Millicent Simmonds

Millicent Simmonds – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore Millicent Simmonds’s inspiring story—from overcoming early hearing loss to breakthrough roles in Wonderstruck and A Quiet Place. Learn about her career, advocacy, memorable quotes, and the lessons she offers.

Introduction

Millicent Simmonds is an American actress whose career is not only remarkable for her talent but also for what she represents: authentic visibility for the deaf community in mainstream film, television, and theater. Born in 2003 and deaf from infancy, she has broken barriers and reshaped norms through powerful performances and advocacy. Her journey resonates for those interested in “Millicent Simmonds quotes,” “life and career of Millicent Simmonds,” and how a young artist can inspire systemic change.

Early Life and Family

Millicent (often nicknamed “Millie”) Simmonds was born on March 6, 2003 in Bountiful, Utah, U.S.

When she was just an infant (around 12 months old), a medication overdose resulted in permanent hearing loss.

From very early on, her mother encouraged reading and storytelling. By age 3, she began attending the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf, where she was exposed to ASL and participated in expressive activities. Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In mid-2020, when her father’s job changed, the family relocated from Utah to a neighborhood north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Youth and Education

Although formal higher education details are not widely documented, Millicent’s training came largely through practical experience, theater, and on-set learning. Utah Shakespeare Festival.

By her early teens, she began exploring film auditions, aided by a former drama teacher who encouraged her to try out for Wonderstruck.

Career and Achievements

Breakout Role: Wonderstruck

At about age 12, Millicent auditioned for and landed the role of Rose in Todd Haynes’s Wonderstruck (released 2017).

Her performance was widely praised and earned nominations for youth performance awards.

A Quiet Place and its Sequel

In 2018, Millicent took on what would become her signature role: Regan Abbott, the deaf daughter in A Quiet Place (directed by John Krasinski).

She reprised the role in A Quiet Place Part II (filmed in 2019, released in 2021 after delays due to COVID).

Television & Stage

Millicent has also had TV roles:

• In Andi Mack (2018), she had a two-episode arc playing Libby, and she even delivered spoken dialogue on camera for the first time during that appearance.

• In This Close (2019), she appeared in an episode playing Emmaline.

Her stage milestone occurred in 2023, when she made her Broadway debut in Grey House (an adaptation of Levi Holloway’s play), portraying the character Bernie alongside Laurie Metcalf.

She is also attached to upcoming projects including:

• A short film Bumblebees (2022).

• A future film Ballerina Overdrive (in production as of 2023).

• A planned biopic in which she is cast to play Helen Keller in Helen & Teacher.

• A TV adaptation project True Biz, where she is set to star and executive produce.

Historical Milestones & Context

• Millicent’s rise aligns with broader movements for diversity, equity, and inclusion in Hollywood—especially for artists with disabilities.

• Prior to her work, deaf roles were often played by hearing actors or marginalized in editing; her casting represented a shift toward authentic representation.

• Her input in A Quiet Place influenced how sound, silence, and communication were treated in storytelling, especially regarding nonverbal narrative.

• The COVID-era inspired one of her advocacy projects: in 2020 she co-designed a face mask with transparent panels so lip reading and facial expressions remain visible, crucial for deaf communication.

• Her Broadway performance in Grey House marked one of the more visible integrations of ASL onstage in mainstream theater.

Legacy and Influence

Millicent Simmonds’s trajectory matters for multiple reasons:

1. Representation matters
   Her casting and performances challenge longstanding norms about who can tell stories and who belongs on screen or stage. She stands as a role model for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals seeking creative careers.

2. Authenticity in storytelling
   Her involvement in the process (ASL coaching, input on communication) exemplifies collaboration in inclusive storytelling—not a token gesture but a meaningful contribution.

3. Advocacy & accessibility
   Through projects such as the clear-panel mask and her public voice, she pushes for accessibility innovations, not just for art but for everyday life.

4. Youth as a force for change
   She began young and continues to expand her influence. Her path shows how early support, family backing, and opportunities can combine to disrupt industries.

Personality and Talents

Based on interviews and public insights:

• Expressive through silence
  Millicent is skilled at conveying emotion nonverbally. Her performances often lean on facial expression, gesture, and sign language to communicate nuanced feelings.

• Reflective and introspective
  In a Vanity Fair Q&A, she described herself as “calm, pensive, and shy.”

• Strong in advocacy
  She is deliberate about her presence: choosing roles and projects that elevate deaf voices and emphasize accessibility.

• Grateful, humble, and curious
  In interviews, she often emphasizes how surprised, honored, and motivated she feels by the opportunities afforded to her.

• Loves literature & journaling
  She has long kept a journal and mentions reading as a formative habit encouraged by her mother.

Famous Quotes of Millicent Simmonds

Here are a few quotes from Millicent that capture her spirit (or documented in interviews):

• “No regrets.”
  This is a favorite catchphrase noted in her Vanity Fair quick-fire interview.

• “I can’t even remember how it was brought up … but I told my mom I thought I could try.”
  Describing her first on-camera spoken line in Andi Mack.

• “I think my films … are a corrective to that history [of deaf representation].”
  On how her roles challenge the past norms of deaf characters being portrayed by hearing actors.

• “If people can see people like me doing things, they’ll start to believe they can do those things too.”
  (Paraphrased from her advocacy remarks)

• “I feel lucky to say I don’t really have one [personal] regret.”
  From Vanity Fair interview.

Lessons from Millicent Simmonds

1. Let your identity be strength
   She transformed what some might see as a limitation into a defining creative asset—bringing authenticity to roles that silence others.

2. Advocate from within
   Rather than waiting for others to include her, she participates in shaping the narrative (e.g. ASL coaching, mask design).

3. Start early, but grow steadily
   Her early exposure to theater and reading planted the seeds; she built the path by taking opportunities and learning on the job.

4. Collaboration is essential
   In her work, success has depended on interpreters, co-actors learning ASL, and inclusive sets. Progress often happens in partnership.

5. Visibility expands possibility
   For marginalized communities, seeing someone “like you” succeed can shift collective imagination—and that’s a powerful catalyst for change.

Conclusion

Millicent Simmonds is more than an actress—she is a symbol of transformative representation and inclusive storytelling. From her earliest years learning ASL in a supportive family, to delivering emotionally potent performances in Wonderstruck and A Quiet Place, to taking the stage on Broadway, her trajectory defies limits. Her advocacy, creative involvement, and public voice remind us that barriers can be challenged—and new norms created.

If you’d like, I can compile a full list of her verified quotes, or analyze her performances in specific films. Would you like that?