‘Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’: Actor Karen Malina White Says Use of ASL Showed ‘Inclusiveness’ and Deeper Look Into Anthony Hughes Story
Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story focused on the lives and stories of the grisly killer’s victims. While killing 17 men, the series focused on Anthony Hughes. The 31-year-old African American male was born into a loving family, grew up deaf, and was an aspiring model. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story actor Karen Malina White talked to Showbiz Cheatsheet about how the series’ use of ASL to tell Anthony’s story created a profound message.
Anthony Hughes was not born deaf, according to the Netflix series
By episode six of the Netflix series, fans see Dahmer grow and acquire habits and interests that led him to become a killer. After seeing the beginning of his killing spree, the episode focuses on telling an in-depth story about Anthony Hughes (Rodney Burford). Unlike other victims, audiences see Anthony as a baby when his mother learns the side effects of medication caused him to become deaf.
His hearing loss did anything but deter him, as Anthony was born into a family that loved and cherished him. The series depicts his mother, Shirley Hughes, and his sisters communicating with sign language, or ASL. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story portrayed how Anthony tried to live his life like any other normal person.
Anthony’s story is heartwarming and heartbreaking. Audiences fall in love with his bright persona, ambition, and willingness to accept others. While watching Anthony get rejected for job opportunities due to him being deaf, he still strived to become a model. But above all, the series shifts gears by having scenes where Anthony, his friends, and his family only communicate through ASL. No audio.
Actor Karen Malina White played the role of Shirley Hughes and has ASL training before Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. She explains how the series including ASL to tell Anthony’s story showed “inclusiveness” for the deaf community.
Karen Malina White explains how ASL in ‘Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ tells a realistic story
White has “flirted” with ASL since she was 15 years old. In her career, she has not been fully able to use her skills and what she has learned. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story allowed White to use her ASL and highlight the importance of deaf individuals and actors.
“It’s an honor. It’s a joy to get to use that tool,” said White. “I don’t think we often see black deaf actors get work. We don’t often think about that they exist in this world. And so that was an honor. The scene with our three deaf actors talking and just having a conversation, I mean, which is great to see. Hearing people who have deaf children, how they have to learn and how they worry about this young black man being able to navigate through the world.”
Regarding Anthony’s story, White explains how including ASL and his life as a deaf person created an emotional impact. “We got to see his struggles to get a job, how they think maybe it is a learning disability,” said White.
While facing setbacks, Anthony wanted a fulfilling life. Audiences saw how he spoke with friends about finding love. “It was so inclusive. Tony Hughes was portrayed in this series just as a wonderful, kind human being who was just so full of life and led with his heart. Looking for love, which everybody wants to look for love. You know, he was no different than anybody else who wants to be loved and find love. That was the most heartbreaking thing that he trusted somebody, and someone took advantage of that sweetness,” said the actor.
Karen Malina White hopes the series sparks an interest in ASL
For White, using her ASL training was “like a dream come true” as an artist. She attended the Pennsylvania Governor’s School of the Arts and took up ASL as an elective. “I just thought it was such a beautiful language, and I wanted to learn it,” said the actor.
Now, there are many ways for people to learn ASL through Youtube, courses, and more. Having used ASL to tell Anthony and his family’s story, White explains, “I hope that maybe this series that it can spark that kind of intrigue and curiosity in people, and they will take a beginning class.”
While the series faces backlash over how they portrayed the victims’ stories and Anthony’s, White saw it as a way to “honor” them. Paris Barclay, who directed Anthony’s story, explained to Variety, “We tried to elevate, and we tried to embrace Tony. We tried to give him a voice. We tried as best we could to make him resonate with viewers. And that seemed to have happened.”
White would agree with Barclay when he says, “I’m really proud of what we did, not just for Tony, but also for the Deaf community. That was my mantra. We want to make these victims not disappear.”
