Ruth Codd, who plays Anya in Netflix’s The Midnight Club, says there’s power in being who you are. And who she is, especially as she steps into this new phase of her career, is so much more than her disability. Her character in the new horror YA series is fierce, whip-smart, and nuanced; Ruth herself is quick to joke, doesn’t take herself too seriously, and is both chill about the path her life has taken and excited for what’s to come.
In the series, Anya is an amputee with a terminal illness, living in hospice with seven other terminally ill youth who meet every night and swap scary stories. Through these stories, they cope with the reality of death, but they also learn to find a new kind of family, and to find hope where they can. “They're not defined by this horrific thing that that's happening to them,” Ruth tells Teen Vogue. “I think the real message of the show is that people help people through things and no man is an island. You need love, and it does help when you're supported.”
Instead of casting an able-bodied person for the role, co-creator Mike Flanagan and casting director Annie McCarthy found Ruth, an amputee with no acting experience. (Flanagan is the showrunner behind such hit horror series as 2018’s The Haunting of Hill House, 2020’s The Haunting of Bly Manor, and 2021’s Midnight Mass.) Too often, Hollywood gets it wrong when it comes to representation, casting white actors in BIPOC roles or cishet actors as queer characters. Flanagan and co-creator Leah Fong were more intentional with their searching, casting a wide net across six countries.
Casting a newcomer was a bold move, but, given the fact that Flanagan cast the Irish actress for his next Netflix series, The Fall of the House of Usher, it’s safe to assume she’s a natural. After all, Ruth is used to having an audience. On TikTok, she garnered more than 672,000 followers and 20.5 million likes in less than a year for her frank and witty takes on everything from makeup and hair (she’s an MUA and barber) and her youth in Ireland to the COVID lockdown and her disability.
At age 23, Codd decided to have her right leg amputated below the knee due to complications from breaking her foot at age 15. She has since used her platform to raise awareness about the disabled, especially amputees.
Although Codd deleted her TikTok account once she started acting, that’s where casting directors for The Midnight Club first got to know her. All she had to do was be who she was in order to be seen. Teen Vogue recently sat down with Ruth to chat about the new series, her favorite horror movies, and the surprising liberation of having her leg amputated.
Teen Vogue: What about the role of Anya in The Midnight Club appealed to you?
Ruth Codd: You don't get a lot of disabled representation in media nowadays. A lot of times, we’re forgotten about. When we are represented, we’re either this kind of saintly little thing that didn't deserve for this to happen to her or you're portrayed as bitter.
Whereas, Anya, she's just human, and the emphasis is on her character and not so much her disability. She’s a firecracker — really ballsy and funny. I think she has such a big personality that, most of the time, you don't even notice really the wheelchair, which is what I hope comes across. Because, as anyone with a disability will tell you, it's a really tiny part of them. It is a part of them, but it's not everything. Our whole personalities are not based around our disability. We don't sit all day every day talking about it. We get on with our lives, which is what Anya does.
TV: What was the shooting process like as a first-time actor?
RC: Well, I kind of thought that I was going to be fired. I thought that they were going to be like, “This is a bad idea.” I've never even had acting lessons or anything. I used to work in wigs and makeup, but for theater, so I'm very much used to being in the background. And, so, that was just weird for me. But everyone was so nice. Like, everyone, all the crew, they do everything for you. So, the food was free. I couldn't get over that. I suppose I soaked that up. I really enjoyed it from the get-go, really. I just threw myself into it. I said that, at least if it doesn't work out, I kind of went balls to the wall, and I wasn't going to leave with any regrets. You know what I mean? I had nothing to lose.
TV: Did you feel good about your performance when all was said and done?
RC: I don’t know if anyone ever feels 100% about their performance. But I gave it everything I had. And I'm proud of myself for really throwing myself into the deep end and embracing it.
TV: Did playing a patient in hospice impact your thoughts on death at all?
