother decided to send her daughter to professional sports.
Jamie Brewer (b. February 5, 1985)
Jamie Brewer is an American actress who gained fame after starring in several seasons of American Horror Story. As a child, Jamie dreamed about acting career. She attended a theater group and took part in a variety of productions.
In 2011, she landed her first film role. The authors of the series "American Horror Story" needed a young actress with Down syndrome. Jamie was invited to audition and, to her surprise, was approved for the role. Jamie tried herself as a model. She is the first woman with Down Syndrome to parade at New York Fashion Week. She presented a dress by designer Carrie Hammer.
Jamie is an active fighter for the rights of people with disabilities. Thanks to her efforts, in the state of Texas, the offensive phrase "mental retardation" was replaced with "intellectual malformation."
Karen Gafney (b. 1977)
Karen Gafney is another amazing example of how people with disabilities can achieve the same results as healthy people, and even surpass them. Karen has achieved amazing success in swimming.
Can every healthy person swim across the English Channel? And swim 14 kilometers in water with a temperature of 15 degrees? Karen did it! A tireless swimmer, she bravely overcame difficulties, taking part in competitions with healthy athletes. At the Special Olympics, she won gold medals twice. In addition, Karen founded a foundation to help people with disabilities and received a Ph.D.!
Madeline Stuart
Madeline Stewart is perhaps the most famous model with Down syndrome. She advertises clothes and cosmetics, defiles on the catwalk and takes part in photo shoots. Her dedication can only be envied. In order to reach the podium, the girl dropped 20 kilograms. And in her success there is a great merit of her mother Rosanna.
“Every day I tell her how amazing she is to me, and she unconditionally believes in it. Maddie truly loves herself. She can tell you how great she is."Jack Barlow (age 7)
The 7-year-old boy became the first person with Down syndrome to take the stage with a ballet troupe. Jack made his debut in The Nutcracker. The boy has been seriously engaged in choreography for 4 years, and he was finally entrusted to perform with professional dancers. Thanks to Jack, the performance, performed by the Cincinnati Ballet Company, was sold out. In any case, the video posted on the Internet has gained more than 50,000 views. Experts are already predicting Jack a brilliant ballet future.
Paula Sage (b. 1980)
The versatility of Paula Sage could be envied by an absolutely healthy person. Firstly, she is a wonderful actress who won several prestigious awards for her role in the British film After Life. Secondly, Paula is a brilliant athlete who plays professional netball. And thirdly - a public figure and human rights activist.
A wonderful teacher with Down syndrome works in one of the kindergartens in Argentina. 30-year-old Noelia does an excellent job with her duties, the kids adore her. At first, some parents were opposed to the upbringing of their children by a person with a similar diagnosis. However, they soon became convinced that Noelia is a sensitive teacher, who loves children very much and knows how to find an approach to them. By the way, kids perceive Noelia absolutely normal and do not see anything unusual in her.
