Page 13 | Portrayal of autistic people in films/TV

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AutisticHouseMove · 16/08/2025 08:58

I love seeing characters like this but would like it to be known to everyone that they are.

Yes!

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AutisticHouseMove · 16/08/2025 08:57

I'm glad I asked now because, yes, I agree that there are characters who obviously are but also aren't obviously. If that makes sense? And I had forgotten about them.

I get that it can be annoying that autism is consequently misunderstood by many people because of how they see it portrayed.

I think this is my biggest frustration because it becomes a characature and then other people think we're 'all like that'.

I have people telling me that I can't be autistic and I know others experience the same because they think they know what autism is having seen it on TV.

I met my exh at school. His nickname for me was Spock. He would often say, "OK, Sheldon!" in an affectionate way rather than an insult but it still felt like one. We didn't really know about autism at school but I was diagnosed after we divorced and, when I told him, he just smiled and said he knew.
Presumably there could be many characters on TV who are autistic, you just don't spot it because outwardly they appear the same as others, and it is only inwardly they are struggling?Or undiagnosed people?But they're fictional characters. They could be anything. We could say they have any disease or condition and just don't see it. They would have to be explicitly identified as autistic to be viewed as such.

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Zezet · 16/08/2025 08:56

i cannot believe I forgot Elsa @Overthebow . Thank you for putting her in the list! I also really like the sibling aspect of it.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 16/08/2025 08:55

Overthebow · 16/08/2025 08:44

Yes I think there are actually a lot of characters who are autistic but not always labeled. Another one is Elsa, she’s also clearly autistic if you properly listen to the song lyrics and story in both films. I also quite like BBT, I like how Sheldon does so well in his job and that he has a close circle of friends and lives life just fine in his own way. Autism is a spectrum and I think different characters are needed to represent it and that includes characters like Sheldon and also the more severe end too. I do wish the ‘higher functioning’ (sorry don’t know how else to put it) characters that are clearly autistic but aren’t labeled as such were owned as autistic though. I have ASD and I love seeing characters like this but would like it to be known to everyone that they are.

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Elsa as in Frozen? I don't think DD has thought about that. I must ask her. I do know that DD has always thought Elsa was gay and it's been mentioned online a lot.

I had to Google who Belle and Hermione were as I'm afraid my Disney knowledge is non existent. I've not seen Beauty and the beast.

Great shout about Mr Darcy from a PP. I wonder how I've not put two and two together on thay one before.

Notmyreality · 16/08/2025 08:55

Never understood this type of argument. They are films/tv shows that are for entertainment purposes. They generally don’t portray any characters realistically, because realism
generally equates to boring. Even the NT people don’t talk and act like real humans. The autistic person will be the savant type because it serves the story to have someone with some exceptional skill, that’s the whole point to make it exciting & hold your interest. If you want accurate representation watch a documentary.

BeautifulDayFor · 16/08/2025 08:54

The Vanish autism advert so accurately portrayed one of my kids, that it made me cry, we were struggling for a diagnosis at the time. We also have not one but two Sheldons in the family (father and son), so the portrayals are accurate for some.

TeaandHobnobs · 16/08/2025 08:50

I thought “A kind of spark” was good (CBBC drama based on a book, written by an autistic author)

I recognise traits of myself / my DS in characters like Ludwig, Mr Darcy, characters in the musical Dear Evan Hansen.

myplace · 16/08/2025 08:50

I was watching an episode of BBT last night that I’d overlooked before.

Sheldon describes modelling himself on Mr Spock. He exaggerated his innate tendency towards rationality over emotion.

So that really helps with the extremity of his behaviour, imo.

I appreciate the various characters portrayed- none as the archetype autistic person, but each adding to the catalogue, if you like.

I would think each of these quirky characters is modelled on someone’s experience. DH certainly recognises himself on occasion.

ExtraOnions · 16/08/2025 08:47

Watermelonnice · 16/08/2025 08:10

What about the imitation game? Have you seen that? What did you think of it?

They exaggerated Alan Turings behaviour, to make the character fit the ASD stereotype.

If you read what his friends say, he was perfectly sociable:

”While researchers have tried to assign a retrospective diagnosis of Autism to Turing, the stereotypical traits portrayed in the film, such as social awkwardness, difficulty working with others, and tendency to take things over-literally, bear little relationship to accounts given of Turing's personality, even if he did have other qualities worthy of an informal autism diagnosis. Despite enjoying working alone, Turing was sociable and had friends, was also viewed as having a sense of humour, and had good working relationships with colleagues”

More ASD theatrical bullshit.

pinkdelight · 16/08/2025 08:47

x2boys · 16/08/2025 08:23

I disagree with that you only have to read threads on here about autism which shows many people have no idea how vast the spectrum is and how disabling it can be to some people.

