8 Reasons We Love Kayla Cromer (Besides the Fact That She's Cooler Than Cool)

Kayla Cromer is breaking down barriers in the entertainment industry, as the first actor on the autism spectrum to be playing a leading character also on the spectrum. Her goal is to break the stigmas surrounding artists with disabilities in the acting world. She even hinted at hoping to win an Emmy!

In an interview with Mashable, Kayla shared that her grandmother Shirley was like another parent to her. “My parents were trying to afford a private school education in special ed,” she said. “So, she would babysit me all day and night while they worked.” Kayla read the eulogy at her grandmother’s funeral and said because of that experience, she was able to bring different aspects into the pilot of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay where her character has to read the eulogy for her late father.

Kayla also recently opened up about her own obstacles with autism and preparing for the next life cycle: preteen, teenager, young adult, adult. She explained for those on the autism spectrum, it can be a lot of prep with things like bank cards, paychecks, or finances. She herself is still coming to understand taxes.

A common misconception is that people on the autism spectrum are only capable of dating other people on the spectrum, Kayla shared in an interview. She hopes that in the progression of Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, her character Matilda can illustrate dating neurotypical people may take time but it’s just as normal.