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Rachel Alana Handler

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Rachel Alana Handler
Born
Rachel Alana Handler

Philadelphia, PA, US
Other namesRachel Handler
OccupationActress / Singer / Motivational Speaker
Years active2007-present
Websitehttp://www.rachelahandler.com

Rachel Alana Handler is an American actress, singer and motivational speaker who is best known for playing Chunks in the 2016 horror movie Smothered.

Life and career

Handler was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raised in Linwood, New Jersey, she is a graduate of Mainland Regional High School.[1] She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the Westminster Choir College. In her early career she performed with Kelli O'Hara at Carnegie Hall in “The Best of Lerner and Loewe” [2] and had made appearances in Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions.

On March 3, 2012, Handler was driving from her apartment in New York City to attend an audition in South Jersey. She and Catherine Winters, 47, of Staten Island were involved in a minor motor vehicle accident near Elizabeth, New Jersey after taking an exit ramp on the New Jersey Turnpike. Handler and Winters pulled their cars over to the right shoulder of the ramp and exited their cars so that Handler could share her cell phone with Winters while they waited for police to arrive. Moments later, Martha Soto, 30, also of Staten Island, exited onto the ramp and lost control of her vehicle and slammed first into the left guardrail and then into the right guardrail where she struck both women, severing Handler's left foot and lower leg instantly.[3][4][5] Handler spent a month in the hospital, enduring multiple surgeries and skin grafts and was fortunately able to salvage her knee, which increases her ability to maneuver her leg.[1]

After moving back home and months of rehab, Handler attributes her positive attitude and her continued pursuit of singing and acting to her ability to cope with her disability and return to a normal life.[6] She now walks with prosthesis and has become an advocate for actors with disabilities. In 2015, she was honored as part of Atlantic City Weekly's "Top 40 Under 40" [7] Handler's contributions and interviews on her personal experiences and inclusion of disabled actors in the arts have been featured on Quora,[8] Disabled World,[9] Little Bits of Good,[10] and Backstage.com.[11] Her recent article "Stop Excluding Actors With Disabilities" was posted to the front page of Backstage.[12] In it, Handler points out that there are many disabled characters written in movies, television and theater but that in most cases, an able bodied actor is chosen to portray them. She feels that this is an extreme oversight:

Professionally trained actors with disabilities are creating opportunities by writing, directing, and producing plays and films, but we need more allies in the entertainment industry. Society sees something new and instantly becomes curious or afraid, loves it or hates it. Actors with disabilities are still “new” to diversity because we are rarely seen in the entertainment industry. Inclusion can help society overcome its preconceptions of disability, instead of advancing stereotypes. Let’s all consciously choose to love and be curious about actors with disabilities. We’re ready, willing, and entirely able to step, hop, and wheel into the spotlight.

— Rachel Handler, "Stop Excluding Actors with Disabilities"

Her acting credits include an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, an episode of Blue Bloods, as "Denise Todd" (uncredited) in Elementary, and starring in the Christa Wells video "Shine".[13] Her appearance as Chunks in Smothered has been well received by the horror community.[14][15][16] She has also starred in independent films, including "Disabilidates", a short film in which she played an amputee going on a first date,[17][18][19] "Two and Twenty Troubles"[20] and “Only Those Who Limp Allowed".[21] Her theater credits include Tess Samuels in "The Bipartisan" at the Thespis Theatre Festival, Resident Actor in "The Bats" at The Flea Theater and Hannah in Measure for Measure at Frog and Peach Theatre Co. Handler also appeared in Nicu's Spoon Theater Company's production of Richard III as Lady Anne.[22][23] This production was notable for depicting “a whole new society where [Richard III] is ‘perfect’ in a disabled world, and every character in the play is disabled except for Richard III,” says artistic director Stephanie Barton-Farcas.[24][25] Handler also wrote and starred in Inspiration Whore, a one woman show in which Handler, fresh from her accident and recovery, constantly hears people tell her that she is an "inspiration" and works through her conflicted feelings on the topic, ultimately finding the "inspiring spark" inside herself.[26][27] In 2016 she created an Angie Tribeca spin-off/parody created and written by Handler entitled Becky Nolita which features actors with disabilities.[28]

