Lights! Camera! Advocacy!

Gerard O'Dwyer is an actor, speaker and performer with Down Syndrome.  

Gerard uses his profile to challenge social stereotypes and his work includes
dramatic performances in film, television and theatre.  

He was awarded Best Male Actor at Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival in 2009, Best Short Film Award and Best Male Actor runner up in the Short & Sweet short play festival in 2011 amongst others. 

In 2010, 2011 and 2015 Gerard was selected as an Ambassador for the NSW state government Don’t DISMyABILITY campaign and he has featured in an advertisement for the NSW government CareCareers campaign. 

Gerard has been featured as an Archibald Prize entry by artist Rita Karagelinian in her portrait entitled 'Conversations with a leading man'. 

In this episode Gerard shares with us his experience being an actor, speaker and
performer with Down syndrome.