Psychology was the natural career choice for 26-year-old graduate student Angel Giuffria. For unknown reasons, she was born missing an arm and has worn a prosthetic since she was four months old. Those circumstances made her "hyperaware" of how others perceived her throughout her life, fostering her interest in the psychology field, she says.
"I would walk into a room and think, 'Am I making people uncomfortable?'" she says.
She is now finishing her master's degree in psychology at Southeastern Louisiana University, where she was startled to realize how little research there is on the experience of amputees. "I felt like there needed to be someone doing research who had prior knowledge [of what it's like to be an amputee]," she says.
As a result, she is conducting research on some of the prejudices amputees may face every day, such as the perception that they may be less capable than nonamputees. "It has actually never been done before," she says.
She is also advocating on behalf of amputees through the Amputee Coalition, a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing quality of life for amputees and their families, as well as preventing limb loss and improving patient care for amputees.
But love of psychology is just half of her story: Giuffria is also a budding actress, having scored roles in such movies as "Green Lantern" in 2011, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 1" in 2014 and most recently in "The Accountant" with Ben Affleck, and "Speech & Debate" with Liam James. The latter two films are set to release in 2016. While her past roles have mainly been featured background parts, Giuffria's roles in both of these upcoming films give her more lines and screen time.
Her love of acting began in middle school, when she had the chance to perform in school plays. She continued to take acting classes throughout high school, and in college pursued work as an extra.
Although Giuffria often auditions for parts that specifically call for actors with prosthetics, she hopes the industry will reach a point where she can audition for any part.
She saw a glimmer of hope for her dream when she was chosen for a breakout role while working as an extra on the set of "Green Lantern," and her arm was not a concern.
"I hope it gets to a point where I can audition for the part of a 20-something-year-old brunette, and when they find out I have one arm, they say, 'All right.' They don't need to change the character at all."