Britt Stewart And Daniel Durant On The Power And Beauty Of Language And Dance
Always Looking Up
01/22/26
•85m
About
Comments
Featured In
In this week’s episode I sat down with Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart. Daniel is a Deaf actor on stage and screen. He is best known for his starring role as Leo Rossi in CODA, a film that garnered three Oscar Awards, including the top prize of Best Picture. He also starred in Deaf West’s productions of Spring Awakening and Green Day’s American Idiot and made it to the semifinals of Dancing With The Stars alongside his then dance partner, now wife, Britt Stewart. His ongoing work also includes co-leading acting workshops for Deaf students and interpreting in schools, serving as an acting teacher and coach for Deaf film camps as well as national speaking engagements for colleges and universities. Britt is a professional dancer, choreographer, and creative leader whose career blends artistry, impact and authenticity in the entertainment industry. Best known as a Pro dancer on Dancing With The Stars, she made history as the first Black female professional dancer on the show and has since made an impact with her presence. She uses her platform to inspire balance, self growth and connection. As president of non-profit organization, Share The Movement, she champions access, education and representation in dance.
We discuss what Deaf representation looked like for Daniel growing up and why he decided to become an actor, Britt’s dance journey that led her to the Dancing With The Star’s ballroom, how they are both working to make their respective spaces in the entertainment industry more inclusive, their relationship and how they have made their world and their home more accessible and much, much more.
For this conversation we were joined by ASL interpreter Justin Maurer.
This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join Always Looking Up on Substack: https://jilliancurwin645746.substack.com
Join The Patreon: https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp
Follow Daniel: Instagram: @danielndurant TikTok: @danielndurant YouTube: Daniel N. Durant
Follow Britt: Instagram: @brittbenae TikTok: @brittbenae Website: https://www.brittbenaestewart.com
Follow The DWTS Tour: Instagram: @dwtstourofficial TikTok: @dwtstourofficial Website: https://dwtstour.com
Follow Share The Movement: Instagram: @sharethemovementnow Website: https://sharethemovementnow.org
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: alwayslookingup227@gmail.com
Read With Me:
The StoryGraph
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https:...
Previous Episode
In this week’s episode I sat down with Austin Halls. Austin is a singer, storyteller, and motivational figure born with Moebius Syndrome, using music, fashion, and psychology to redefine self-expression and visibility. He’s the first person with Moebius Syndrome to walk New York Fashion Week and creates empowering dance-pop that turns disability into celebration. We discuss the healing and expressive power of music, leaning into authenticity the beauty of advocacy, how living in New York City has made the impossible possible and much, much more.
This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join Always Looking Up on Substack: https://jilliancurwin645746.substack.com
Join The Patreon: https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp
Follow Austin: Instagram: @theaustinhalls TikTok: @austinhalls Spotify: Austin Halls YouTube: @AustinHalls Website: https://www.austinhalls.com
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: alwayslookingup227@gmail.com
Read With Me:
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jornaleros
Relief For Disabled People Impacted By The Los Angeles Fires:
Richard Devylder Disaster Relief Fund: https://disabilitydisasteraccess.org/rd-relief-fund/
United Spinal Disaster Relief Grant: https://unitedspinal.org/disaster-relief-grant/
Next Episode
Lachi On I Identify As Blind
January 27
•56m
In this week’s episode I sat down with Lachi. Lachi is a world touring recording artist, award winning music executive, Disability Culture champion, host of PBS series Renegades, Recording Academy National Trustee, and producer of a GRAMMY-Nominated album. Born legally blind, Lachi created the U.N.-recognized organization RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities), a consultancy group, collaborating on disability-inclusive solutions with the likes of Netflix, Live Nation and more, while bringing opportunities to its growing global network of professionals with disabilities. We discuss her newly released book I Identify As Blind, out today, and the stories and conversations that have filled its pages, who this book is for and what she hopes her readers take from it, celebrating the disability community and the people in it past, present and future and much, much more.
This episode was edited and produced by Ben Curwin.
All proceeds from purchasing this episode will be split between City Harvest and Food Bank For NYC.
Join Always Looking Up on Substack: https://jilliancurwin645746.substack.com
Join The Patreon: https://patreon.com/AlwaysLookingUp
Follow Lachi: Instagram: @lachimusic YouTube: Lachi Website: https://www.lachimusic.com/index.html
Follow RAMPD: Instagram: @rampd_up Website: https://rampd.org/
Buy I Identify As Blind: https://lachimusic.com/i-identify-as-blind.html
Shop Glam Canes
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DToHjpeEjbV/
Follow Me: Instagram: @jill_ilana , @alwayslookingup.podcast TikTok: @jillian_ilana Website: https://www.jillianilana.com Email: alwayslookingup227@gmail.com
Read With Me:
The StoryGraph
Support Minneapolis:
Stand With Minnesota: https://www.standwithminnesota.com
MN NOICE: https://mnnoice.com
Community Aid Network MN: https://www.canmn.org
Support Those Impacted By The Cutting Of SNAP Benefits:
Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org
No Kid Hungry: https://www.nokidhungry.org
List Of NYC Food Pantries: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/food_pantries.page
Support Immigrant Communities (all links came from @chnge):
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (@chirla_org): https://www.chirla.org/donatenow/
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (@immdef_lawcenter): https://www.immdef.org
Inland Coalition 4 Imm Justice (@ic4ij):
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted