Madison Tevlin Explained

Madison Tevlin is a Canadian actress and broadcaster.[1] She is most noted for her 2022 CBC Gem talk show Who Do You Think I Am?, for which she received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Host in a Talk Show or Entertainment Series at the 11th Canadian Screen Awards in 2023, and as a star of the 2023 film Champions.[2]

Tevlin, who has Down syndrome, first attracted widespread attention in 2015 when a video of her singing John Legend's "All of Me" went viral on the internet, even attracting attention from Legend himself.[3] She subsequently had guest acting roles in the television series Mr. D and Lost & Found Music Studios.[4]

She has stated that one of her key goals is to challenge misunderstandings, by presenting her own story as a person who still has passions, talents and goals to pursue, and is capable of much more than people typically expect of her based on her disability.[5] In Who Do You Think I Am?, Tevlin interviews guests who have also experienced prejudice and misrepresentation around a variety of issues;[1] guests on the show have included comedian Ann Pornel, singer Tyler Shaw, actor Lane Webber, drag performer Juice Boxx, and indigenous advocate Laura Vukson.

Notes and References

  1. Jenna Benchetrit, "'I'm proving everyone wrong': Actors with Down syndrome enjoying new era of media representation". CBC News, February 19, 2022.
  2. Patrick Ryan, "'Champions' puts disabled actors in the spotlight: 'We belong in this world, too'". USA Today, March 8, 2023.
  3. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-teen-with-down-syndrome-inspires-with-all-of-me-cover-1.2217543 "Toronto teen with Down syndrome inspires with 'All of Me' cover"
  4. Janice Golding and Kendra Mangione, "'I was so surprised': Teen with Down syndrome on Internet fame". Toronto, December 24, 2015.
  5. Jen McNeely, "Meet Madison Tevlin, host of new talk-show series, ‘Who Do You Think I Am?’". She Does the City, January 21, 2022.