Louis' lack of shame

Was Louis Kissaun a shoo-in to play the part of a character that popped out of a boot? No, he says the audition process was nerve-wracking but the 16 year-old debuted as BSL-user Danny in Channel 4’s Shameless on 10 March, in a storyline that saw him smuggled from Ibiza to Manchester in the boot of a car. Now back at school, Louis drops his A Level Art commitments to colour in between the lines of Disability Now’s One to Watch questions and tells us why deaf people need glasses.

What’s the best thing about being disabled?
You can’t beat the feeling of getting in the exit of the queues of rollercoaster rides – such a guilty pleasure.

What makes you angry?
People being overly sensitive about deafness; as if it’s anything wrong.

If you were Prime Minister what one thing would you do to improve things for disabled people?
I would fund schools to help deaf people to cope with the bigger hearing world and open up more opportunities like the one I had.

What’s the one thing that could be invented to make your life as a disabled person better?
Hearing aids are already around so perhaps some cool glasses that enable subtitles in real life conversations!

What do you most like about acting?
I love bringing myself to play someone else, someone different from me.

And what do you not like about it?
Well, the number of takes you do for such small scenes and the painful auditions.

Who’s your favourite disabled person ever?
I’m no classical fan, but Ludwig van Beethoven was slowly going deaf, which is just amazing considering his music.

Do you have any special or hidden talent?
I like to play guitar and paint.

If you didn’t have your impairment, which other one would you like to have for a day?
I have no idea: one that involves sleeping.

How would you sum yourself up in ten words or less?
Gosh, I have no idea: a nice decent chap.