13 Celebrities With Diabetes and the Stories Behind Their Diagnoses

Tom Hanks shared he had type 2 diabetes back in 2013, attributing the diagnosis to both lifestyle and family history. "I went to the doctor, and he said, 'You know those high blood sugar numbers you've been dealing with since you were 36? Well, you've graduated! You've got type 2 diabetes, young man,'" he said to David Letterman on "The Late Show." Hanks shared even more a few years after his diagnosis, reflecting on what led to his diabetes. "I'm part of the lazy American generation that has blindly kept dancing through the party and now finds ourselves with a malady," he told the Radio Times in 2016. "I was a total idiot. I thought I could avoid it by removing the buns from my cheeseburgers. Well, it takes a little bit more than that."

Salma Hayek was diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant with her daughter Valentina in 2007. However, she wasn't sure whether her symptoms were actual red flags or just normal symptoms of early pregnancy. "I got gestational diabetes, which I didn't realize at first," she explained to Parents in 2008. "I didn't know whether I was feeling bad because I was pregnant or whether something was seriously wrong." Her main symptoms included unusual weight gain and nausea, per Diabetes WA. In an effort to avoid a subsequent type 2 diabetes diagnosis, she made some significant lifestyle changes like doing more yoga, trying weight training, and eating a healthier diet.

Actor and comedian Anthony Anderson says his type 2 diabetes diagnosis completely changed his life. "It slowed me down a little bit just so I could figure out what it is, what moves I needed to make next" he told Healthline. "I wanted to know what to do to stay healthy, live with this disease, and not die from it." In a "Get Real About Diabetes" campaign with Novo Nordisk, Anderson said he had many of the typical symptoms, including excessive thirst and frequent use of the bathroom. "About 10 years ago, my dad passed away from type 2 diabetes complications," he shared in the same campaign. "That was a real wake-up call for me. I didn't want to just be a memory for my family, I wanted to be there. So I vowed right then and there that I would get serious about managing my diabetes."

Este Haim got tested for type 1 diabetes after passing out in the middle of a mall the day before high school. Even before that though, she was experiencing some concerning symptoms. Excessive thirst and frequent urination were among the most notable, she said in a 2020 episode of the "Made Visible" podcast. "I was like a funnel," she said. "It was a constant flow of fluid coming in and out of me." Haim also experienced sudden weight loss and blurry vision, both of which are common signs of type 1 diabetes. After receiving her type 1 diabetes diagnosis, Haim's doctor warned her that a future career in music might make it difficult to manage her condition. "I was devastated; I started crying," she remembers. Thankfully, her family had some helpful advice: "You listen to your doctor when it comes to medical advice, but when it comes to life advice, you listen to yourself."

Nick Jonas is famously candid about his journey with type 1 diabetes. He was diagnosed in 2005, but spoke openly about it for the first time at a concert in 2007, according to Diabetes UK. In a 2022 TikTok, he said some of his initial symptoms included irritability, frequent urination, weight loss, and excessive thirst. "I felt like my world was turned upside down. As a 13-year-old, it was hard to imagine what life would look like managing diabetes with dreams to continue touring all over the world," Jonas wrote in an Oct. 30 Instagram post. "18 years later, my diabetes inspires me."

Randy Jackson refers to his type 2 diabetes diagnosis as a major wake up call. The former "American Idol" judge was diagnosed back in 2003, prompting him to get gastric bypass surgery in 2004 (losing over 100 pounds, per Diabetes UK). "It was kind of crazy for me because it ran in my family, but you always think someone else is going to get it, never you," he told Woman's World of his diagnosis. To help manage his diabetes after the procedure, he committed to several lifestyle changes including exercise (he likes tennis, Pilates, and spinning and a plant-based diet). Jackson was also an advocate for the American Heart Association's The Heart of Diabetes campaign in 2008.

While Lance Bass was originally diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, this turned out to be a misdiagnosis. The former member of *NSYNC recently helped raise awareness about type 1.5 diabetes (also known as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults, or LADA), by sharing his new diagnosis in a July Instagram post. "Plot twist: I have Type 1.5 diabetes," Bass wrote, adding that he uses the Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitoring system to learn what spikes his blood sugar and help him make the best choices.

Billy Porter was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during what he calls "the worst year of my life." In 2007, he filed for bankruptcy, got diagnosed with HIV, and learned he had type 2 diabetes all at once. In 2021, he finally opened up about his diagnoses with The Hollywood Reporter, explaining that it isn't always easy to be candid about your health. "Sharing your status - whether it's HIV, Diabetes, Cancer, whatever - is very personal and has to be in your own time and on your terms," he shared in a 2021 Instagram post.

While Sharon Stone rarely speaks about her type 1 diabetes diagnosis, she does support organizations in search of a cure. For instance, she attended the Carousel of Hope Ball to benefit The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, and manages her own symptoms with daily insulin injections, per Diabetes UK.

After falling into a diabetic coma on the set of the 1989 TV series "Living Dolls," Halle Berry was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She was 22 at the time, and at one point claimed to "cure" her diabetes via diet, causing some controversy within the community (for the record: type 1 diabetes has no cure). That said, she was the first ambassador for the National Diabetes Education — Diabetes Aware Campaign in 2004, and continues to speak about managing diabetes on social media.

Patti LaBelle wasn't diagnosed with type 2 diabetes until her 50s. The news came after she passed out on stage during a 1995 performance in New York City. "I had no idea what was happening, but that night in the hospital, when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, my life was forever changed," she wrote in 2021 for USA Today. She explained that she felt terrified, having watched both her aunt and uncle lose their sight, then her mother lose both legs from diabetes. But although she knew how devastating the condition could be, she says it took her a while to get past the denial. "Eventually, I realized my glucose levels weren't getting any better, and I knew it was time to do something," LaBelle wrote. "I made a conscious choice to prioritize my health and change my way of living."

Chaka Khan was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2011, and she's since made several major changes to help get her blood sugar under control. "I had diabetes type two and high blood pressure," she told Essence in 2020. "I adopted my 10-year-old granddaughter last year. I have to be there for her. I knew I couldn't go out like this, so I just fasted for like a month, then I went vegan and went off meats and all dairy and anything with eyes." She admits that she still has cravings from time to time, but for the most part, her diet consists of high-protein foods and lots of vegetables and she also enjoys low-impact exercises like walking.

Even athletes deal with diabetes. Tennis legend Billie Jean King learned she had type 2 diabetes in 2007, but she tried to approach the diagnosis pragmatically. "When I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about three years ago, I felt well-prepared," she wrote for the Huffington Post in 2010. "My blood sugar started to get elevated and I tracked it with my doctor and I knew I had to make some changes in my life." These changes included more moderate exercise and conscious choices about nutrition. "But most importantly, I am good to myself," she said, emphasizing the importance of accepting responsbility for your own health.

Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.