Actor Adam Pearson, known for roles in Under the Skin and A Different Man, is set to play Joseph Merrick in a new adaptation of The Elephant Man. The film is based on Bernard Pomerance's acclaimed play, with Pomerance’s son, Moby, writing the screenplay. Scheduled to begin shooting in 2026, Pearson's involvement is significant as he has neurofibromatosis and will be the first disabled actor to portray Merrick. Through this role, Pearson expresses his complex relationship with Merrick, emphasizing the honor and responsibility he feels.
Joseph Merrick is a man I have a long and complex relationship with. ... Now as a disability advocate and actor, I can think of no greater honour (yet heavy responsibility) than to tell the true story of Joseph Carey Merrick.
Merrick was born in Leicester in 1862 and after becoming an exhibit in a penny gaff in London, came under the care of pioneering surgeon Frederick Treves.
Pomerance's play was first performed in the UK in 1977, with David Schofield in the lead role; subsequent productions featured actors including Philip Anglim, David Bowie and Bradley Cooper as Merrick.
According to Variety, Pearson will play Joseph Merrick, whose physical disfigurement led to him becoming a freak show exhibit and then a notable figure in late Victorian London.
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