Actor Tal Anderson doesn’t necessarily seek out TV roles playing autistic characters. She just wants to find acting work.

But the former Southwest Florida resident — who’s on the autism spectrum, herself — says she loves to play those characters if they’re portrayed in a positive, realistic way. And she’s done just that on two of TV’s biggest hits: Netflix’s “Atypical” and HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt.”

Anderson was diagnosed with autism when she was 4 years old, she says. But she rarely saw positive portrayals of people on the spectrum in TV shows or movies.

Now she’s doing what she can to change that.

“It’s important, in my opinion — as an autistic person, myself — being able to see someone in media who you can relate to, who makes you feel seen yourself, like you belong,” she says. “And, you know, not having that representation, especially for children, really has an effect on confidence and self-esteem.”

From breakthrough ‘Atypical’ to HBO Max hit ‘The Pitt’

The Los Angeles actor had her breakthrough role in 2019 as an autistic college student on the Netflix comedy-drama “Atypical.” Her next role was even bigger: She plays Becca King, the autistic, high-needs sister of ER doctor Mel King on “The Pitt.”

That role expanded on the show’s current season, when Becca gets admitted for treatment at the Pittsburgh ER lovingly known as The Pitt.

Anderson — who grew up in Cape Coral and graduated from Cape Academy — considers herself to be an advocate for change in Hollywood. She says she wants to use her voice as an autistic actor to promote more diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. That includes people who are neurodivergent or on the autism spectrum.

“I like to play neurodivergent characters,” she says, “because I can portray their perspective — usually from a place of shared, lived experiences. But also, I want those characters to have the opportunity to be played authentically by a neurodivergent actor.