10 World Famous People with Dyslexia

Dyslexia, commonly called the reading disability, affects the part of the brain that processes language. A dyslexic person finds it difficult to identify speech sounds and relate them to letters. People with dyslexia have normal intelligence levels and vision but they find it difficult to read letters and comprehend the sound attached to them.

Dyslexia is much more common than you think it is. Here, we are sharing a list of notable persons with dyslexia just to tell you that a disability like this cannot restrain a person from excelling in their choice of profession.

Famous People Affected with Dyslexia

1. Muhammad Ali

Who does not know the legendary heavyweight boxing champion, Muhammad Ali? Commonly known as the Greatest, Ali was one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time. But, very few people know that his first fight was against dyslexia. He was a great wordsmith whose many words are shared as motivational quotes but he could barely read due to dyslexia.

2. Jennifer Aniston

An American actress, producer and businesswoman who didn’t know about her being a dyslexic until her 20s. She was her class clown. Her schooldays were full of traumas and tragedies. But, despite her condition, she went on to become a famous actress and producer.

3. Whoopi Goldberg

An American actress, comedian, author and television personality who received numerous accolades. She is one of the sixteen entertainers to have won an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award and a Tony Award. Yes, she achieved so much in her career despite being a dyslexic who was bullied in school and called a stupid. She didn’t know about her condition well after she dropped out of school.

ALSO READ: Celebrities with Autism

4. Henry Winkler

An American actor, comedian, director, and producer who also went on to become an author. It was his difficulty to read because of which he always went off-script. He has also written a children’s book that is about dyslexia. In the book, he talks about Hank Zipzer, the world’s greatest underachiever.

5. Richard Branson

The founder of Virgin Group, which controls more than 400 companies in different fields, Sir Richard Branson too is dyslexic. In fact, he gives credit to dyslexia and his ‘different way of thinking’ for all his successes in life. He was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth.

6. Jamie Oliver

The celebrity chef who has built an empire around his passion for cooking. He has published many bestseller cookbooks, did prime-time TV shows and has restaurants and cookware in his name. In some of his interviews, he has said that he didn’t finish his first book until he was 38 due to his learning disorder, dyslexia.

7. Hritik Roshan

A popular Bollywood actor who is today known for his great dancing skills once struggled to talk properly due to dyslexia. He had to undergo intense speech therapy from the age of six to be able to understand and use speech sounds used for letters and words.

8. Maggie Aderin Pocock

She is a British space scientist and space educator. Pocock is also an honorary research associate of University College London, Department of Physics and Astronomy. She has won several awards for her works in physics and astronomy. And yes, she is dyslexic.

9. Tom Cruise

One of the highest-paid actors in the world and a crush for millions around the globe, Tom Cruise is dyslexic. He was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of seven. Being dyslexic he struggled reading and comprehending what he read. But, this didn’t stop him from becoming a Hollywood star.

10. Steve Jobs

The American business magnate who founded Apple too was dyslexic. But, at the same time, he also had intellectual giftedness that gave him intellectual ability significantly higher than the average people.

This is a very small list of notable persons with dyslexia. There are many more. Some personalities like Leonardo Da Vinci, Napolean, Saint Teresa, Walt Disney, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison too are believed to be dyslexic based on their childhood stories. As the disorder was not understood well until the late 20th century, these people were not clinically diagnosed during their lifetime.