I was nonspeaking until I was 2.5 years old and diagnosed with autism at 4. Communication and sensory challenges were major parts of my childhood.
If you told the kid that struggled to fit in, both academically and socially, that one day he’d get to write for television, I’m not sure he’d believe you.
I had the opportunity to write an episode of PBS KIDS’ Carl the Collector called “Yes Chefs!,” and it will premiere on August 31. It’s my first television episode as a writer and, hopefully, the first of many. This means a great deal to me as an autism self-advocate.
My entertainment journey began when I found a key interest in theatre as a kid. This interest led to building social skills, public speaking, and finding my voice. Now as an adult, I’m proud to say I got my big break in the entertainment world as the autism consultant for Joyful Noise, starring Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton. Since then, my IMDb page has grown to include Jane Wants a Boyfriend, HBO’s Mrs. Fletcher, Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum U.S., Ezra, and The Present.
Now, Carl the Collector has allowed me to take another step; helping write the story itself.
In “Yes Chefs!” Lotta and Forrest enter a cooking competition together. Lotta is autistic and experiences sensory sensitivities involving sounds, smells and certain food textures. Forrest is an energetic and impulsive neurodivergent character. Some of this story was based on my own experience growing up with autism and having food aversions.
Lotta communicates when everything is becoming too much for her to handle, while Forrest approaches the challenge at a much faster pace. Eventually, they realize they haven’t really been listening to one another, and should better understand each other’s working styles, preferences, and needs. As an autistic person, those moments mean a lot to me. Autistic children deserve to see characters who communicate what they need and have those needs respected.
Entertainment is one part of what I do. My full-time career is in professional speaking, where I travel to schools, businesses, universities, nonprofits, conferences, and community organizations to speak about autism, neurodiversity, inclusion, bullying prevention, and disability in the workplace.
I’m also pursuing acting. Over the years, I’ve auditioned for projects including Robert Pattinson’s Good Time, Emma Stone’s Bugonia, and Apple’s Radical. I wasn’t ultimately cast in those films, but I’m continuing to pursue opportunities to be on screen.
For years, I’ve contributed to entertainment as a consultant. Now I hope to keep growing as a writer and actor, too.
The autistic kid who once struggled to communicate never could have imagined any of this.
I’m autistic. And now I write for television.
“Lotta and the Watch Party/Yes Chefs!” premieres Monday, August 31 (2026) on PBS KIDS.
Learn more about Carl the Collector: https://pbskids.org/carl
Fuzzytown Productions: https://www.fuzzy.town/
Spiffy Pictures: https://spiffypictures.com/
Kerry Magro: https://kerrymagro.com/
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7338713/
If your organization is looking for a keynote speaker, professional development program or student presentation, you can learn more or inquire about bringing me in at KerryMagro.com or KerryMagro.com/contact
