An actor from Worthing, who appeared on BBC’s Casualty, said he ‘felt like I was in a dream’.
Jared Bilton – who has autism – made his TV debut on the latest series of Casualty, which has been running since 1986.
The medical drama – a staple of British television – follows a team of doctors and nurses at Holby City Hospital.
Jared, 30, had a speaking role in the latest series (Internal Affairs) – playing the part of Malley in episode two.
“For me, this was a big achievement and is a good example of the importance of inclusivity into the arts,” the actor from Worthing said.
“My agent, Zebedee Talent, told me that the casting director from the BBC wanted me to audition for a part on Casualty. I almost couldn’t believe it.
“I was given a script to learn and did several takes to perfect my character with my mother filming me on the bed at home playing the part of an injured and vulnerable young man.
“As I’m on the autistic spectrum I felt I had great empathy for this personality. Soon after I sent the self-tape in, I received an email saying that even though I was up against more experienced actors, I had gotten the part.
“I was over the moon to hear the good news and couldn’t wait to see what I would be doing on set.”
Behind the scenes, Jared was implanted with prosthetics.
He said: “It’s funny that the first thing I get in the makeup department is a broken nose. What I enjoyed about this part the most though is how professionally they handle it and how realistic the results are.
“My scenes took two days to film in the Cardiff BBC studios. It surprised me to see how realistic the set was. The layout felt like a real genuine hospital
“What I really enjoyed was meeting the rest of the cast who had been on the show for years. I acted with Neet Mohan who plays as Rash and Ollie Rix who plays as Flynn.
“Another surprise is that they had medical experts to make sure that the operations they were performing and all the medical references were accurate.
“Overall it was such an enjoyable experience to be acting with well-known names and like them, I had my own dressing room. I keep saying it felt like I was in a dream.”
Jared said the staff behind the scenes were ‘very welcoming and considerate to my needs’.
He added: “The director was lovely and the different stages of filming was very structured, well organised and worked like a well-oiled machine which made me feel like I was in safe hands.
“Seeing myself on-screen for the first time felt both exciting and strange, it was amazing to have so many people supporting me for my achievement and have had many lovely comments and messages along with a shout-out at a pub quiz.
“Although the role was only for a single episode, I now have a BBC acting credit to my name. This is a big step into the acting world and I hope it will be a stepping stone to be offered more roles in the future.”
With April being Autism Awareness Month, Jared shared his hopes and aspirations for the future – and the importance of inclusivity in the arts.
He said: “My brilliant agent, Zebedee Talent, is at the forefront of representing people with disabilities or differences to help them into the acting/modelling industry.
“I think it’s very important we all see ourselves represented on TV or in film. Whether it’s a visible difference or invisible disability like mine, we all deserve to have a chance to show our talent and be included onscreen.
“My past jobs from Zebedee have included adverts for J&B Whisky, Office Angels and a corporate video for Kavanaghs so things are changing.
“I’ve enjoyed acting for many years, studied at Northbrook College and have been in several stage plays over the years.
“What draws me to acting is that you’re taking a step into another person’s mind. Playing out a story they have to tell and one day, I would like to find a role in a major feature film.
“Sometimes I tend to struggle with communication, so being given a script that reflects the characters personality means that I can enjoy expressing myself without having to worry about selecting the right words.”