From artists to athletes, these biopics portray bipolar disorder with empathy — without reducing anyone to a diagnosis.
Editor’s Note: This content delves into sensitive topics that some readers might find distressing. If you or a loved one is experiencing significant distress or having thoughts about suicide and need support, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24-7. If you need immediate help, call 911.
Sometimes, Hollywood gets it right. On-screen stories about the bipolar experience can help foster empathy and educate audiences. The following movies tell the narratives of real people with bipolar disorder, from famous writers and painters to athletes.
Although the films delve into the symptoms of bipolar and the impact a brain-based disorder has on the lives and careers of the characters, their identities are never reduced to their diagnosis. Seeing your journey reflected in a story can be a powerful reminder that you’re never alone.
1. Exploring the Life of Jackson Pollock in Pollock
Starring Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden, this 2000 docudrama portrays Jackson Pollock’s life of art, struggle, and love. The abstract expressionist was famous for his distinctive drip painting style.
Throughout his life, Pollock battled with alcoholism, and although the film does not explicitly name bipolar disorder, the connection to his mood cycles is implied. Pollock’s story illustrates the complex relationship between creativity and the management of a psychiatric condition.
Watch the trailer
2. The Flying Scotsman: Graeme Obree’s Cycling Legacy
Scottish racing cyclist Graeme Obree broke the world hour record two times, garnering the nickname “the Flying Scotsman.” This 2006 movie depicts the life and career of Obree (played by Jonny Lee Miller), who lives with bipolar disorder. Initially, Obree resisted treatment for the condition, but he relented after a new friend described how his wife died by suicide.
Watch the trailer
3. Cobb: A Complicated Look at Baseball’s Ty Cobb
Al Stump is a celebrated sports journalist selected by baseball great Ty Cobb (played by Tommy Lee Jones) to author his official, authorized, and sugar-coated “autobiography.” To put it mildly, Cobb is a difficult figure, and he doesn’t want to leave this world without telling his side. Historical accounts report that he was prescribed lithium — a common mood stabilizer — during his last years.
Watch the trailer
4. Lust for Life and the Genius of Vincent van Gogh
Kirk Douglas delivered an earthy, mesmerizing portrayal of the tortured, genius painter Vincent van Gogh. The artist’s passion for life itself is vividly apparent, thanks to direction from Vincente Minelli in this 1956 classic film. Anthony Quinn won an Oscar for his role as Van Gogh’s friend and rival, Paul Gauguin. Even decades later, this film remains a relatable example of how deep emotions fuel great art.
Watch the trailer
5. Frances: The Highs and Lows of Frances Farmer
This biopic depicts the life of 1930s movie star Frances Farmer (played by Jessica Lange). Farmer was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and later with schizophrenia. Her life and challenges with mental health were sensationalized by the media. Film critic Roger Ebert summed it up by saying that Farmer “went about as high and about as low as it is possible to go in one lifetime.” Musician Kurt Cobain of Nirvana wrote the song “Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle” about Farmer’s involuntary hospitalization and alleged mistreatment.
Watch the trailer
6. The Dark Horse: Genesis Potini’s Chess Journey
This award-winning film tells the true story of speed chess champ Genesis Potini (played by Cliff Curtis). Potini, who was Maori and lived with bipolar disorder, volunteered to coach a group of disadvantaged youth in competitive chess. The Dark Horse (2014) is hailed as “one of the greatest New Zealand films ever made.” It provides an inspiring look at how one individual can find stability and purpose by giving back to their community.
Watch the trailer
7. Sylvia: The Poetry and Pain of Sylvia Plath
This 2003 biopic of literary great Sylvia Plath (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) follows her mental health struggles, which included what is believed to be bipolar disorder. Plath once said, “It is as if my life were magically run by two electric currents: joyous positive and despairing negative — whichever is running at the moment dominates my life, floods it.” Plath tragically died by suicide at the young age of 30, but she remains one of the most revered poets of recent history.
Watch the trailer
8. The Hours: Virginia Woolf’s Creative Struggle
The Hours is inspired by Virginia Woolf’s book Mrs. Dalloway. Nicole Kidman plays Woolf as she works on the book and manages with the painful symptoms of her psychiatric condition, which is believed to be bipolar disorder. The film captures the internal weight of the illness while showcasing Woolf’s immense intellectual legacy.
Watch the trailer
9. The Informant!: Mark Whiacre’s Whistleblower Story
The 2009 movie draws on the true story of Mark Whitacre, portrayed by Matt Damon, a corporate whistleblower entangled in a price-fixing scheme at the agricultural company Archer Daniels Midland. Whitacre consents to secretly record his co-workers for the FBI, hoping to elevate his career through this elaborate plan. The stress from his covert activities worsens his undiagnosed bipolar disorder, which is later identified and treated.
Watch the trailer
UPDATED: Originally posted on April 24, 2017