Heroic Quaden Bayles walks the red carpet for premiere of 'Three Thousand Years of Longing'
SYDNYEY, AUSTRALIA: Quaden Bayles made his red carpet debut at the premiere of the film 'Three Thousand Years of Longing' on Sunday, August 28. The 11-year-old, who went viral when his mother shared a video of him crying after being bullied at school, looked dapper in a navy blue Calvin Klein suit.
The fantasy film is directed by George Miller. Quaden will star as an extra in the film, alongside Hollywood heavyweights Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton.
READ MORE
'Close the front door': Idris Elba trolled as his fly remains open on BRIT Awards stage
Quaden will also have a small role in Miller’s upcoming film 'Furiosa', a prequel to 'Mad Max: Fury Road' in 2015. The movie will also star Chris Hemsworth and Tim Burke. Charlize Theron played the protean heroine in the earlier film while Anya Taylor-Joy will take on the responsibility in the prequel.
Speaking to NITV News on the red carpet, Quaden said, "I like acting, I want to do a lot. I can’t believe I’m in 'Mad Max'. I never knew what it was, my brother was the one who showed me what it was and I blew my eyes."
Miller spoke about what drives Quaden on camera. He said, "Like everyone else, I’ve seen the images his mother Yarraka put up. I was incredibly moved by it and I thought, ‘If one good thing can happen out of bullying'… and we offered him a small part in the movie. He’s great to work with.”
Quaden was born with a form of dwarfism known as achondroplasia. The 11-year-old went viral in 2020 after his mother shared a clip of him sobbing after being bullied at school and asking for a knife to kill himself. His mother can be heard saying, "I just picked my son up from school, witnessed a bullying episode, rang the principal and I want people to know this is the effect bullying has. This is what bullying does. So can you please educate your children, your families, your friends because all it takes is one more instance... and you wonder why kids are killing themselves. We try to be as strong as positive as possible and only share the highlights... but this is how bullying affects a nine-year-old kid."
The clip caught the attention of Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman, who posted the video to Twitter saying, “Quaden, you’re stronger than you know, mate. And no matter what, you have a friend in me." The 'Wolverine' actor asked his fans to "please be nice to each other."
Quaden - you’ve got a friend in me. #BeKind @LokelaniHiga https://t.co/8dr3j2z8Sy pic.twitter.com/jyqtZYC953
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) February 20, 2020
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).