In 2009, Eric Stonestreet, an American actor, achieved international recognition for his portrayal of Cameron Tucker in the acclaimed television series "Modern Family," which also propelled Sofía Vergara to fame. While endearing audiences with his charismatic character, Stonestreet faced a personal challenge: he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. For years, Stonestreet kept his condition a secret, silently dealing with the stigma and shame he felt about it.
The Weight of Silence: Stonestreet's Initial Struggle
"I felt embarrassed and ashamed," he confessed in an interview with People . "I was like, 'Of course a guy who looks like me has type 2 diabetes.' That's what everyone thinks."
As his star rose, Stonestreet grappled with the diagnosis, revealing that he only confided in Jesse Tyler Ferguson, his "Modern Family" co-star. He internalized the shame, believing that his appearance somehow made him more susceptible to the condition. "I just kind of was ashamed and embarrassed, because, 'Of course, a guy that looks like me has Type 2 diabetes.' That's what everybody thinks. 'That's what you get for looking like you and eating like you,' or whatever."
During his run on "Modern Family," Stonestreet says he found it especially difficult to watch himself on TV. A lot of this, he says, had to do with feelings of shame that came with his Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. "I know when I was doing great and when I wasn't and when I was like, 'I don't like looking at myself,' " he says of his time on the sitcom. "And I'm like, 'I don't like how I look out there.' Just like everyone else experiences. People are always like, 'You must love watching yourself on TV.' Actually, it's the opposite."
A Turning Point: Mounjaro and a Healthier Lifestyle
In 2022, Stonestreet's life took a dramatic turn thanks to Mounjaro (tirzepatide), an FDA-approved medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. On his doctor's recommendation, Stonestreet started Mounjaro. Since starting treatment, Stonestreet has experienced significant improvements in her health, including noticeable weight loss and increased energy levels. "It's a game changer," the actor said.
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Since then, Stonestreet says, his blood sugar is at a healthier, prediabetic level, and he's also lost some weight. Stonestreet emphasizes he did not go on Mounjaro for appearances, though he acknowledges some "Modern Family" fans might notice he's thinner now than he was on the show. On a late April Zoom call, the actor doesn't share exactly how much weight he's lost but admits he's "down a couple shirt sizes, for sure."
Inspired by the results, Stonestreet adopted healthier habits, incorporating a balanced diet and regular physical activity into his daily routine.
Becoming an Advocate: Sharing His Story to Destigmatize Diabetes
Now, Stonestreet is doing a paid partnership with Eli Lilly and Company, the pharmaceutical brand behind Mounjaro, to share his experiences on the drug in hopes of destigmatizing it and similar medications, which have become a hot-button cultural and political topic in recent years. He also became a spokesperson for Eli Lilly, the maker of Mounjaro, sharing his experience to help others understand and manage type 2 diabetes.
"I want people to know there's no shame in talking about this," he said. "It's important to share our stories and support each other." "I just never talked to anybody about it. I was embarrassed, so I just kind of kept it to myself," he says. "Now, I'm talking about it, and I hope other people will do the same thing."
Stonestreet hasn't told his former "Modern Family" castmates that he started Mounjaro; however, he expects many will likely find out when the rest of the world does, with the announcement of his Eli Lilly partnership. He expects they'll be supportive when they do. "I think most of them will be surprised, and I think they'll be happy for me. I mean, we all want the best for each other, and not anybody ever was like, 'Hey, you're really unhealthy looking,' " Stonestreet says. "But there's no doubt that people over time would probably think 'Eric should take better care of himself.' And I thought that (too)."
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More than Physical: An Emotional Transformation
Stonestreet's transformation is not only physical but also emotional. He has gained confidence and a new perspective on his health and well-being.
Stonestreet's not sure if or how his weight loss might affect his career. His main motivation for starting Mounjaro has always been his health and managing Type 2 diabetes. But he does think costumers on future projects may be less stunned when they take his measurements. "Look, I'm not all of a sudden going to be Brad Pitt over here and chiseled at 175 pounds. Let's be real clear about that. I'm always going to be a big-boned, Kansas, corn-fed dude," he says. "But clothes fit better, which is exciting. I'm going down in size, which is exciting. Wardrobe people on shows won't be so shocked when they hear I'm a size 50 jacket. One thing that's funny in Hollywood is anything that's more than a 45 or 46, it's like, 'What size are you? How big?' It's funny. So that's exciting."
The Stigma of Weight Loss Medications
Medications that lead to weight loss have broken into the mainstream in recent years, in part thanks to Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities coming forward to share their experiences with them. Still, these drugs often carry stigma, even though medical experts emphasized there's nothing wrong with taking them under proper medical guidance and supervision.
Stonestreet expects he'll receive some mean comments when the public learns he went on Mounjaro. "People suck on social media, and people will say mean things inevitably, and that's fine. I get it. You have to wake up and be mean to somebody to make yourself feel better," he says. "But it's worked for me and I can't judge anyone else's reason for getting on any of these other drugs."
But Stonestreet also knows that his coming forward will likely mean a lot to people in similar situations.
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"Modern Family" Cast and Health Challenges
Sadly, Stonestreet isn't the only 'Modern Family' actor to face health issues during and after the series.
Sarah Hyland (Haley) was born with kidney disease and underwent two kidney transplants, the first donated by her father in 2012 and the second by her brother in 2017. During filming, Hyland experienced extreme exhaustion and sometimes didn't remember filming certain scenes due to her health condition.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell) suffered a vocal cord hemorrhage during the fifth season, caused by trying to suppress a sneeze, forcing him to go on vocal rest and re-record his lines afterward.
Sofía Vergara (Gloria) was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 28 during a routine checkup. She underwent surgery and radiation treatments, and is currently on medication to manage her hypothyroidism.
Ariel Winter (Alex) underwent breast reduction surgery in 2015 due to the physical pain and unwanted attention she was receiving, going from a size 32F to a 34D.