A new documentary, “Hollywood Does Abortion,” which premiered at the Tribeca Festival, argues that the entertainment industry has frequently shaped public perception of abortion by portraying it as dangerous or shameful.

This perspective, the film suggests, fostered a culture where abortion was often viewed negatively, despite Hollywood's generally liberal leanings.

The documentary highlights instances in popular culture, such as "Dirty Dancing" or "The Sopranos," where characters faced severe medical complications or long-term consequences from abortions.

Other productions like "Roseanne," "Party of Five," or the film "Juno" often featured characters agonizing over the decision, only for a miscarriage or false positive to negate the need for a choice, or for them to ultimately decide to give birth.

Even in "Sex and the City," a character who had an abortion expressed being haunted by the decision years later, contributing to the idea of long-term regret.

Rachel Bloom, creator of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and a producer on the documentary, believes that while writers often used abortion as a “dramatic device,” there is a responsibility for accuracy.

The film points out that the complications frequently depicted in fiction do not align with medical facts.

Studies show that less than 0.25% of abortions in the U.S.

result in major complications, and less than 1% require emergency room treatment.

Furthermore, abortion is more common than often portrayed, with Planned Parenthood reporting that one in four women have had an abortion by age 45.

The documentary notes a shift in how abortion was depicted in film coinciding with Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980 and the rise of the religious right.

Barbara Attie, one of the documentary’s co-directors, observed, “We think of Hollywood as being very progressive, yet we went through a pretty big era where abortion was severely stigmatized.”

This contrasts with earlier portrayals, such as a two-episode arc of the 1972 sitcom “Maude,” where the titular character, a 47-year-old woman, opted for an abortion, which was depicted as a safe medical option.

Adrienne Barbeau, who played Maude’s daughter Carol, recalled the pressure surrounding the episodes, with some stations in the South refusing to air them.

Norman Lear, the show's producer, chose not to have Maude miscarry, considering it a “cop out.”

The overturning of Roe v.

Wade in 2022 has once again influenced how abortion is dramatized in pop culture.

While there's an increase in abortion portrayals, Janet Goldwater, another co-director, notes that these often depict easy access, which doesn't reflect the reality for many in states with bans or restrictions.

The makers of "Hollywood Does Abortion" feel that even recent portrayals fall short of the groundbreaking “Maude” episodes in showing a woman's agency over her decision.