Sia reveals autism diagnosis…two years after her film Music was branded ‘ableist’ and ‘offensive’

Sia revealed she was diagnosed with autism while appearing on Thursday’s episode of two-time Survivor contestant Rob Cesternino’s podcast, Rob Has a Podcast.

Two years after sparking outrage for her portrayal of the disorder in her controversial film Music, starring Maddie Ziegler and Kate Hudson, the 47-year-old singer shared the news that she is ‘on the spectrum.’

‘For 45 years, I was like … ‘I’ve got to go put my human suit on,’ she explained. ‘And only in the last two years have I become fully, fully myself.’

Over the years, the nine-time Grammy nominee, who recently married Dan Bernard earlier this month, said she learned that ‘nobody can ever know and love you when you’re filled with secrets and … living in shame.’

The Australian star went on to gush about the feeling of telling ‘a room full of strangers’ her ‘deepest, darkest, most shameful secrets’ and feeling seen while they laugh along with her experiences. 

‘We don’t feel like pieces of trash for the first time in our lives, and we feel seen for the first time in our lives for who we actually are, and then we can start going out into the world and just operating as humans and human beings with hearts and not pretending to be anything,’ she said of finally letting down her walls. 

During the interview, she also confirmed she was sober and ‘in recovery.’

Her 2021 drama faced heavy backlash over its portrayal of autism, and was accused of being ‘ableist’ and contributing ‘to harmful stereotypes of autistic people.’

Neurotypical actress and dancer Maddie Ziegler played an autistic teen in the film, amid claims autistic actors were overlooked for the part she ultimately landed.

Despite the criticism, the movie received two Golden Globe nominations.

It was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for Kate Hudson, but won neither.

Music also topped the 2021 Razzie Awards, with ‘wins’ for Sia as Worst Director, Kate Hudson as Worst Actress and Ziegler as Worst Supporting Actress.

In the film, Hudson plays Zu, a newly sober drug dealer, who becomes the guardian of her autistic half-sister Music (Ziegler) after the death of her grandmother.

Zu struggles to take care of Music, but is helped by their neighbor Ebo (Leslie Odom Jr.). 

Following criticism for seemingly not casting any neurodivergent actors in the film, at the time, Sia tweeted that many of the cast members had autism themselves.

‘I cast thirteen neuroatypical people, three trans folk, and not as f**king prostitutes or drug addicts but as doctors, nurses and singers. F**king sad nobody’s even seen the dang movie. My heart has always been in the right place,’ she tweeted.

When asked: ‘Did you do any research or consult the community at all? It’s very condescending to say it would be cruel to consult a disabled actor’.

Sia responded: ‘Duh. I spent three f**king years researching, I think that’s why I’m so f**king bummed.’

She then spoke of how charity Autism Speaks worked alongside her in the movie, as she penned: ‘Autism speaks came on board long after the film was finished, four years in fact. I had no idea it was such a polarizing group!’ 

Jumping to her defense, a fan wrote: ‘Please ignore them Sia, I’m a disabled person and am not offended by the premise of your film…

‘I have been criticized by some of the disabled community for my opinion but my opinion remains unchanged. I look forward to seeing it and judging it on its merits.’

She responded: ‘Thank you very much and I hope you love it as much as I do.’