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And people come on those threads to explain what you’re saying and awareness rises. The conversations are happening way more than they were, on here, elsewhere online, in schools, and so on. I’m not saying it’s sorted, not by a long way, but it’s more part of the conversation now, esp compared to many disabilities that barely get seen on screen.

IAmADancer · 16/08/2025 08:47

I was diagnosed in my early 40’s and I see no representation of what my autism is like on TV. I also find the portrayal of autistic people on shows really reductive as it just perpetuates the myth that we are all awkward/cold/highly intelligent/can’t have relations/don’t understand others. It’s hard enough trying to get my wider family to understand how my autism affects me and that it is actually real (even with a formal diagnosis they still don’t quite believe me) and programmes that paint autistic people in this light dosn’t help.

and if one more person says to me ‘well we are all a bit on the spectrum’ I may loose my mind. It is so rude! You wouldn’t tell someone with cancer ‘well we all have a little bit of cancer’. It just completely minimises everything I deal with on a daily basis and how exhausting the world can be for me.

x2boys · 16/08/2025 08:45

I think Rainman waa based on a real person ?
It's not meant to represent everybody with a diagnosis of autism
That's the the thing with programmes/ films featuring somone who autistic its just one perspective.

Overthebow · 16/08/2025 08:44

Zezet · 16/08/2025 08:32

What do you consider autistic representation in movies?

Belle for example is clearly autistic, I think both accurate and lovely, and that movie is from 1991. So is Hermione, and she is a heroine. So is Bruno. None of them get announced in the movie as autistic. Do they count?

Yes I think there are actually a lot of characters who are autistic but not always labeled. Another one is Elsa, she’s also clearly autistic if you properly listen to the song lyrics and story in both films. I also quite like BBT, I like how Sheldon does so well in his job and that he has a close circle of friends and lives life just fine in his own way. Autism is a spectrum and I think different characters are needed to represent it and that includes characters like Sheldon and also the more severe end too. I do wish the ‘higher functioning’ (sorry don’t know how else to put it) characters that are clearly autistic but aren’t labeled as such were owned as autistic though. I have ASD and I love seeing characters like this but would like it to be known to everyone that they are.

beetr00 · 16/08/2025 08:42

totally agree with you @AutisticHouseMove

I "started" to watch Extraordinary Attorney Woo but I found the depiction so disheartening.

HeBeaverandSheBeaver · 16/08/2025 08:41

@Viot

Absolutely

I feel we need more types

My dd is audhd
And although she presents totally NT she has so many internal struggles it's definitely a disability. But now one sees here true struggles except her close family so she is judged everyday.

I love the program love on the spectrum. But even those are higher support needs and are very obvious to me.

I'd like to see more people like my dd.
Those that it's the tiniest detail you might pick up on. It's the internal struggles the tv need to highlight in those people.

The quiet creatives
The wall flowers that are brilliant with animals
The boys that crack witty jokes but can't chat about the weather.
Then go home and worry all night about what they did or didn't say or do.

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AutisticHouseMove · 16/08/2025 08:38

Watermelonnice · 16/08/2025 08:10

What about the imitation game? Have you seen that? What did you think of it?

I liked it, to be honest.

I hadn't told my daughter about my diagnosis when we watched it but she turned to me whilst we were watching it and told me that I was also an "odd duck". So I suppose I have to accept that one.

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TeenToTwenties · 16/08/2025 08:37

Presumably there could be many characters on TV who are autistic, you just don't spot it because outwardly they appear the same as others, and it is only inwardly they are struggling?

Or undiagnosed people?

Zezet · 16/08/2025 08:34

Meadowfinch · 16/08/2025 08:13

Perhaps the characters aren't labelled as autistic but I'd say Mr d'Arcy as a character comes close.

Socially awkward, views things as black or white, misunderstood as unfeeling and taciturn, has few close friends etc but loved and valued by those who know him better.

Great example.

Zezet · 16/08/2025 08:32

What do you consider autistic representation in movies?

Belle for example is clearly autistic, I think both accurate and lovely, and that movie is from 1991. So is Hermione, and she is a heroine. So is Bruno. None of them get announced in the movie as autistic. Do they count?

Coffeeishot · 16/08/2025 08:32

ExtraOnions · 16/08/2025 07:51

As a parent of an ASD 19 year old DD … I’m yet to see a decent portrayal of a “high functioning” (not a phrase we like) ASD person.

ASD people are either portrayed as banging thier head and screaming, or some kind of Savant.

I do get a bit annoyed about it, but I guess the reality won’t make good TV.

