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Every once in a while, an actor delivers a breakthrough performance that just blows you away. Jodie Foster did it in 'Taxi Driver.' Edward Norton did it in 'Primal Fear.' Here's another name to add to the list. Evan Sneider. Only, Evan isn't just breaking through - he's breaking down barriers.
Evan is the first actor with Down syndrome, to play the lead in a feature film. The movie is called 'Girlfriend' and Evan's performance has earned him rave reviews. In fact, during filming, he amazed the cast and crew with his ability to disappear into his character. And how's this for praise? His co-star Amanda Plummer - a world-class actor in her own right - calls him 'one of the greatest actors' she's ever worked with.
And Evan has worked hard to get there. Born in Boston, he was determined to be an actor from an early age. In high school, he studied drama and creative writing and performed in dozens of community-theatre productions. Then in 2007, he appeared in a short film called 'The Replacement Child'. Now, he brings all of his experiences to bear in 'Girlfriend.' Evan is the moral centre of the story, about a young man with Down syndrome who falls hard for a single mom.
Evan has won many accolades for his role in 'Girlfriend,' and they continue to roll in - on August 8th, the film won a Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Woods Hole Film Festival in Massachusetts.
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