Mark Ruffalo Portrays Joseph Califano in 'Being Heumann,' Highlighting Disability Rights Struggle
Actor Mark Ruffalo stars as Joseph Califano, the former Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), in the new Apple Original film 'Being Heumann.' The movie chronicles the life of disability rights activist Judy Heumann and the historic 1977 Section 504 sit-in. Califano initially opposed the full implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which aimed to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities and make federal buildings accessible. The film, directed by Siân Heder, depicts Califano's complex position, caught between budget constraints and the moral imperative of civil rights. Ruffalo's portrayal aims to show Califano not as a villain, but as someone in an 'impossible situation,' facing significant financial implications for the federal government if he signed the regulations. The sit-in, led by Heumann and other activists, lasted 24 days in San Francisco, becoming the longest occupation of a federal building in U.S. history.
