Diabetes on Screen: When Movies and TV Get It Right (and When They Don’t)

For people living with diabetes, accurate representation matters. More than 40 million Americans live with diabetes this includes 11 million that are undiagnosed. Approximately 90 to 95% of the population lives with Type 2 diabetes and 2.1 million live with Type 1 diabetes. For many people, movies, TV shows and now social media are their main exposure to what being diagnosed and living with diabetes looks like, day to day. What appears on screen can shape how others respond at work, at school, or in medical emergencies. Sometimes these portrayals reflect real experiences. Other times, they miss the mark which leaves people living with diabetes feeling misunderstood or reduced to stereotypes. 

So how well does Hollywood portray diabetes on screen? Let’s look at a few examples and how they portray it correctly and ways to improve. 

When TV Shows and Movies Get Diabetes Right 

Some shows and movies take the time to show diabetes in a realistic and thoughtful way. They focus on the person first and not just the diagnosis. Time travel through the airing of shows and movies. We have come along way in diagnosing, educating, training, managing, treating and living life with diabetes. If anyone watched “Emergency” back in the early 1970’s, a show about Los Angeles paramedics. The show shared how urgent situations can occur when living with diabetes. In the 1970’s most of us were probably not aware of what caused diabetes or the treatments for managing blood sugar levels. Eating candy bars were a popular way to treating low blood sugar levels. There were limited medications and types of insulin, which often required an individual living with diabetes to be very strict with daily routine. 

Steel Magnolias (released in November 1989) 

This is one of the most well-known movies to feature diabetes. The main character, Shelby, lives with type 1 diabetes. While the movie is emotional, it does show real challenges such as managing blood sugar, pregnancy risks, and family concern. Diabetes is a part of her life, but she still aims to live her life to the fullest. This may have been accurate for 1989 but to date managing Type 1 diabetes and pregnancy has advanced a lot. We use insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems as standard of care and have much better outcomes.    

Body of Proof (3 season series from 2011 to 2013) 

This show includes a character with type 1 diabetes who uses insulin and checks blood sugar as part of daily life. Diabetes is shown as something that requires attention, but it does not stop the character from being capable, smart, or successful. 

Grey’s Anatomy (March of 2005)  

While not perfect, it is a medical series that revisits life with diabetes starting season 7 and continues to have more than 8 episodes dealing with life with diabetes including the concerns of not being able to afford insulin and the research of transplant of Islet cells. Doctors discuss treatment options, complications and the importance of long-term care. This helps viewers understand that diabetes management is not “one-size-fits-all.”  

The Pitt (Season 2 live as of March 2026) 

In addition, we see current shows like The Pitt, a show that reflects the urgent situations that often occur in a Pittsburgh emergency room. The show does have episodes showing individuals who live with diabetes and live with the true reality of dealing with the cost of living with diabetes and the seriousness of not being able to get adequate diabetes supplies to manage blood sugars. 

What these movies and shows get right: 

• Diabetes is a part of daily life, not just emergencies 

• People living with diabetes are shown as whole, capable individuals 

• Management looks ongoing, not instant 

When TV Shows and Movies Miss the Mark 

Some shows and movies rely on fear, exaggeration, or stereotypes when portraying diabetes. Instead of showing daily management, they focus on crisis moments or use diabetes as a shortcut for drama or humor. 

Panic Room (released March 2002) 

This movie shows diabetes almost entirely through emergency situations. Insulin is treated like an instant cure, and mistakes around the use of insulin verses when to use glucagon are not portrayed as accurate in the movie. The film used the intensity of a serious situation of living with diabetes. 

Con Air (released in 1997) 

In this action film, a character with diabetes is shown as completely dependent on insulin in a way that feels exaggerated and misleading. The movie uses the intensity of an individual living with Type 1 diabetes to add to the intensity of the movie. Some plots lines were not considered accurate from a medical view. 

The Big Bang Theory (Season 8, Episode #1) 

While meant to be humorous, this show sometimes uses diabetes as a punchline. Quick jokes and references connect diabetes to food choices, weight, or personal failure, reinforcing stereotypes rather than understanding.  

What these movies and shows get wrong: 

• They treat diabetes as only a crisis or emergency to increase intensity of movie/show 

• They suggest only personal responsibility or food choices are causes of diabetes 

• They portray people with diabetes as weak, reckless, or irresponsible 

This kind of portrayal skips the real work of managing life with diabetes, which takes a lot of time and energy. Planning ahead, learning your body, making adjustments, and living life between doctor visits are just a few of the daily reminders and tasks that someone with diabetes faces. There are urgent situations that can occur when living with diabetes. That even individuals who constantly plan ahead may not always be ready for. How those situations are portrayed on screen is important and need to be presented with empathy and facts that are medically consistent.  

Why Does Popular Culture Portrayal Matter? 

For the Diabetes Community 

Seeing inaccurate portrayals can be exhausting. When diabetes is shown the wrong way, it often spreads fear instead of understanding and reinforces stigma or blame. Over time, these portrayals can leave people living with diabetes feeling misunderstood, overlooked, or even invisible, rather than seen for who they truly are. 

For the General Public 

For many people, TV shows and movies are sometimes a primary source of health information. When diabetes is shown incorrectly, it can create harmful myths, lead to unfair judgment, and cause confusion during real-life emergencies. Accurate portrayals help friends, coworkers, teachers, and caregivers better understand what living with diabetes actually looks like day-to-day, which leads to more awareness, empathy, and support. 

The Bigger Picture

Diabetes is a serious health condition and not a plot twist or a dramatic parody. It is a real condition that millions of people manage every single day. When movies and TV shows take the time to get it right, they help build empathy, awareness, and respect. When they don’t, it provides an opportunity to ask better questions, tell better stories, and do better next time.  

Mary Tyler Moore was diagnosed with diabetes in 1969 at the age of 33 years old. At that time, she did not openly share the diagnoses due to concerns with how it would be accepted in the Hollywood industry. Mary became an advocate in 1983 and working with the Juvenile Diabetes Association in the 1990’s. Today we see far more Hollywood and national support. We see Nick Jonas on commercials and Brett Michaels has been very open about living with diabetes. Previous U. S. Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayer, shared in her memoirs and created a children’s book called “Just Ask!”. Famous People that openly share living with diabetes: Lila Moss (model), Tom Hanks (actor), Este Haim (musician/singer), Jay Cutler (football player), Victor Garber (Alias). 

We also see more shows like “Lincoln Lawyer” who has a judge living with diabetes, takes a court recess to treat a low blood sugar. On 911-Nashville we see a firefighter living with Type 1 diabetes and wearing an insulin pump. Living with diabetes no longer means being invisible. More accurate story lines are being written.  

Representation doesn’t just entertain, it educates. It helps to shape more accurate beliefs. And for the diabetes community, it can make a real difference. 

Author: Janet Dominowski, MS, RDN, CDCES   | CCS Health       

This site is for educational purposes only. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health.