‘Heartbreak High’ actor Chloé Hayden accuses Marvel Stadium staff of ableism during Harry Styles concert

The actor, who attended Styles' show in Melbourne over the weekend, said she had been made aware of "people who were denied access and support, humiliated and hurt thanks to Marvel Stadium's ableism and discrimination"

By Tom Disalvo|

Chloé Hayden. Credit: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for Netflix

Heartbreak High actor Chloé Hayden has accused staff at Marvel Stadium of ableism during Harry Styles’ recent concert in Melbourne. 

Hayden, who is autistic and portrayed the autistic character Quinni in the 2022 Netflix reboot, attended one of two Styles concerts in Melbourne as part of the singer’s Australian ‘Love On Tour’ shows over the weekend. Taking to Twitter on Saturday (February 26), the actor accused staff of denying her entry to the stadium’s sensory room – a space curated for regulating sensory overstimulation – because she didn’t “look autistic enough to access it”.

Hayden also alleged that staff were also ableist to other neurodivergent and physically disabled concertgoers, compiling a list of incidents shared with her by fellow attendees. “I have received over 50 messages from people who were denied access and support, humiliated and hurt thanks to Marvel Stadiums ableism and discrimination… Enough is enough,” she wrote.

The actor claimed stadium staff were unaware of the location of accessible bathrooms, “laugh[ed] at folks in meltdown” and “fat sham[ed] disabled people”. She also claimed that disabled lifts were broken and that the seating provided to disabled concertgoers was “nothing but a raised plank of wood”. Per ABC, Hayden was made aware of an attendee whose panic attack was dismissed and who was likewise denied access to the sensory room.

“The staff member just looked me up and down and simply said, ‘That’s not a real panic attack,'” the Instagram user claimed. Another attendee who described themselves as “physically disabled” said they were told by staff “that if I was unable to walk down the ramp then I shouldn’t have got tickets”, and that assistance was not available for “people ‘too fat to walk’”.

Elsewhere on social media, Hayden criticised Marvel Stadium for touting its “disability inclusion” merely as means of “ticking the disability box”. She elaborated: “In venues that preach inclusion, that pride themselves on their accessibility… that was praised this week for their sensory rooms, their disability inclusion; how goddamn disappointing that the same venue has proven that flying it’s woke flag and ticking the disability box is where it’s values begin and end.”

Hayden later criticised the size of Marvel Stadium’s sensory room, saying its 12-person capacity was not enough to accommodate the “16.5 per cent of the population [who] have sensory processing challenges.” According to the stadium’s website, the sensory rooms are staffed by “leading medical professionals on how to recognise those guests and fans with sensory needs”, and reflect the stadium’s “vision of creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all”.

In a follow-up tweet yesterday, Hayden revealed she had been contacted by Marvel Stadium, who organised a meeting with the actor today. “Staff immediately made contact and have organised a time to openly discuss and better understand what happened so we can rectify it”, stadium spokesperson Jay Allen told ABC. 

“While we sometimes experience capacity issues at major events, we still aim to provide a positive and caring experience for all patrons needing to find a quiet place.” Allen apologised for the “hurt and inconvenience” and said he was “extremely disappointed” to hear fans could not access the sensory room, which include fidget tools, a bubble wall and access to noise-cancelling headphones.

Hayden said she would continue to “fight” the issue. “Please know I’m doing everything in my power to fix this. I am starting and ensuring conversations are had,” the actor wrote on Twitter. “I promise you I am doing everything in my power to fight this,” she added on Instagram. “More to come.”

Hayden is expected to appear in the upcoming second season of Heartbreak High, following Netflix’s renewal of the series last October. She has long been a champion of autism activism, having appeared at a public hearing of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. The actor – whose Heartbreak High character marked the first time a neurodivergent role has been played by a neurodivergent actor on Australian TV – has spoken of the need for “autistic people in front of the camera.”

“We need autistic writers, directors, producers and creative consultants. We need people in every single chair to make sure that representation happens,” she said.

Harry Styles performed two shows at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium as part of the broader Australian leg of his ‘Love On Tour’ shows. The tour, in support of his latest album ‘Harry’s House’, will take to the Gold Coast tomorrow before wrapping up with two shows in Sydney early next month.

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