Following her Dance Moms days, Maddie Ziegler stayed in the spotlight! The dancer started a pretty successful acting career and continues to work closely alongside Sia.
Although she’s kept a clean image in Hollywood, Maddie has faced a few controversies during her career. In February 2021, she received major backlash for the movie Music, in which she plays an autistic teen. Both Maddie and Sia (who directed the film) have faced criticism from the autism community. A viral Twitter thread written by users The Autisticats reviewed the film and referred to the star’s portrayal — noting the opening scene specifically — as “a caricature of autistic body language.”
During an interview with U.K.’s The Independent, Maddie addressed her role and the controversy behind it. “I’ve actually stayed out of all of it just because, you know, I’m 18 years old and it’s a lot of pressure,” she explained. “I understand why people would want someone who’s actually on the spectrum with autism to play this character.”
She continued, “I felt so much responsibility … But I felt I was capable. I knew going into this that people were going to love or hate it.”
Throughout her time in the spotlight, the former reality star has been faced with other scandals and feuds as well. Scroll through our gallery to uncover them all.
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