Doctor Who star in exclusive clip for emotional true story movie made by director of Oscar-winning film CODA

Ruth Madeley leads the cast of new film Being Heumann.

Ruth Madeley as Judith Heumann in Being Heumann - she holds her hands up, stopping traffic while sitting in a wheelchair in the middle of the round.

Apple TV

Published: Friday, 13 November 2026 at 5:00 pm

Subscribe to Radio Times: 10 weeks for £10, including the Christmas double issue

Doctor Who star Ruth Madeley has been tipped for a possible Oscar for her turn in new film Being Heumann – and Radio Times can exclusively reveal a first-look clip for the film ahead of its release in select cinemas and Apple TV.

Ad

In the clip we see Madeley's character Judy Heumann – an influential disability rights activist – leading a protest in which she encourages people to "sign 504", referring to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

When a passerby immediately scrunches up the flier she has been handed, Judy looks understandably demoralised, but then asks her fellow protestors to help her down to the street – against the tide of moving traffic.

After she successfully stops a van, she is then joined on the road by many of the other protestors who –significantly re-energised – resume their chants of "sign 504."

You can watch the clip in full below:

The synopsis for the film reads: "They wouldn't take Judy Heumann's phone calls, so she took their building. In 1977, a young disabled woman (Ruth Madeley) and a scrappy coalition of outsiders decide they've had enough.

"What begins as one impulsive act becomes the longest occupation of a federal building in American history, as hundreds spontaneously seize government offices and refuse to leave until the bureaucrat in their way (Mark Ruffalo) takes action.

"Bringing rebellion in all its forms to the hallowed halls, a movement's accidental leaders struggle to find their path forward where none has ever been paved for them.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

It concludes that this is "the revolutionary, irreverent, and deeply human story of the least likely people trying to pull off the impossible and change the lives of millions."

In our 4-star review, Radio Times said that "Madeley makes a fiery focus" in a film which "tells an incredibly important story in a compelling and accessible way."

Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to Radio Times, Madeley explained: "This is what I’ve been working towards: leading a Hollywood movie. To have this for me was huge."

Being Heumann is available to watch on Apple TV and in select cinemas.

Ad

Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Patrick Cremona, smiling against a lime green background.

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.

Ad

Ad

Get the Christmas double issue

Too much to watch at Christmas? Let Radio Times do the choosing to find something the whole family will enjoy.

Subscribe by 3 Dec

Loading...

Ad

Loading...