Hitchcock worked with Long “like any acting coach, just with a heightened awareness of what needs he might have. She spent a lot of time upfront just getting to know him, and how he responds, and what works, and giving him the confidence to come into our arena, and us the confidence to welcome him in, and create the right environment,” McCarthy says. Hitchcock also worked with other cast members, in particular with Skrein and Eleanor Matsuura, who plays Amber, Stevie’s mother. The filmmakers opened their shoot with scenes about a drum circle that Stevie belongs to, which included several neurodiverse non actors. Hitchcock delivered a speech to the crew at the start of the shoot that “created a really special dynamic, where you had these big burly grips and gaffers, and suddenly everyone just got over themselves for a day, and realized how special it was,” McCarthy says. “It was a risk starting with that, but it actually galvanized everyone on set, and created a really nice tone for the [seven-week shoot].” ​ Collie McCarthy Producer  Variety Article: I Used to Be Famous ​