British actor Adam Pearson is having a moment after starring in one of the most acclaimed films of the year, A Different Man.
But for trolls on the internet, all they see is a man with a visible disability—and, now, a man uniquely suited to putting them in their place.
After Pearson posted on social media about attending the annual British Academy of Film and Television Awards, or BAFTAs, he was hit with truly disgusting ableist abuse from a handful of social media weirdos.
As a child, Pearson was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic disorder in which benign tumors grow on the body's nerves. The disorder became noticeable around age 8, when Pearson's face began to change shape and alter his appearance.
During the BAFTAs, a social media user posted a photo of Pearson and actor Warwick Davis, who has a form of dwarfism, with an ableist caption that read:
"Was this an award show or was the circus in town."
Pearson quickly dispatched the troll with a reply that left many applauding.
Pearson wrote:
"Has no one learned anything?"
"So, to clarify @fartsniffer0614 this was the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards. I find it somewhat ironic that you have 'spreading kindness' in your name whilst punching down at 2 successful actor simple [sic] for being disabled."
"Take your ableism elsewhere."
The poster has since been suspended.
Bullying is nothing new for Pearson. In an interview with People, he described how ableist abuse began being leveled at him from an early age.
"Anytime 'The Elephant Man' or 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' was on TV, the next day I’d hear that nickname...“
"I’d take a deep breath before walking through the [school] gates and try to hang on."
“You can get bogged down in, ‘It’s not fair. Why is life so cruel?’ It doesn’t solve anything.”
Thankfully, the trolls seem to be vastly outnumbered by those coming to Pearson's defense online.
Now that he's thoroughly dispatched his haters, Pearson will next head to the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles, where he is once again nominated for Best Supporting Performance for A Different Man.
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