Sian Heder Directs Judy Heumann Biopic 'Being Heumann' for Apple TV+
Ruth Madeley stars as the pioneering disability rights activist in the film, which will open the Toronto International Film Festival in 2026.
“She was so forceful and hilarious and blunt and empathetic and all of these contradictions.”
- Director
- Sian Heder
- Starring
- Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O'Brien
- Release
- 2026
- Genre
- Drama
- Where to Watch
- Apple TV+
Sian Heder is directing a new biopic for Apple TV+ about disability rights activist Judy Heumann, according to a report from AppleInsider. Heder previously directed and co-wrote the Oscar-winning film CODA for the streaming service.
The film, titled Being Heumann, will star Ruth Madeley as Judy Heumann. Madeley is known for her roles in Doctor Who and Years and Years.
Who is Judy Heumann?
Judy Heumann is known as a mother of the Disability Rights Movement. The film dramatizes her leadership of the 1977 sit-in, where she led over a hundred disabled people to occupy the San Francisco Federal Building for 28 days. The protests, known as the 504 Sit-ins, aimed to pressure the government to enact Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
"She was so forceful and hilarious and blunt and empathetic and all of these contradictions," Heder said of Heumann.
When will the film be released?
Being Heumann is set to open the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, which runs from September 10 to September 20, 2026. It will then have a theatrical run beginning November 6, 2026, before streaming on Apple TV+ starting November 13, 2026.
Ruth Madeley said she had one Zoom call with Heumann. "I was completely in awe. I was so desperate for her to like me," Madeley said. "Her grit, her joy, and her complexities all make her so much fun to play."
The film is based on Heumann's memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, and is co-written by Heder and author Rebekah Taussig.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who else is in the cast of Being Heumann?
The reported cast includes Mark Ruffalo as Joseph Califano, Dylan O'Brien as Evan White, Madeline Delp as Kitty Cone, and Rob Delaney as Congressman Miller. Other actors set to appear include Ray Fisher, Michael Patrick Thornton, Antwan Tolliver, Daniel Durant, and Jon Beavers.
What is the connection to the film CODA?
Sian Heder directed and co-wrote CODA, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2022, marking the first Best Picture Oscar for a streaming service. Apple TV+ subsequently backed Heder to direct this dramatization of Judy Heumann's life.
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