Should only disabled actors play disabled roles in movies?

Disability rights campaigners have slammed the latest film ‘The Upside’ for casting Bryan Cranston to play a quadriplegic character.

They have argued films which star able-bodied actors in disabled roles potentially take roles away from disabled actors.

Cranston has defended his role to Press Association, saying: "If I, as a straight, older person, and I'm wealthy, I'm very fortunate, does that mean I can't play a person who is not wealthy, does that mean I can't play a homosexual?"

Actor Jeni Barnett agrees with Cranston, and says actors are always playing parts they have no association with in real life, and becoming a character with a disability should be no different.

However, Coronation Street’s Melissa Johns argues the entire acting industry needs to shift and start giving disabled actors leading roles in general, rather than just being pigeon-holing them into disabled roles.