In 2017, Handler filmed a supporting role in the film The Upside, starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart. Handler was also profiled in a March 2017 broadcast of Chasing News titled "Dancing Her Heart Out".[29] She is currently working on a screenplay loosely based on her life, as well as filming guest starring roles in Goliath and NCIS: New Orleans. Her appearance in NCIS: New Orleans was met with praise from the online publication The Mighty: "I kept expecting the character’s disability to suddenly become key to the story, but it never did. They didn’t fall into any of the stereotypes of disability we usually see on TV. They never went into detail about her amputation, and it was completely unrelated to why she was in danger. Although she did need to be rescued by the team, she was not depicted as more vulnerable because of her amputation. Nor was it mentioned as an added reason to find her — she needed help because she was a whistleblower trying to expose corruption, not because she had a disability."[30] Handler is also a two time participant of the Easterseals (U.S.) Disability Film Challenge which gives filmmakers – with and without disabilities – the opportunity to collaborate and tell unique stories that showcase disability in its many forms and support Easterseals’ goal to change the way the world defines and views disability, so everyone can reach his or her potential.[31]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
2001 Shufflemania Young Girl
2013 Elementary Denise Todd "On the Line" (uncredited)
2014 Disabilidates Rachel Best Actor Award
2014 Two and Twenty Troubles" Rachel Self
2015 Blue Bloods Veteran "Baggage"
2015 Getting it Wrong Rachel
2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jury Foreperson "Star-Struck Victims"
2016 Smothered Chunks
2016 Becky Nolita Becky Nolita
2017 The Housewarming Alli Hollywood Hills Awards Winner for Best Comedian[32]
2018 The Upside Proctor
2018 Goliath Flor Episode #2.4
2018 NCIS: New Orleans Molly Lindell "Empathy"
Rachel Alana Handler

References

  1. ^ a b Brunetti, Michelle (2012-09-15). "Acting Dream Untouched by Amputation". The Press of Atlantic City. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  2. ^ Stephen Holden. "Celebrating a World of Happy Endings". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  3. ^ AcademicTips.org. "Limbitless-The Rachel Handler Story". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  4. ^ Terruso, Julia (2012-03-03). "2 women in critical condition after being struck on N.J. Turnpike following minor accident". The Star-Ledger. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  5. ^ "Islander in Critical Condition After Accident on NJ Turnpike". Associated Press. Web. 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  6. ^ Ojutiku, Mak (2016-12-04). "Jersey City actor never gave up hope after horrific car crash". The Jersey Journal. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  7. ^ "Top 40 Reactions — This year's bright young leaders express thoughts on being selected". Atlantic City Weekly. Web. 2015-03-11. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  8. ^ Rashmi Ram / Quora.com. "LimBitless". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  9. ^ Handler, Rachel (2012-11-10). "Amputee Villains - Portrayal of Amputee's in Film and Theater". Disabled World. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  10. ^ Pekar, Kelly (2014-10-06). "Week 8 – Embracing the Curveball". Little Bits of Good. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  11. ^ Handler, Rachel (2013-01-04). "What Is the Role of Disabled Actors?". Backstage. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  12. ^ Handler, Rachel (2016-02-09). "Stop Excluding Actors With Disabilities". Backstage. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  13. ^ Max Zoghbi/Loupe Theory Studios (August 20, 2013). "Shine" -Christa Wells [Official Music Video] (YouTube).
  14. ^ "Movie Review: 'John Schneider's Smothered'". Chicago Now. Web. 2014-06-09. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  15. ^ Kristopowitz, Bryan (2015-09-18). "Smothered Review". 411 Mania. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  16. ^ Jiminez, Christopher (2014-03-31). "Review: Smothered Turns the Tables on Horror's Icons in a Fun Way". Shock Till You Drop. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  17. ^ "Prosthetic Solutions". Archived from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved 2016-04-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) "Disabilidates" is Featured on the Front Page.
  18. ^ Handler, Rachel (July 15, 2014). Disabilidates (YouTube).
  19. ^ "Holly Shorts: Disabilidates". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  20. ^ "Two and Twenty Troubles: Official Website". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  21. ^ "Only Those Who Limp Allowed". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  22. ^ Lolos, Gemma (2015-10-07). "POST: 'RICHARD III, A DIS-HONORABLE TALE' - FLIPPED". PXP by TDF. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  23. ^ Zimmerman, Kevin (2015-09-25). "New take on 'Richard III' questions what is disability?". Times Ledger. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  24. ^ Considine, Allison (2015-10-20). "Theatre Artists With Disabilities Are Ready, Willing, and, Yes, Able". American Theatre. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  25. ^ Viagas, Robert (2015-09-01). "Off-Off-Broadway Company Plans Richard III with All Differently Abled Actors". Playbill. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  26. ^ Tongue in Cheek Theater. "Q&A with Rachel Handler, writer/performer, Plus One Solo Show Fest (April 7&8)!". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  27. ^ Brunetti, Michelle (2014-07-28). "Linwood actress has film, writes one-woman show on moving beyond amputation". The Press of Atlantic City. Web. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  28. ^ Rachel Handler (April 4, 2016). Angie Tribeca Spin-off - BECKY NOLITA (YouTube).
  29. ^ Chasing News (March 2, 2017). Dancing Her Heart Out (YouTube).
  30. ^ Willison, Karin (2018-03-07). "How 'NCIS New Orleans' Is Breaking New Ground for Disability Representation". The Mighty. Web. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  31. ^ "2018 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge".
  32. ^ "The 2018 Hollywood Hills Awards Winners". Retrieved 2018-04-05.


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