John Krasinski actively pushed for a deaf actress to be cast in A Quiet Place, and he specifically fought for Millicent Simmonds to get the role of Regan, the daughter in the film. Krasinski believed that casting a deaf actress would bring authenticity and emotional depth to the story, rather than relying on an actor pretending to be deaf. He emphasized that it wasn’t just about representation, but about grounding the family’s communication and emotional connection in a real experience of deafness.

Millicent Simmonds, who is deaf in real life, ended up having a powerful influence on the entire production. She helped teach American Sign Language (ASL) to her fellow cast members, including Krasinski and Emily Blunt. Not only did she guide their signing, but she also corrected mistakes and helped tailor the way each character would realistically communicate based on their personality and relationship to her character. Her presence on set shaped how ASL was used throughout the film, making it a natural part of the characters’ lives instead of something artificially added for the story.

Krasinski has spoken in interviews about how essential Simmonds was to the film’s success. He credits her with helping the actors and the crew understand what it meant to communicate visually and emotionally without relying on spoken language. Her involvement gave the film its signature silence and authenticity, which became central to its suspense and emotional impact.

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