Wolf of Wall Street

When The Wolf of Wall Street was released in 2013, its opening sequence showed stockbrokers throwing two helmeted little people toward a target. Members of the dwarfism community objected before and after the film’s release. The scene is degrading, and it echoes a real form of entertainment that Little People of America has publicly opposed.

Dwarf Dad’s Take

My reaction was that depicting a vile act is not automatically the same as endorsing it. The film spends hours showing its central characters behaving badly—lying, exploiting people, abusing drugs, and treating nearly everyone as disposable. Dwarf tossing fits the people the movie is portraying.

That does not make the scene harmless. Filmmakers still choose what to show, how to frame it, and whose humanity matters. But I did not leave the scene thinking dwarf tossing looked admirable. I thought it made the stockbrokers look worse.

Little people also make different choices about entertainment work. Some reject any role built around height; others accept costume, dance, stunt, or novelty work to earn a living. I can respect an adult performer’s agency while still criticizing the venue, audience, or script.

Dwarf Mom’s Take

::Record scratches::

The scene offended me, but the entire film exhausted me. It was one long parade of money, drugs, sex, humiliation, and people treating other people like furniture. Dwarf tossing was part of the same ugliness; it was not the only reason I disliked the movie.

My bigger concern was what our children see. I want them to know that little people belong throughout entertainment—as actors, writers, directors, comedians, musicians, crew members, and characters whose height is not the whole story. One ugly scene should not be the only image available to them.

The Wolf of Wall Street

The film at the center of our disagreement. If you watch it, tell us whether you came away closer to Dwarf Dad’s view or Dwarf Mom’s.

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