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The Global Insight

What is wrong with JJ on Speechless

Author

John Johnson

Updated on April 23, 2026

“Speechless” focused on JJ DiMeo, a nonverbal high school student with cerebral palsy, as well as his parents, brother and sister. … Significantly, JJ was played by Micah Fowler who has cerebral palsy in real life.

Is the boy on 911 really autistic?

The child actor — who was adopted by his parents, Michael and Lisa, when he was only 2-and-a-half years old — portrays Eddie Diaz’s son, Christopher, on the show. Much like his on-screen character, Gavin has cerebral palsy, a lifelong condition that impacts movement and coordination skills.

Is Micah Fowler nonverbal?

A native of New Jersey, the affable 19-year-old is no stranger to show biz. He’s had parts on Blue’s Clues, Sesame Street and the film Labor Day. Although JJ’s character is nonverbal, Micah is verbal and shared his thoughts on acting and other pursuits with ABILITY’s Lia Martirosyan.

What does JJ stand for in speechless?

Mason Cook as Raymond “Ray” DiMeo, the middle child. … Micah Fowler as Jimmy “JJ” DiMeo Jr., The eldest child with cerebral palsy. He is non-speaking (thus the show’s title) and uses a wheelchair.

Did speechless get Cancelled?

“Speechless” has been canceled after three seasons at ABC. … In addition to Driver and Fowler, “Speechless” starred Cedric Yarbrough, John Ross Bowie, Mason Cook and Kyla Kenedy.

Is the child actor on 911 really handicapped?

The fact that Christopher is played by Gavin McHugh, a young boy with cerebral palsy, is important. Actors without disabilities play more than 95 percent of characters with disabilities on television and 9-1-1 is bucking that trend with the casting of McHugh and ensuring his full inclusion.

Does Christopher from 911 really have cerebral palsy?

11-year-old actor Gavin McHugh plays Christopher Diaz, the beloved son of Army-medic-turned-firefighter Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman). The child actor, who lives with cerebral palsy, is part of a new wave of talent looking to advance onscreen disability representation in Hollywood.

Who played Kendall on Speechless?

Kendall is portrayed by four-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and three-time WNBA MVP basketball star Lisa Leslie. This isn’t Leslie’s acting debut. You can see her on the big screen in Uncle Drew as Betty Lou.

Is speechless based on a true story?

Although “Speechless” is based on real-life experiences of its creator Scott Silveri, writing the ABC comedy isn’t easy for him. … While Silveri has a lot of things to consider when writing from his own experience, the Primetime Emmy winner said that working on the series has been “really liberating” so far.

Can the kid from speechless talk?

Regarding his role on Speechless, he said it is a challenge to play JJ. Although Fowler is able to speak, the JJ character does not speak, so Fowler has to compensate with dramatic facial expressions and body movements. It’s said that Fowler’s humor gets the show’s biggest laughs.

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How many seasons of speechless are there?

The Minnie Driver-fronted series was cancelled after three seasons but was not a huge surprise given that it was ABC’s lowest-rated series.

Is JJ from speechless really handicapped?

“Speechless” focused on JJ DiMeo, a nonverbal high school student with cerebral palsy, as well as his parents, brother and sister. JJ used a power wheelchair, a communication board and had an aide. Significantly, JJ was played by Micah Fowler who has cerebral palsy in real life.

Is there a season 4 of speechless?

Speechless Cancelled — No Season 4 For ABC Comedy | TVLine.

Is fresh off the boat Cancelled?

Six months later, ABC announced that Fresh Off the Boat would end with Season 6; a two-part series finale will air on Friday, Feb. 21 at 8/7c. However, ABC entertainment president Karey Burke maintains that the Wu controversy did not kill the show, telling reporters at the Television Critics Assoc.

Does Jennifer Love Hewitt leave 911?

Let’s start with what we’ve been saying the past few weeks: There is no evidence that Hewitt is leaving the series for good. … She has not discussed a permanent departure from the series and because of that, we do remain hopeful she’ll turn back up at some point.

What happened to Diaz wife on 911?

The incident caused her to evaluate her life, and confess to Eddie she wanted a divorce. She also talked about her writing a letter to Christopher, in case she tried to leave again. The next morning, she was hit by a car, which caused severe damage to her spine, leaving her close to death.

Is Eddie really dead on 911?

Not only did Eddie survive his shot to the chest, but the sniper — a disgruntled former member of the LAPD SWAT team — was apprehended by Athena, who also came to a new understanding with Bobby and saved their marriage from imploding.

What condition does Christopher on 911 have?

Christopher was born with cerebral palsy. His father had been deployed to Afghanistan but managed to make it home in time for his birth.

What causes cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is caused by damage or abnormal development in the parts of the brain that control movement. These events can happen before, during, or shortly after birth or in the first few years of life, when the brain is still developing. In many cases the exact cause of cerebral palsy is not known.

How long does a child with severe cerebral palsy live?

Generally, children born with cerebral palsy can expect to live between 30 and 70 years on average. Those with the longest life expectancies usually have more mobility, better medical care and adaptive equipment and greater autonomy and independence. There is no cure for cerebral palsy and the condition lasts for life.

What happened to sitcom with Minnie Driver?

Driver landed the lead role in the ABC sitcom Speechless, playing the mother of three children, one of whom has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. The series debuted in the 2016–17 TV season. It was cancelled in May 2019 after three seasons.

Who plays the mom on Speechless?

But there’s one thing that could upset their blissful partnership: Taylor’s mom, Melanie (played by guest star Sarah Chalke).

Who is Gregory Silveri?

Gregory Joseph Silveri of Warwick, New York passed away peacefully into the loving arms of Jesus on January 16, 2018, one month short of his 47th birthday. Gregory was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and a resultant seizure disorder shortly after birth.

Who wrote speechless Aladdin?

This song was written specifically for Disney’s 2019 live-action Aladdin movie. It was penned by the original film’s composer Alan Menken plus Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman and La La Land). “Speechless” is a solo song sung by the character Princess Jasmine, who is portrayed by Jasmine Scott.

Who plays the mother on special?

Jessica Hecht as Karen Haye Jessica as Karen essays the role of Ryan’s overprotective mother in Special season 2.

Where can I see speechless?

Watch Speechless Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)

How old is Dylan in speechless?

In life, we grow, adapt, and change based off our experiences and the challenges we face, and I think the same applies to Dylan. She’s only 13 and has a long way to go! Are we going to see big changes in your character? That’s a question for the writers – I hope so!

Who plays Barry in Labor Day?

Labor Day (2013) – Micah Fowler as Barry – IMDb.