Hollywood, Health & Society at ATX TV Festival 2026
ATX TV Festival
Hollywood, Health & Society joined this year’s ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas, for a series of conversations exploring the power of accurate storytelling.
Throughout the festival, HH&S brought together writers, producers, actors, advocates, and medical experts to discuss how entertainment can inform audiences, deepen public understanding, and reflect real-world health experiences with care and nuance.
HH&S hosted the panel “Helping Writers Get It Right: Exploring How Hollywood, Health & Society Works,” a behind-the-scenes conversation about how writers and producers approach complex storylines involving medicine, science, public health, and policy. Moderated by HH&S Director Kate Folb, the panel featured Brent Miller (One Day at a Time, Boots), David Grae (Madam Secretary), and David Gould (Fire Country). The session was sold out, reaching 100% capacity.
HH&S also supported “The Doctors Are In: Proving the Impact of Medical Accuracy on TV,” presented by The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health. The panel explored the real-world impact that medical series can have on viewers’ awareness, education, preventive behaviors, and relationship to the healthcare system. Panelists included Scott Wolf (Doc), Kate Folb, Amy Yasbeck of The John Ritter Foundation, and David Gould, with Dr. George Arnaoutakis, MD, serving as moderator.
In addition, Kate Folb joined the panel “From One Day at a Time to Friday Night Lights: Care in Context,” presented by the Caregiver Action Network. The panel examined how television can portray caregiving stories in ways that help audiences recognize, understand, and connect with caregiving experiences. Folb joined Brent Miller (One Day at a Time, Clean Slate), David Hudgins (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood), Jeffrey Addiss (The Boroughs), and Will Matthews (The Boroughs) for the conversation, moderated by Chance Browning, COO of Caregiver Action Network.
Across the festival, HH&S programming highlighted the importance of collaboration between storytellers and subject-matter experts. From medical accuracy to caregiving, these conversations reinforced the role of entertainment in shaping public awareness, reducing stigma, and helping audiences see health and social issues in new ways.
ATX TV Festival’s Season 15 welcomed 4,000 attendees, with HH&S programming generating strong audience engagement. Festival feedback described HH&S sessions as informative, engaging, and something attendees wanted to see more of.
Hollywood, Health & Society is grateful to ATX TV Festival, The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, Caregiver Action Network, and all of the panelists, partners, and attendees who joined these important conversations.