Being Heumann
2026 American biographical drama film
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Being Heumann is a 2026 American biographical drama film directed by Sian Heder with Ruth Madeley starring as Judith Heumann alongside Mark Ruffalo. It is an adaptation of the memoir Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann.
Rebekah Taussig
- Kevin J. Walsh
- David Permut
- Sian Heder
- John W. Beach
- Kevin Cleary
| Being Heumann | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Sian Heder |
| Screenplay by | Sian Heder Rebekah Taussig |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jamie D. Ramsay |
| Edited by | Geraud Brisson |
| Music by | Francesco Le Metre |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Apple TV |
Release dates |
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Running time | 127 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film had its world premiere as the opening film of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2026, and is set to be released theatrically by Apple Studios on November 6, 2026.[1] It received positive reviews from critics.
Cast
- Ruth Madeley as Judith Heumann, a disability rights activist
- Mark Ruffalo as Joseph A. Califano Jr., the United States secretary of health, education and welfare
- Dylan O'Brien as Evan White, a reporter who embeds himself with Heumann and the other disability rights activists during their protests
- Madeline Delp as Kitty Cone, a disability rights activist who softly challenges Heumann's approach
- Rob Delaney as Congressman George Miller
- Ray Fisher as Chuck Jackson
- Michael Patrick Thornton as Ed Roberts
- Antwan Tolliver as Brad Lomax, a Black Panther and disability rights advocate
- Daniel Durant as Steve McCleeland
- Jon Beavers as Jim Pechin, Heumann's love interest
- Roberta Colindrez as Joni Breves, Heumann's bestfriend and fellow activist who acts as her on-and-off caregiver
- Russell Harvard as Olin Fortney
- Charlie Rush-Reese as Dennis Billups
- Joe Cobden as Hamilton Jordan
- Andrew Pilkington as Hale Zukas, a disability rights activist
- Siena Rafter as Lynette Taylor, an ASL interpreter
- Matthew Jeffers as Gerald
- Rein Barcel as Cece
- D'Arcee Charington Neal as Ron Washington
- Will Brill as Gene Eidenberg
- Rio Finnegan as Milton
Production
The film is directed by Sian Heder, who – with Rebekah Taussig – adapted the Judy Heumann memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist. The film is from Apple Studios and is produced by David Permut and Kevin Walsh, whose Walsh Company has an overall deal with Apple. Heumann's managers, John W. Beach and Kevin Cleary of Gravity Squared Entertainment, are also producers.[2]
In May 2025, Ruth Madeley was cast to play Heumann.[2] Mark Ruffalo and Dylan O'Brien were added to the cast the following month.[3][4] In July 2025, Madeline Delp, Rob Delaney, Ray Fisher, Michael Patrick Thornton, Antwan Tolliver, Daniel Durant, Jon Beavers, Roberta Colindrez, and Russell Harvard joined the cast.[5][6]
Principal photography took place in Toronto in mid-2025.[7]
Release
In July 2026, Being Heumann was announced as the opening film of the Toronto International Film Festival.[8] It will also screen at the 15th Montclair Film Festival on October 17.[9] It is scheduled to be released in select theaters on November 6, 2026, and will be released on Apple TV on November 13.[10]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 86%, based on 36 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10.[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 68 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto International Film Festival | September 20, 2026 | Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media | Sian Heder | Honored | [13] |
| People's Choice Award | Being Heumann | 2nd Runner-up | [14] |
