BAFTA Elevate's Melissa Johns

IN A IDEAL WORLD, WORDS LIKE ‘INCLUSION’ AND ‘REPRESENTATION’ WOULD NOT BE A THING. JOBS WOULD GO TO THE PERSON MOST SUITABLE, SELECTED BY TALENT AND EXPERIENCE. SADLY, WE DON’T LIVE IN THAT WORLD YET, BARRIERS DO EXIST AND THE PLAYING FIELD IS NOT LEVEL. BUT WE’RE WORKING ON IT...

"It’s not about equality of outcome, it’s about equality of opportunity,” says actress Melissa Johns, star of Coronation Street (2017-2019), Life (2020) and Grantchester (2021), and member of the 21-strong cohort of actors selected in 2019 for BAFTA Elevate, an initiative supporting talented individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to reach the next stage of their career.

Actor Melissa Johns, BAFTA Elevate

BAFTA/Misha Meghna

"If we have equality of opportunity, then surely you will get the best person for the job," she says. "But, until those casting doors are open for everybody, you will never know if that’s truly what you have.”

Melissa is in a strong position to comment. Born without her right arm below the elbow, she has not only had to overcome intolerance in everyday life, but also accept herself for who she is, all while trying to forge a career in a profession that is riddled with many more rejections than it is successes.

“What we need to remember is that we are as worthy of getting roles and being in this industry as anyone else,” she says. “Our industries will always be richer with more voices. We can tell stories that take our lived-in experiences into consideration and portray characters in a completely different way. That’s what we bring to the table. Rather than representation being the driving force, why can’t it be the by-product? Our talent should get us to where we need to be.”

BAFTA Elevate 2021: Actors

BAFTA/Jamie Simonds

Melissa is the co-founder of TripleC, which runs DANC (the Disabled Artists Networking Community). BAFTA has been working with both to help make the industry more inclusive. “As an actor, BAFTA has encouraged me, empowered me and celebrated me in my own right,” she says. “But I also see the work they’re doing with my organisation towards making long-lasting changes. BAFTA has all the ingredients to be one of our biggest game changers and champions to level out the industry.”

Read the full interview: bafta.org/about/ awards-brochures