In 2020, Sia was cancelled for her depiction of autism in her film. Now, she's shared she's on the autism spectrum.

Content warning: This article includes discussion of suicide that may be distressing to some readers.

Three years ago, the word "cancelled" started appearing in headlines next to Sia's name. 

The Aussie singer found herself at the centre of a media storm in 2020 following the release of the trailer for her film Music, which controversially saw neurotypical dancer and actor Maddie Ziegler, play a character on the autism spectrum.

Now, two years on from the film's 2021 release, Sia has shared she is on the autism spectrum. 

Speaking on Rob Has a Podcast, the 47-year-old said, "I’m on the spectrum, and I’m in recovery [Sia is now sober] and whatever — there's a lot of things".

"For 45 years, I was like… 'I’ve got to go put my human suit on,'" she shared. "And only in the last two years have I become fully, fully myself."

Sia, who married her partner Dan Bernard earlier this month, went on to explain how her life has changed since the diagnosis. 

"Being in recovery and also knowing about which kind of neurologicality you might have, or might not have, well, I think one of the greatest things is that nobody can ever know you and love you when you’re filled with secrets and… living in shame," she said. 

"And when we finally sit in a room full of strangers and tell them our deepest, darkest, most shameful secrets, and everybody laughs along with us, and we don't feel like pieces of trash for the first time in our lives, and we feel seen for the first time in our lives for who we actually are, and then we can start going out into the world and just operating as humans and human beings with hearts and not pretending to be anything."

Sia was initially vocal about defending her film when advocates expressed their disappointment the role was give to Maddie Ziegler over a neuro-diverse actor.

"I actually tried working with a beautiful young girl non verbal on the spectrum and she found it unpleasant and stressful. So that's why I cast Maddie," she wrote on Twitter at the time. 

In response, one user wrote: "Several autistic actors, myself included, responded to these tweets. We all said we could have acted in it on short notice. These excuses are just that: excuses. The fact of the matter is zero effort was made to include anyone who is actually autistic."

Several autistic actors, myself included, responded to these tweets. We all said we could have acted in it on short notice. These excuses are just that- excuses. The fact of the matter is zero effort was made to include anyone who is actually autistic.#NothingAboutUsWithoutUs

— Helen Zbihlyj 💜 Black Lives Matter (@HelenAngel) November 20, 2020

"Maybe you're just a bad actor," Sia responded.

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Sia later admitted that she "f**ked up" by sending the tweets. "Looking back, I should have just shut up; I know that now," she said.

When the film was later released in February, Sia was criticised for scenes that showed Ziegler's character getting restrained — something advocates have condemned. 

In fact, The National Autism Association described the scenes involving the restraint of Ziegler's character as "dangerous and abusive".

In response, Sia apologised, adding the scene will be removed "from all future printings" of the film.

"I’m sorry," she tweeted. "I plan to remove the restraint scenes from all future printings. I listened to the wrong people, and that is my responsibility, my research was clearly not thorough enough, not wide enough."

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: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Daily Front Row.