…and don’t get me started on “Autism is my superpower” (it minimises the disability) or “we are all a bit on the Spectrum” (erm… no we are not)

I don't know if she has seen it my on Bbc iplayer there is a comedy series called Dinosaur about a young woman with Autisim she is a paleontologist so yes a scientist tbf but it is more than that it is very funny The lead actress is Autistic and wrote it.

CarolineKnappShappeyShipwright · 16/08/2025 08:27

Does it in part depend on the story? I mean in bones the programme is very much about her getting better at dealing with people. In the big bang theory Sheldon's autism is a fundamental plot device for hundreds of jokes some of which are very clever or require a lot of mathematical or scientific knowledge that they'll actually go over many of the viewers heads.

My son has ASD and anyone familiar with it would probably recognise it when dealing with him regularly. But. I doubt it would be picked up immediately. He could come across as just a bit shy in some situations or as an expert in others. So in a programme his traits wouldn't really add to the plot or storyline.

I get that it can be annoying that autism is consequently misunderstood by many people because of how they see it portrayed.

Coconutter24 · 16/08/2025 08:26

AutisticHouseMove · 16/08/2025 08:07

I'm aware of Atypical but have avoided it in anticipation of it being awful.

If rather not see myself represented at all than to have it done so badly.

They are not just representing you though. Not everyone with autism is the same. I love big bang theory and Sheldon is pretty accurate to my nephew with autism, they act very similar. What about the character Warren Jensen in there’s something about Mary, he was obviously not portrayed high functioning.

spoonbillstretford · 16/08/2025 08:23

There are a. number of things I've seen recently where I've thought one or more characters has autism, without it being about autism. Annika springs to mind as I watched it last night.

x2boys · 16/08/2025 08:23

pinkdelight · 16/08/2025 08:11

Unless it’s a social realist drama whose purpose it is to represent/explore that character’s autism then it’s not there to be realistic and is never going to represent your particular experience of it. Sounds like you mostly mean characters in genre shows like crime thrillers where everything is heightened for the drama. Cops aren’t like tv cops. Characters have to be brilliant or unusual or have some element to earn their place in the story. They won’t usually be identified as autistic precisely because that puts the weight of representation on them and that’s not often the point of the show. That C4 show Patience is an exception in that it’s USP is the girl’s condition - I didn’t watch it so don’t know how successful it was, I suspect not very, but it was a remake of a French show so just copying what they’d done and the crime story would still take precedence over representation, which is not what keeps viewers watching. My DS is ASD and largely sits at his computer not talking much. He’s brilliant in his own way but would not make a viable tv drama character.

I believe we’ve come some way from the Rain Man era of actors winning awards for OTT portrayals which then make people think that’s what autism is for everyone. You could say now it’s so much more widespread/diagnosed than most people know someone and it doesn’t need representing/naming by TV dramas unless it’s about a real life person or has something to say about autism specifically. If you think your experience would make for good tv or should be out there, then you can make that happen. There are plenty of influencers on SM who talk about their experiences. But TV drama is its own beast with its own needs and I suspect it will always (as long as tv lasts that is) need the maverick genius loner characters who seem to fascinate us, no matter what reason one ascribes to them being like that. Not least because many writers are ND themselves.

I disagree with that you only have to read threads on here about autism which shows many people have no idea how vast the spectrum is and how disabling it can be to some people.

x2boys · 16/08/2025 08:19

AutisticHouseMove · 16/08/2025 07:39

I was diagnosed as autistic in my early 40s.

When I was younger, the only real portrayal of autism I was aware of was Rainman.

I also know there has been criticism of that because it portrayed an autistic man as a 'low functioning' savant.

Over recent years, I've noticed a prevalence of a different type of autistic person. Usually working in some kind of solitary role requiring a high level of intelligence (eg scientist), who is brilliant/the best at their job but completely lacking in empathy or social skills and getting it all wrong when they have to interact with colleagues or friends.

They're rarely identified as 'autistic' but there are hints along the way, comments from other characters about how 'weird' or 'difficult' or 'awkward' they are or how curious it is watching them trying to interact with or behave like 'the humans/earthlings'. Or other characters have to brace themselves against the tone deaf comments. Basically, either endearingly odd, a bit of a dick or both.

I don't know. It just makes me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed even when I realise this character (and they're recognisable because they're all portrayed in the same way) is supposed to represent me. Or is this really how NT people perceive many of us to be?

YABU - the portrayal of people with autism in films and TV shows is pretty much how I experience autistic people in real life

YANBU - you have a point.

Well.my own autistic son is severely autistic with severe learning disabilities, non verbal etc this kind if autisn is rarely portrayed unless in a pitying documentary
There she goes on BBC a few years ago however waa excellent it made me laugh and cry..