Brad, Dominic and Jimmy hanging out in between sets
Neither Jimmy Wolk or Dominic Scott Kay had Tourette Syndrome in real life. They are both actors. They both did an amazing job learning about my tics. The director video taped me before they started shooting the film as I talked about my Tourette’s. I explained all the tics I’ve had and how and when I do them. I explained that their is a method behind the madness with TS and that each tic has its own reason behind it. They also watch old video tapes of me growing up and during my first year of teaching. In order to assure the tics were consistent throughout the movie as well as between Jimmy and Dominic, they had a dialect coach to work with them the entire time. Mary MacDonald, also the voice of on-star and other voice-overs, was their coach. She did an amazing job working with them for over 5 weeks. Both Jimmy and Dominic said they were worn out after each day of shooting the film because of all the tics they did. They told me they could get a massage on set whenever they wanted.
How did you think Jimmy and Dominic did acting as a Touretter?
Tags: Brad Cohen, Dominic Scott Kay, Front of the Class, Jimmy Wolk, tourette syndrome
December 12th, 2008 at 12:21 am
WOW! My son has Tourette’s and after seeing him tic day after day I thought I could spot a fake a mile away, but I was wrong! lol. Both Jimmy Wolk and Dominic Scott Kay did excellent jobs recreating the tics!
December 12th, 2008 at 1:15 am
I have never actually known anyone with Tourettes but I thought they were incredible. My daughter texted me from her college dorm and asked “Does that actor really have it?”
Fantastic film!!
December 12th, 2008 at 8:30 am
I think they were AMAZING – it really looked like they had tics!
I loved the movie and thank you so much for your book too – my 8 year old son has TS and he watched some of the movie (it was on late here on a school night) and he was surprised to know it was a true story and that there really are other people in the world that tic.
December 13th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Yeah the actor dont really have tourette syndrome. But do it really happened to that other real person with tourette to become a teacher and got the award? Is the story true, real happened to someone with tourette syndrome?
December 13th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
I have Tourette Syndrome, and i almost cried in the move. It was so touching.
I am a 13 year old girl.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I am preparing to work as a rehabiliation counselor for people with special needs. This movie confirmed my decision to pursue this career. What I find most rewarding about working with people with special needs is their great capacity for appreciation. These guys know how to make a person feel appreciated. I love working with people with special needs.
December 14th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Our 8 year old son has TS and we were so excited to hear about this movie. We watched it together and WOW! What an inspiration to watch Brad’s story. Our son really enjoyed it, and now truly understands that there is NO limit to what he can achieve! Thank you so much and God Bless You!!
December 16th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I am a Deaf adult, single mother of two special needs children and active in my community.
This movie touched my heart because I have also experienced the long job search, people thinking that I could not do the jobs, never calling me back, trying everything at the interviews from not addressing the fact that I had an interpreter sitting there with me to attempting to educate them… and so on and so on.
I also, as the parent of a daughter that has an (invisible and difficult to detect) special need, have experienced having to fight with the schools to ensure my child got what she needed to be able to learn, stay safe, and grow. To all the parents out there, remember, YOU are their parent, YOU know them best, even if you don’t run a school and even if you don’t have a degree in childhood education!
As the parent of a son who was born with treatable birth anomalies, I have had the privilege of seeing how challenges change a person and teach a person that sometimes you just have to accept the things that you can not change, but, in the words of my son, “getting all mad and angry about it isn’t going to make me not need to have this surgery, it isn’t going to make it go away, so why should I waste my energy on being mad when I can use my energy on a lot more fun things to do?” (when he was facing his 11th surgery at the age of 10, after being asked my his father, “doesn’t it just make you MAD that you have to go through all of this and other kids don’t?”
Thank you.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Loved the movie. my son and I both have Tourettes. I am lucky. I am a veterinarian surgeon, and I alsow work with small exotics. I tic before and after ( alot !!!!). It takes a lot of force to contol my tics. It is nice to see someone with a positive attitude. Bravo
January 4th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Wow! 1st class production and 1st rate performances by all! Jimmy Wolk is on track for a long ride in Hollywood. He has got it all!
May 14th, 2009 at 1:43 am
TO BE HONEST I CAME HER TO FIND OUT IF THE ACTORS IN THE FILM ACTUALLY HAD TOURETTES OR NOT…. IM AM AN ACTOR MYSELF, AND THERES A SAYING ACTING IS BELIEVING… I BELIEVED THERE PERFORMANCE 100%… DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
February 7th, 2010 at 1:49 am
I watched this movie both times on Hallmark H of F and it is supurb! Both the story line and the acting. Hope to see more by Jimmy Wolk!!