The singer faced sharp criticism for her depiction of the neurological disorder in her 2021 directorial debut, “Music”
Two years after facing widespread criticism for her portrayal of a neurological disorder in her 2021 directorial debut “Music,” Sia has disclosed that she is on the autism spectrum.
The “Chandelier” singer made a surprise appearance on the Survivor recap show “Rob Has a Podcast” on May 25th. She joined Carolyn Wiger, the standout finalist from the recently concluded 44th season of the reality show, to continue her biannual tradition of personally rewarding her favorite cast member. In addition to presenting Wiger with $100,000 for being “willing to be rejected, and to be the weird one,” Sia opened up about her own experiences, stating, “I’m on the spectrum, and I’m in recovery — there’s a lot of things.”
“For 45 years, I felt like I had to put on my human suit,” she reflected. “Only in the last two years have I become fully myself.” Wiger’s candid on-air conversation about her long-term sobriety, as well as her endearing yet often misunderstood demeanor — which she has partially attributed to ADHD — deeply resonated with Sia. She saw Wiger as someone who also “didn’t put her human suit on.”
“One of the greatest things,” Sia continued, “is that nobody can truly know and love you when you’re filled with secrets and living in shame. When we finally sit in a room full of strangers, share our deepest, darkest, most shameful secrets, and everybody laughs along with us — when we don’t feel like trash for the first time in our lives, and we feel seen for who we truly are — that’s when we can start engaging with the world as compassionate human beings, without pretense.” A video segment from the podcast interview, featuring Sia’s participation beginning at the 10:18 mark, is available below.
Despite receiving two Golden Globe nominations, “Music” found itself embroiled in controversy from the outset. This was in part due to the casting of Sia’s frequent collaborator Maddie Ziegler, who is neurotypical, in the role of the film’s titular autistic character. Upon its release, the film was widely criticized and faced additional backlash for a since-removed scene that depicted an outdated prone restraint technique.
Following numerous online interactions, acknowledgments, and apologies, Sia shared with the New York Times in 2022 that the immediate backlash had driven her to a suicidal state and relapse. She has since entered rehab and confirmed her ongoing sobriety during the podcast.