My Story (Autism diagnosis)
Hi! My name is Giulia. When I moved to London in 2018, all by myself, to study Theatre, I knew things would be hard. It didn't take me long to realize without the protection of my family that I was, in fact, autistic. I got a first diagnosis in 2019 and then an official NHS one in 2023.
I have always been a scared child, always anxious, always considered weird, and never good in social interactions (putting myself in dangerous situations). An Autism diagnosis allowed me to finally accept myself and, with the right treatment and therapy (and support from my carers) I thought I would have been finally able to live my life!
Then the pandemic hit...
My Story (Physical Disability)
I don't know when, how, or why, but things slowly started progressing. Subluxations of the hips, seizures, muscle spasms, and overall general pain completely reshaped my life. For a physical theatre performer that meant "The End".
Some of my lecturers told me openly I would never be able to go on tour, and others sneakily spoke with directors divulging personal information so that I would get the most irrelevant roles. I cried for hours but persisted to prove them wrong. I finally graduated and... the University refused to put a ramp on the stairs to get to the podium. I felt they wanted me to keep me small, hide me...
So… I bought the most sparkly cane I could find and painstakingly went up those stairs! (I have the immense privilege of being able to use my legs for small distances).
Happy end?
Since then, I got myself a lovely acting agent who is also a talented Access Coordinator. I get small roles in commercial and informative videos. It’s not much but it’s honest work :’)
I dream of taking part in small productions touring England, living my best theatre life, and playing Juliet, why not?
I still have a long way ahead of me and I share my life on @labiancagiulia and @arancinaincarrozza. Thank you for listening,
Lots of love,
Giulia
Photo Creds @benwulfphoto
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