Autism is becoming more common worldwide than people might realize. In the UK, more than one in 100 people are on the autistic spectrum. However, there’s a lot of misunderstanding about autism, partly because the number of diagnosed cases has been increasing very fast. Many people mistakenly think that autism is an illness or disease, but actually it’s not. Autism simply means that a person’s brain works differently from others. But this difference doesn’t mean that autistic people cannot have fulfilling lives. Like normal people, they also have weaknesses and strengths. So, here’s a list of celebrities who have autism and have been open about their condition.
Tallulah Willis
The daughter of Bruce Willis, who is known for her roles in films including The Whole Ten Yards, Bandits, and The Scarlett Letter has recently revealed in an Instagram post that she has been diagnosed with autism. She posted a video along with her father in which she can be seen rubbing her father’s head while he smiles broadly for the camera. The actress also revealed in the comments that she found out about being autistic in summer and the condition has changed her life completely.
Elon Musk
The popular businessman and investor who is known as the CEO of the automotive company Tesla, Inc. has also been diagnosed with autism. He opened up about his autistic experiences during an SNL ‘Saturday Night Live’ in May 2021. Later in his interviews, he stated that he has learned how to deal with it along with how to work with his brain and not against it. He stated that his childhood was not so great as autism impacted those years. He revealed that he was bullied for his condition but also credits this condition for his success.
Sia
Another popular celebrity who has been dealing with autism is the Australian singer and songwriter Sia whose real name is Sia Kate Isobelle Furler. She revealed that she had been diagnosed with autism recently on the Rob Has A Podcast. Although the pop icon hasn’t stated when exactly she was diagnosed but has mentioned that it is a very recent development. The singer also revealed that understanding the neurotypicality has helped her live a normal and fulfilling life.
Melanie Sykes
The 53-year-old Melanie Sykes is a famous English television and radio presenter who is widely known for co-hosting shows with Des O’Connor and Gino D’Acampo. Despite this, she has been diagnosed with autism recently and has revealed that it is truly life-changing. She further stated that after her diagnosis so many things which happened to her started to make sense. Now, she has a deeper understanding of her life and the things she has endured.
Christine McGuinness
The former beauty queen who is an English model and a popular television personality is Christine McGuinness, who is known for appearing in the ITVBe reality series The Real Housewives of Cheshire. The famous personality revealed in her biography that she was diagnosed with autism during her adulthood and it was both emotional and a relief. In her documentary, Unmasking My Autism also revealed that her autism diagnosis helped her understand why she is the way she is. She also broke off her marriage with presenter Paddy McGuinness.
Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle who is also known as Susan Magdalane Boyle is a famous Scottish singer who rose to notoriety after participating in the third series of Britain’s Got Talent. On the show, she became famous for singing the song, I Dreamed a Dream. The singer revealed in 2013 that she is on the autism spectrum. She has always been open about her autism diagnosis and has spoken candidly about Asperger Syndrome diagnosis, which is a term used for autism. The singing sensation revealed that she was not diagnosed with the condition till her 50s and was also told in her childhood that she had brain damage.
Wentworth Miller
The American-British actor and screenwriter Wentworth Earl Miller III is widely known for playing the role of Michael Scofield in the Fox series Prison Break. The popular actor has revealed that he was diagnosed with autism during the pandemic and he opted to get more knowledge about it by turning to the autistic community. The Prison Break actor also stated that it was very difficult for him to receive the diagnosis because he was a grown adult at that time and not a child.
Greta Thunberg
The Swedish environmental activist, Greta Thunberg is widely recognized for urging world leaders to take quick action against global warming. Back in 2019, she revealed on Instagram that she has autism after she was targeted for her actions continuously. She revealed how was her experience with this condition and why she sees autism as a superpower. She further revealed that the diagnosis was a relief for her because it helped her understand why she was not like other people and also assisted her in getting the support she needed.
Holly Madison
Holly Madison is an acclaimed television personality who is mainly for being the ex-girlfriend of American publisher, Hugh Hefner. The famous celebrity is also known for being featured in the reality television show The Girls Next Door. She revealed in 2021 that she received a formal diagnosis of autism and explained her experience with the condition while appearing on the Talking to Death podcast. She mentioned that her behavior changed because of this and she was often lost in her thoughts which was found offensive by some people.
