A British man who suffers from a genetic disorder that leaves his face disfigured with benign tumors all over his body has found an unusual inspiration in overcoming the stigma of his disease — Scarlett Johansson.
Adam Pearson has spent his entire life in the periphery, having to put up with gawkers, taunters and tormenters who would call him "everything from Elephant Man to Scarface," he told The Guardian.
Pearson is currently starring alongside Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin, a critically acclaimed science fiction film directed by Jonathan Glazer about an alien who roams the streets of Glasgow abducting and killing unsuspecting men. In one of the most poignant scenes, the alien (Johansson) is shown picking up a hooded man at night (Pearson). When the unnamed man reveals his disfigured face, it is a pivotal moment: the alien becomes humanised and conflicted. The two of them have a brief conversation about the nature of ignorance and prejudice. The alien does not remark on the stranger's face, instead complimenting him on his "beautiful" hands.
Pearson also had to film a nude scene with Johansson – something even the most experienced actor would be nervous about.
Johansson was "brilliant. She's really nice, charming, funny and intelligent once you get over the feeling of 'Oh my God, this is Scarlett Johansson!'"
Pearson said that his interaction with Johansson helped him come to terms with his physical appearance and deal with the stigma of his appearance. "There's a lot of fear around the unknown. If I can try to be as normal as possible and show there's nothing to fear … then the more people see it in wider society, the less stigma there is."
get that Oscar Scarjo
