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Chella Man Hopes New Film Proves 'Disabled, Trans Masc People Can Top'
The actor and social media influencer poured his heart and soul into this project.
A powerful film with a very important message.
Actor, director, model, and social media influencer Chella Man has released an inspiring new short film showcasing his experiences as a deaf, transgender, Chinese-American man in the world. The movie, which is centered on Chella Man’s relationship with the cochlear implant, is titled The Device That Turned Me Into a Cyborg Was Born the Same Year I Was.
Directed, written, co-edited, and co-produced by Chella Man, this short film also features Darrick Delao, Jacinda Damas, Johnathan Man, Jon Man, Joyce Homs, Katie Man, Meg Man, and Sammy Kim in the cast. For the sex scenes specifically, Chella Man acted alongside Sammy Kim.
Chella Man took to Instagram to share his reflections on the sex scenes from the film. “Disabled, trans masc people can TOP… although we never see it in media,” he wrote. “This quick scene in the montage of my new film served as an opportunity to dominate the narrative of trans, deaf, BIPOC sex. It’s unfortunately rare to find sex and intimacy scenes in media that represent my personal experiences, so I created my own.”
He added, “[Sammy Kim], a sex liberator/worker, was such a sweet partner for this moment. Later sharing a conversation we held on the intersections of sexual liberation and disability justice (which unsurprisingly center the same foundations).”
Chella Man was diagnosed as profoundly deaf when he was 13 years old, which resulted in his first cochlear implant. By 16, his other ear received a second cochlear implant. Around 19 years old, Chella Man started his gender transition after experiencing gender dysphoria his entire life.
Best known for playing Jericho in the DC Comics television series Titans, Chella Man also executive-produced the Trans in Trumpland docuseries in 2021. With this new short film, he is making even bigger strides in his career as a filmmaker.
Watch Chella Man’s The Device That Turned Me Into a Cyborg Was Born the Same Year I Was short film for free at Nowness.
Bernardo Sim is a writer, editor, and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
Bernardo Sim is a writer, editor, and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