Dan Aykroyd
Another popular celebrity who is on the autistic spectrum is Dan Aykroyd, who is a popular Canadian and American actor. In addition to this, he is also a comedian, screenwriter, and producer. The famous personality revealed that he was diagnosed with autism in the 80s when his wife forced him to go and meet a doctor. In the initial stages, he said that he began to have the tendency to get obsessive with ghosts and law enforcement. He also became obsessed with Hans Holzer, the greatest ghost hunter.
Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins whose full name is Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, is a popular Welsh actor who is widely known for his performances on the screen and stage. The actor also made appearances in films such as The Remains of the Day, Nixon, Amistad, and The Two Popes. Despite this, he recently revealed that he didn’t know about autism until he was diagnosed. He said that people with this condition tend to be very creative or severely handicapped.
Courtney Love
Courtney Love is a popular American singer and songwriter whose real name is Courtney Michelle Harrison. She is also a famous actress and guitarist. As a singer, she became a sensation as the lead vocalist of the musical band Hole, formed in 1989. The celebrity has spoken candidly about having autism just once. She revealed that she was an introvert because she had autism and also experienced difficulty in communicating. She visited a doctor for her condition when she was nine years old.
Daryl Hannah
Another well-known actress who has been diagnosed with autism is Daryl Hannah, who made her big-screen debut in The Fury, Brian De Palma’s supernatural horror film. However, she was diagnosed with autism when she was very young, and due to this, she became very shy and isolated. She often moved front and back, which is a common symptom of autism, and many doctors wanted to put her into a mental hospital but were stopped by her mother. The Blade Runner actress mentioned that she escaped her symptoms because of acting.
Chris Fischer
The American chef and farmer Martha’s Vineyard, Chris Fischer, has recently been diagnosed with autism, which was revealed by his wife Amy Schumer. She revealed that when her husband was diagnosed with this disorder, she felt like he had been given a superpower. After his diagnosis, she has encouraged people to get themselves tested if they see any symptoms because it will help them understand their lives more clearly. She has also revealed that this condition is highly inheritable and believes their son Grace could be like Chris.
Hannah Gadsby
The popular American comedian and writer who began their career after winning the national final of the Raw Comedy competition for new comedians is Hannah Gadsby. They revealed their condition of having autism in the book, Ten Steps to Nannette: A Memoir Situation. It was revealed that this condition affects the way a person’s thoughts are processed. It also affects your overall behavior which is considered offensive by others. They also mentioned that it took a lot of courage to be able to tell the world about being diagnosed with autism.
Dan Harmon
Dan Harmon, whose real name is Daniel James Dan Harmon, is a widely known American screenwriter and producer. He is most popularly known as the producer and creator of the sitcom Community. The popular celebrity, while researching his character, Abed, recognized that his condition was similar to his. He immediately went to see a doctor and was diagnosed with autism as his symptoms became more severe.
Alex Reid
The former mixed martial artist, who won the final series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2010 is Alex Reid whose full name is Alexander Aristides Reid. He revealed at the age of 45 that he had been diagnosed with autism and it was a relief. He first got to know about his condition when he saw a family member’s child who had autism. During their talk, the family noticed that the child and Alex had several similarities.
Chris Packham
Chris Packham is a famous naturalist or environmentalist who has recently revealed that he was diagnosed with autism when he was 44 years old. Before this, he felt broken as a teenager because he didn’t know about this spectrum. He got to know about his condition when he dated a healthcare professional who helped him with his condition because his parents and friends were also not aware of this as he grew up in the 60s and 70s.
Heather Kuzmich
Another celebrity who has autism is the American fashion model Heather Kuzmich, who is widely known for being a contestant on America’s Next Top Model. However, during this reality show, it was revealed that the popular celebrity has Asperger syndrome. It was mentioned that during the run of this show, she was not able to understand the jokes and also had difficulty communicating with other people.
Tim Burton
Tim Burton whose full name is Timothy Walter Burton is a famous American director and writer and who is also a widely known animator and producer. However, the popular celebrity who is known for gothic horror and fantasy films believes that he has autism. Tim’s longtime partner, Helena Bonham Carter has revealed that he has symptoms which include being obsessed with his work to such an extent that he does not hear whatever is going around him. Also, people around him have noticed that he is becoming more and more introverted.
Jerry Seinfeld
American comedian and actor, Jerry Seinfeld who has not been formaly diagnosed so far, has revealed that he has some symptoms which are related to the spectrum. He has stated that, though not on the autistic spectrum, he has experienced some conditions that make him visit a doctor. Further, he also openly recognizes his autism symptoms because of his past social challenges and unique way of processing his thoughts.
