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I recently read about Jessica Stroup's character ("Silver" in this season's 90210") developing Bipolar Disorder, and how she plans to present this mentally-ill character to the viewing audience.This article is from the 09/10/09 online issue of the Huffington Post:
NEW YORK — Jessica Stroup says she appreciates the challenge of playing someone with a mental disorder. The 23-year-old actress plays the bipolar Silver on the reincarnation of "90210" on the CW network. The show's second season makes its premiere Tuesday night. Stroup says she's careful not to play Silver's mood swings too over the top. She says she did as much research on the disorder as she could because "it's something that touches so many people but isn't really explored."
I am very uncomfortable having her represent the bipolar community, repeatedly, to millions of people for a number of reasons.
1. It is not possible to "play" a bipolar person accurately. For each of us the disease displays unique symptoms, moods, attitudes and "quirks". However, an ignorant public will see her character as accurately portraying the life of a bipolar person.
2. She said that she "did as much research on the disorder as she could" in order to give an accurate depiction of someone with bipolar disorder. That statement is pure crap. That would be the equivelent of studying one person, and then feeling adequately trained to act as all people would act. There are some common characteristics, but they become unique when individualized.
3. She doesn't want to play the "mood swings too over the top". Why not? What does "too over the top" mean, any way? It sounds to me like her character will go from the low of being occasionally sad to the high of jaywalking.
She has no idea what damage this can do to the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder. Through her acting and "research", she could underplay the character, and people will think that the disease is no big deal, or overplay it, sending the message that we are wierd, unapproachable and untrustworthy. How her character acts is how the viewer will relate to a person with bipo.
I don't appreciate someone "playing" with our disease, with the great likelyhood that they'll damage the cause we have all rallied around. This characterization will hurt us more than help us, and it gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I know what you mean. There are way to many shows as it is throwing the word Bipolar around as if it's the common cold. If they really want to do research on it, let them go live on a real mental ward for a week. Better yet, let them go live with someone that has this Disorder. Not for a day or two, how about for a few months. LOL...they'd go running out the front door, screaming like they'd been bitten in the butt. The news media isn't any better. If theres been a crime...suddenly, this person must be Bipolar. How did WE get so popular? I know that some of us get in trouble with the law, but does it really have all that much to do with Bipolar? I've never been in trouble legally, so maybe I don't understand that aspect. No wonder when you tell someone you like that your Bipolar, they get this glazed look in their eyes, and start looking for the closes exit. We must be very important for all this attention. Let them start doing something positive for us. Perhaps better meds, something that works and isn't addicting. Better yet, stop trying to pretend that they know what our lives are all about. But this is Hollywood, and they think their smarter than us. My friends don't understand why I don't watch much TV, especially the crap they watch. I just guess, I am busy staying on top of my Disorder, taking my meds, and getting along with the REAL world out there. Thank goodness I don't watch 90210!