We were lucky to catch up with Riley Fay recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Riley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

Being misunderstood is what got me into acting. I didn’t understand people and people didn’t understand me. Most people still don’t. That’s just life as an autistic person. However, when I found acting and theater, I was all of a sudden being praised for all my quirks. They made me interesting and funny. I spent my early years basically mute to the public, but acting is how I found my voice. I found my confidence, my place, my kind of people.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am an actor, director, writer and co-founder of the company Sweet Fried Rice Cake Productions. I love working all aspects of the entertainment industry! I’ve been acting since the age of 5. I got into writing and directing in high school. I was co-director of the theater class for disabled students. This class helped ignite my passion for not only directing, but disability advocacy. I also wrote and directed my first ever show in high school, titled ‘Masking’. It’s a dystopian about masking one’s disability. (Not the Covid kind of masking) In 2022, I moved to NYC and got an associates degree at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission throughout my creative journey is to create art for people like me. For anyone who may be disabled or queer or any other minorities that don’t get to authentically see themselves in media. How often have there been shows about disabled people without a single disabled person in the show or behind the scenes? I want to help create the kinds of films and plays I would have loved to see as a kid.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I first moved to NYC it was very hard. Going to college can be hard for everyone, but as a physically disabled, autistic person, to uproot my whole life and move hours away from my support system, it was crazy hard. New school, new city. Living in a dorm with 11 other people was a lot to get used to. There were some days where I physically couldn’t get down my bunk bed. There were some days where I reverted back to the mute little girl I had once been. But with a lot of hard work, a little spite, and the dream that I could do this, I did! I stayed true to myself. I gained new friends, new support systems and even had fellow disabled students thank me for being so out and proud about who I am, and that’s exactly why I do it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fay.on.display?igsh=cmI0d3N0NnhlOHho&utm_source=qr
• Other: Company insta: https://www.instagram.com/sfrc_productions?igsh=OGwxdDMxemhqczNz&utm_source=qr

Image Credits

Bronwen Sharp