Actress and disability advocate Marissa Bode highlighted the importance of casting disabled actors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison 2025 Black History Month Keynote Wednesday night.
The event, titled “Embracing Intersectionality: Celebrating the Rich Tapestry of Black Identity,” featured Bode, an outspoken disability advocate.. In her address in Shannon Hall, Bode, a Wisconsin native, spoke on her experience trying to find representation and community in Mazomanie, a town 40 minutes west of Madison.
“I'm from a very small town, and there wasn't a lot of racial diversity there, which at times would feel isolat[ating,] but even just seeing other people that looked like me on the screen racially was really cool and helped me feel less alone in that way,” Bode said. She said the increased casting of disabled people in roles was great for representation.
Bode recently played the character Nessa Rose in the movie “Wicked,” discussing the impact her character, who is in a wheelchair, has on representation in the disability community. She used techniques of journaling while on set to help step into the role of Nessa Rose.
“Specifically casting somebody with a disability in a disabled role is very important to add that extra layer because somebody knows us better than us,” Bode said. “It can 100% help a community to feel a little more loved and a little less isolated and not just think that I'm the only one out there that looks like me,” said Bode.
With her recent fame, Bode currently has over 82,000 followers on Instagram. While she acknowledged that “all disabilities are different from one another” and said she doesn’t speak for the entire community, Bode said she wants to use her platform to uplift other voices and create change by showing her everyday life.
Discussing Bode’s stories about uncomfortable interactions, not having accommodations and online hate, Bode said more work needs to be done to educate people about disabilities.
”My disability isn't a problem, it's accommodations not being met,” Bode said “It's people not seeing me always truly and fully as a human being or talking to me like I'm five or talking to the person next to me rather than talking directly to me or not looking me in the eyes,” Bode said.
After the talk, the audience asked Bode questions ranging from her “Wicked” role to Bode’s experience as a black queer disabled woman. With the anticipation of “Wicked: For Good” being released in November 2025, Bode got fans hyped for the upcoming movie.
“Without [“Wicked” producer] Universal calling me immediately, let me say something very vague so that I don't get in trouble. There's a lot of more magic to come,” Bode said. “There's a lot of character development to come [and] a lot more humanity to be seen in Part Two as well, so you might just see yourself also in various different ways in Part Two.”
