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For Phoebe-Rae Taylor, the experience of starring in the Disney+ movie “Out of My Mind” provided her with the feeling of total acceptance.
The actor plays Melody Brooks, a non-verbal 12-year-old with cerebral palsy who leaves her special-ed classroom to join mainstream classes. Taylor, 16, makes her acting debut with the film, and she described how the accessibility of the set created a comfortable environment for her, as someone with cerebral palsy.
“I have never felt so accepted, and because all my life I’ve been judged and everything’s been so hard and difficult to go to certain places or to do normal things. So to be able to come to a place where everyone accepts me, and there’s ramps everywhere, or even the tiny things like I can get into that doorway without having to go round the back or the long way was such a breath of fresh air, and it was so nice to have,” Taylor said at a recent “Out of My Mind” panel discussion moderated by Variety senior entertainment writer Angelique Jackson.
Taylor shared how she related to her character’s experiences. The judgment that Melody faces was something Taylor was familiar with, and she channeled that into her performance. “I saw myself in Melody so much at different aspects of her life. I’ve been through the exact same situation,” she said.
The young actor was also excited about one particular aspect of her character: Jennifer Aniston voices Melody’s inner thoughts. That casting was a huge deal for Taylor, who is a massive “Friends” fan and was named after Lisa Kudrow’s character Phoebe.
“I have been obsessed with her ever since I was tiny, and I turn into a proper fangirl every time I get to talk about it. I could talk about it for ages,” Taylor said. “She means the absolute world to me.”
Taylor and Aniston have messaged on Instagram, although they have yet to meet in person. “I was in my room, and I looked at my phone, and it said Jennifer Aniston had mentioned me in her post, and I screamed,” Taylor said.
The panel participants also emphasized how the film, which is adapted from a novel by Sharon M. Draper, encourages people to listen to each other.
Judith Light, who plays Mrs. V. in the film, thinks the film’s message applies to everyone.
“This is a movie that is universal about, what does it mean to fight for your kids, to fight for a life that you want, and to hear somebody and give them a voice. And everybody, particularly in these times now, needs to find their voice,” Light said.
