The fifth episode of the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic series “The Last of Us” on HBO titled “Endure and Survive,” tells the narrative of two brothers named Henry (played by Lamar Johnson) and Sam Burrell, a Black deaf youth (played by Keivonn Woodard), who are attempting to flee the harsh limits of a quarantine zone that is ruled by a vicious extremist leader named Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey). In order to stay alive as they make their way across the infected’s ravaged territory, they partner up with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Sam paints his face to give himself a Superhero, which gives him the confidence to face the harsh reality of his everyday life. Henry and Sam are seen using two different modes of communication in Episode 5: sign language and the notepad that Sam carries around his neck in the form of a necklace. He makes use of it in a few different scenes with Ellie, one of which is the one in which he reveals that he was bitten in the suburbs. In this piece, we will investigate the rumor that Hollywood newcomer Keivonn Montreal Woodard, who plays Sam in The Last of Us, is deaf in real life. (www.tvacute.com) are going to tell you everything we know thus far. So, let’s find out.
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Is Sam played by Keivonn Woodard Real Life Deaf Person?
Keivonn Woodard, who is nine years old and deaf in real life, plays the role of the character Sam on the show. According to The Daily Moth, he is the first Black deaf actor to appear in a major television production. Keivonn Woodard was born on February 9, 2013, in Maryland, USA. Keivonn is 10 years old as of the date of his birth. As the Black and Deaf player number (22) on his hockey team in Bowie, Keivonn Woodard was the first person to bring attention to. Ten-year-old Keivonn Woodard has been acting professionally for quite some time. Keivonn’s first performance was as a deaf student in the film Seeds of Hope: The Andrew Jackson Foster Story, which came before his turn as Woodard in Last of Us. Gary Brooks helmed and wrote the script for this 2018 drama.
Now that he’s a guest star on The Last Of Us on HBO, he’s getting a lot of attention from people all around the country. His role in the production was reportedly significant. He enjoyed his time working on The last of us show very much, and his casting in this high-profile series represents a significant milestone for deaf performers of color in the entertainment industry. His mother, Ms. Woodard, recently gave an interview to The Daily Moth in which she discussed how warmly they were received by the actors and crew. She did acknowledge that initially, she was “ready to face obstacles, but she continued by saying that “that was not the case at all!” I’m grateful that we were able to work with such a wonderful team that was open-minded and enthusiastic alongside us.” In addition, Keivonn believes that his involvement in the show will serve as a source of motivation for other young people of color who are interested in pursuing careers as deaf artists. Keivonn gave the following piece of advice: “Don’t be afraid to try it out,” Keivonn advised. “I was a bit afraid at first, but I went ahead and overcame that, auditioned, and got the role with The Last of Us!”
Keivonn Woodard (Sam) explaining the importance of representation, behind the scenes of Episode 5 of The Last of Us#TheLastofUs #TheLastofUsHBO#TheLastofUsEp5 #TLOU #HBO pic.twitter.com/Da5bemNA95
— Atom (@theatomreview) February 11, 2023
Who is Keivonn Woodard’s Mother April Jackson-Woodard?
Ms. April Jackson-Woodard is a Deaf interpreter in the DC region. She is 37 years old. Her own Deaf family allows her to see firsthand how ASL and other BASL dialects differ from one another. Since she was three years old, April Jackson-Woodard, a native of Kansas City, Missouri who currently resides in Maryland, has had a strong passion for acting. In her spare time, April enjoys working out, going on vacation, and spending lots of time with her two Deaf children, Akeisha Jackson and Keivonn Woodard. Along with Visual Language and Visual Learning at Gallaudet, April also published two children’s storybooks, “The Baobab” in February 2013 and “The Blue Lobster” in September 2014. April is still actively involved in acting, storytelling, and motivational speaking. She married Dwayne Antwan Woodard on July 9, 2011. Multiple Myeloma, a rare kind of blood cancer, was found in him. The bone marrow’s plasma cells are impacted by multiple myeloma, which makes them become tumors. Dwayne’s cancer aggressively reappeared after he recovered from chemotherapy treatments in November 2019–March 2020, causing him to experience rib and back fractures, a ruptured artery in his heart, kidney failure, and other injuries. At Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Dwayne was fighting for his life while in a coma. He died in peace at Suburban Hospital on February 18th, 2021.
Keivonn Woodard was interviewed with Deadline, when asked about his character in the show, he told that My father passed away and someone told me that it’s really important that I be strong. And as a Black person, it is important. I use that memory to look inside myself and motivate myself to be brave, even if there are frustrations or struggles. I do my best to be brave. Also, Miles Morales is my favorite superhero.
Is Sam deaf in The Last of Us Game?
When it comes to the portrayal of the characters in the original source material, the critically acclaimed video game The Last of Us, which was adapted for television by HBO, has taken a number of artistic liberties. The third episode of the series elaborated on a male character’s sexuality, a topic that had not been previously explored in the game due to the character’s initial depiction. This episode is a point in television history for the representation of LGBTQ characters and themes.
In the video game “The Last of Us,” Sam is not hard of hearing. Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s The Last of Us film series is an adaptation of the computer game of the same name, but they have done a remarkable job of improving upon and expanding upon the characters fans have come to adore. The use of American Sign Language (ASL) between the two protagonists not only enriches the story but also celebrates the value of nonverbal forms of communication. There are a lot of challenges that the thirteen-year-old faces in the game, but none of them are connected to his hearing. Sam is portrayed as a pessimistic young boy throughout the entirety of his brief appearance in the game. Despite the fact that he is frequently shaken by the environment in which he lives, Sam works diligently to shield his guardian and his older brother, Henry. Even though Ellie is Sam’s younger sister by one year, Sam has a much more childlike demeanor. He pines for a world in which he could have had a typical childhood while at the same time being aware of the reality of the world in which he currently resides. According to Henry, he is extremely close to his brother and sticks to him like glue..
