In 2020, a video of Quaden went viral after he was bullied. Here's what his life looks now.

Content warning: This article mentions self harm and may be distressing for some readers. 

It was the video watched by millions around the world.

A then nine-year-old Quaden Bayles cried as he spoke about harming himself in the front seat of his mum’s car after being bullied February 2020.

Quaden, an Indigenous boy living in Queensland, has achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism.

"We try to be as strong [and] as positive as possible and only share the highlights... but this is how bullying affects a nine-year-old kid," his mother, Yarraka Bayles, said the video shared to Facebook. 

Watch: The video of Quaden Bayles, shared by his mother. Post continues below. 

In the six-minute video, Yarraka questioned why teachers and parents weren’t doing more to educate children about the consequences of bullying.

"I want people to know — parents, educators, teachers — this is the effect that bullying has," she said. "This is what bullying does. So can you please educate your children? Your families, your friends?… You wonder why kids are killing themselves?"

Later speaking to Australian Story, Yarraka said she filmed the moment because she simply "didn't know what to do anymore". 

The next morning, she woke up to find her phone was "blowing up [and] we've got media at the front door".

The family were immediately inundated with messages of support, from everyday Aussies to public figures and international celebrities. 

"Quaden, you are stronger than you know, mate, and no matter what you have a friend in me," actor Hugh Jackman said in a video posted to Twitter at the time.

"Let’s just remember every person in front of us is facing some kind of battle, so let’s just be kind."

Others including comedian Charlie Pickering and US actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan also rallied behind the nine-year-old, while US comedian Brad Williams raised more than $700,000 through GoFundMe to send Quaden to Disneyland. 

However, his family later donated the majority of the funds to non-for-profit anti-bullying and healing focussed charities. 

Hey #QuadenBayles -you are awesome and you are loved. I was bullied a lot at school. There were days that I wanted to never go back and I wished I wasn’t who I was. But it got better. You’re a million times stronger than I was. The world is a million times better with you in it. pic.twitter.com/wicP0mt1Nx

— Charlie Pickering (@charliepick) February 21, 2020

pic.twitter.com/UNkjreHsJV

— Jeffrey Dean Morgan (@JDMorgan) February 20, 2020

Quaden was also invited to lead his favourite sports team, the NRL Indigenous All Stars, on to the pitch for an exhibition match in Queensland. 

"Hey Quadey... Just wanted to wish you all the best brother, we know you're going through a hard time right now but the boys are here," football player Latrell Mitchell in a video message inviting Quaden to the game.  

"We want you around, we want you to lead us down on the weekend. It's going to mean more to us than it will to you bud."

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A post shared by NRL (@nrl)

Three years on, Quaden and his mother still receive messages of support each week.

"We've gotten messages through different media outlets that have passed on messages from all over the world," Yarraka said in an Australian Story update, shared by journalist Leigh Sales on Instagram. 

Unfortunately, Quaden says he still receives hate "here and there". 

"But it's not so bad, how it was back then," he explained. 

Looking back, Yarraka said the ordeal has been a "blessing in disguise".

"There's always positive to be drawn out of the negatives... we've been able to get a lot more support and also pay it forward and help a lot of other families that have experienced what we have, and just raise more awareness and break down the stigma around speaking out, suicide awareness, around mental health [and] around bullying."

These days, Quaden is loving high school and has started a career in acting. 

Last year, he appeared in the film Three Thousand Years of Longing, starring Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba, and is set to appear in the 2024 Mad Max film Furiosa.

"I got so many opportunities when people heard of me... I started to love acting [and] fashion," he said.

"I met Chris Hemsworth, Anya Taylor-Joy and all the Mad Max crews, it was amazing."

Quaden at the Sydney premiere of "Three Thousand Years of Longing" in 2022. Image: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty.

Oscar-winning director George Miller told the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend that he cast Quaden in Three Thousand Years of Longing after being moved by the video online. 

"It was good for us and it was good for him," he told the publication. "And he did such a good job that he’s got a small role in Furiosa."

As for the future, Hayden has big dreams and wants to keep making a name for himself in the industry. 

"I cannot wait to see myself on that big screen. I'm just going to say 'that's me everyone, that's me'."

If you think you may be experiencing depression or another mental health problem, please contact your general practitioner. If you're based in Australia, 24-hour support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.

Feature Image: Facebook/Getty.