Emily Carey Plays Harriet Manners, The Autistic Geek Who Turned Into a Model
In the Netflix series Geek Girl, Emily Carey portrays a nerdy character, Harriet Manners, who is spotted by the fashion industry.
Emily Carey is a British child actress who gained widespread recognition as Young Harriet Smith in the 2017 film adaption of Jane Austen’s “Emma.”
Highlights
- Harriet, a self-proclaimed geek, is bullied at school until a modeling agency notices her on a field trip to London Fashion Week.
- Although the show has received praise from critics, it has also faced criticism regarding the authenticity of its portrayal of autism through Carey’s character, Harriet.
- This contrasts with Heartbreak High, where Quinni openly discusses her autism with her pals.
In 2020, she portrayed Young Alana in the popular ABC series For Life, and 2022, she appeared as Charlotte Heywood in the period drama Mincenter’s Sanditon.
Emily is notable for her versatile acting skills and is a rising talent in the entertainment industry.
Harriet Manners Journey From Autistic Student To Fashion Model
The YA book series, published in 2015, has been transformed into a 10-part series starring Emily Carey, known from House of the Dragon, as 16-year-old Harriet Manners.
In Geek Girl, Harriet tucks up headphones in class and gets enthusiastic about subjects.
However, Harriet is kind of awkward, and mean kids at school pick on her.
But she’s got great friends like Nat, Toby, her dad Richard, and stepmom Annabel.
When her class wins a trip to London Fashion Week, Harriet accidentally impresses some modeling agents.
Even though she’s unsure, they offer her a job. But Harriet insists they give Nat, who wants to model, a shot, too.
They skip school to go to London for the tryout, even though her parents don’t know.
This way, Harriet embarks on a new journey of being a fashion model and puts an end to her bullying diaries.
Emily Carey’s Character Harriet Manners Faces Criticism
Although the show has received praise from critics, it has faced scrutiny over the authenticity of its portrayal of autism through Carey’s character.
Smale defended the show on X/Twitter, emphasizing its authenticity since she and Carey are autistic.
“It’s based on books written by me (autistic), about me as a teen (autistic),” Smale wrote. “I wrote all of Harriet for the show (still autistic) and the lead actor is autistic.”
Smale added that the public might not recognize authentic representation due to the prevalence of inauthentic portrayals.
For example, Harriet’s incredibly unique demeanor doesn’t have to explain why she wears headphones and has extensive classroom interests.
This subtlety contrasts with the Australian series Heartbreak High, where Quinni explicitly discusses her autism with friends.
Additional Information
- Carey makes her feature film debut as the young Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) in the 2017 DC Universe blockbuster Wonder Woman.
- Emily Carey has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million.
- Carey began her career in 2013 with the West End production of Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal.