RC: Yeah. Just the storyline hit quite close to home. I've had family and stuff that have had cancer. And I think it’s something that touches everyone. It made me think about my aunt, who I lost to cancer, a lot. In a weird way, it was kind of healing. And a lot of the good parts of Anya, I based off of my aunt, like her bravery and her willingness to fight. In some ways, it's an upsetting storyline. It's not a nice thing to think about. But it's something that affects a lot of people, so I hope I did it justice.
TV: Were you a fan of Mike Flanagan before?
RC: Well, I think everyone watched Hill House and Bly Manor. One of my favorite movies before I even knew I was working with Mike was Oculus, and Hush. I think I'd pretty much seen all of his stuff before I started working with him.
TV: Are you a fan of horror in general?
RC: Oh, yeah, I love horror. Ever since I was like 9 or 10, I just loved watching horror movies with my cousins and scaring the living daylights out of myself.
TV: What are some of your favorite horror movies?
RC: The Japanese Grudge was horrendous. I was way too young when I watched it. I wouldn’t open my wardrobe for like two weeks afterwards. I think the first horror movie I ever watched was Halloween with my cousins. That has really fun memories. They're probably my two favorites.
TV: You were quite a hit on TikTok. Why did you quit?
RC: Well, [my popularity] kind of happened by accident, and it did pretty much happen overnight. I started it after being laid off as a barber because of COVID. I really enjoyed it, but when it started becoming more like a job, I was like, “Life's too short. You don't have to do it.” I really admire people that can come up with content like every single day, but I just didn't enjoy it anymore. So, I stopped doing it. But I'm so grateful because it got me to where I am now. I'll always be grateful for the following I had on social media.
TV: Whether through social media or TV, what message do you want to convey to people with disabilities?
RC: There's a power in being yourself. I'm not great with my words, which is probably a good thing. I’m an actress, not a writer. But it's just that there's a power in just doing. You don't have to prove anything to anyone. Just do what makes you happy. Do you. And you're always going to get ignorant comments. People are going to say stupid things. But that's not on you.
I had a life-changing injury at 15, and I was really worried that I was going to get left behind in life. But it wasn't my time. My life changed, and it didn't turn out the way I expected. But, in the end, it did kind of turn out better. So, just be patient with yourself, and be kind to yourself.
TV: How long did it take you to embrace what had happened to you? And how did you come to do that?
RC: Oh, years. I got injured at 15, and I didn't get my leg amputated until I was 23. So, those eight years were operation after operation, and, sometimes they kind of worked for a while, and then I’d end up back on crutches. At that age, you think you're unstoppable, and it was a lot of having to learn a bit too young that sometimes life doesn't really work out the way you thought it would. But I wouldn't change it. It made me a really resilient person. I'm thankful for just being able to do simple things like walk around or go on a bike or ride my horse. It kind of teaches you to not take things for granted.
But, I mean, it's okay to be angry about it, as long as, after a while, you realize life isn't personal. Sometimes bad things happen. And it's okay to miss things, too. It doesn't mean you're not over it if you miss something about your old life or the way you used to live. Yeah, It does take time to accept. It does. But once I got my leg amputated, my life really kind of took a turn. It was the best thing I ever did.
TV: Was it liberating in a way?
RC: Yeah, it really was. Because I spent so many years trying to flog a dead horse, essentially, and having every operation under the sun. And I was so scared of this one thing happening. Then when it happened, I was like, “Oh.” But I got through it and I'm fine — still here. The first step I remember taking on my prosthetic leg, like the first thing I said was, “Oh, it's not sore anymore.” I didn't even realize how much pain I was in all the time. I had just gotten used to it.
TV: What can you tell us about your next role in The Fall of the House of Usher?
RC: Well, the cast list hasn't been released yet. So, I don't think I'm allowed to tell you much. I'll just tell you, [my character] has a really cool sense of style. And she's very different to Anya.
TV: Were you shocked to get another role?
RC: Oh, yeah, yeah. I was delighted to work with Mike again. Like, we get on so well. I'm so grateful to get to work with him again because it does kind of feel like working with family. There were so many great people on that project that I'll hopefully be friends with for life — if they can put up with me.
