The Good Doctor’s Jasika Nicole on Carly and Shaun’s Breakup and Ending ‘Awful Stereotypes’ About Autism

The Good Doctor broke down so many barriers in its first two seasons on the air, depicting a successful doctor who happens to be autistic as he tackles communication and socialization issues (like bedside manner). And this past season was no different as Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) embarked on his first romantic relationship—a milestone that is uncomfortable for all, but especially for Shaun. Luckily, his love interest, Dr. Carly Lever, is a neuro-typical colleague well-aware and accepting of Shaun’s many quirks. She is able to help him overcome his fears about being intimate for the first time, and together they gently overcome the many challenges that most of us face when it comes to new love and romance. Carly is played by Jasika Nicole, who was determined to get this relationship right.

As Nicole understands from personal experience with her 22-year-old sister who has autism, many adults with autism who are beginning to explore the difficult, yet universal, issues of trust, intimacy and love can find it difficult. It was important for Nicole, and the show, to convey to viewers “these universal truths that we are trying to portray in this relationship,” Nicole told Parade.com in a recent interview. “Although Shaun and Carly are dealing with certain obstacles that people in neuro-typical relationships might not necessarily be navigating, the seeds of it are still about communicating, being thoughtful and being self-aware.”
Part of depicting this relationship accurately meant giving them a realistic breakup, too. When Carly sees Shaun still has feelings for his former roommate, Lea, (Paige Spara), Carly tells Shaun that she needs to break up with him, saying she refuses to take second place in his heart.
“I believe we have a responsibility to portray this relationship in a realistic way, but also in a positive one. I think there are so many assumptions about people who are on the spectrum, about being incapable of having any kind of emotional intelligence or being affectionate,” Nicole said. “Those are obviously just awful stereotypes that we’re working to fight against and show that the spectrum is a spectrum for a reason—there are lots of different people on it who behave in different ways and look in different ways, so we wanted to show that in portraying this relationship and I hope that people really felt it.”

This is something that did not go unnoticed by the disability rights community. “Issues surrounding dating, relationships and sex for people with autism historically have not been shown on primetime television—reflecting the real-life issue that students with developmental and intellectual disabilities often are excluded from their schools’ sexual education classes,” said Lauren Appelbaum, vice president of communications for RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization that fights against stigmas and advances opportunities for people with disabilities. “But, as this story arc on The Good Doctor shows, people with disabilities are interested in dating, marriage and everything else related to relationships.”
With Autism Awareness Month drawing near in April and The Good Doctor season finale upon us, it’s never been more important to Nicole that the show continues to have a major positive effect on our social consciousness when it comes to autism. “The biggest impact a show like this could have is for people to take it into their real lives and make sure that they are moving through the world with love and compassion, as opposed to judgment,” she said. “I hope through our show that people continue to feel some real effects in their own lives. I hope that they see it and go out into the world and have a little bit more compassion for people who look, or seem, or act differently than they do.”

Nicole, who says she will remain passionate about helping the autism community spread its positive message, is also known for her leading role on the FOX series Fringe, as well as major roles in the hit TV drama’s Scandal and Underground, and guest roles on Station 19 and Major Crimes. She also portrayed the role of Wendy in the DreamWorks series She’s Out of My League.
The two-part Season 3 finale of The Good Doctor began Monday, March 23, and will conclude Monday, March 30.

Here is Nicole’s very personal look at how these fictional characters have ignited interest in the autistic community and what we can learn from The Good Doctor about how every “disenfranchised community” needs to be heard.